GF funding, how and who...

[lostinOregon]

Here is your reality. Legislators are getting hammered by the public with no new taxes mantra. Your natural resource agencies are very people dependent. So with the recent market crashes hurting pension funds and increasing employee costs there will never be a break even point in the next 10 to 15 years.

This is not just a problem in WY, it is what we have seen with across the board fee hikes in many states. Everyone wants quality, but what we are going to be headed for is quantity.

You will see states start to issue more tags because without new new revenue the balance sheets won't work. You will see states coming up with more and more lottery or super season tags to draw more income into the fold. But that alone won't be enough.

Slight increases to residents and non residents will not sustain the costs curve either What I'm afraid you will see is a slow increase in tags in some of the quality states to the point in 10 years from now deer and elk hunting quality will plummet. Montana, Oregon and Idaho already are opportunity states instead of quality states due to issuing tags to balance the budget. I hear WY and CO struggling for fee increases so my prediction will be an increase in tags for the next few years and in this scenario nobody wins.

Please do not let resident versus non resident costs turn all of our quality states to opportunity states. We will all lose in that scenario.

Rich

 

[TOPGUN]

Sorry lostinOregon, but I can't agree with you at least regarding Wyoming increasing tags just to help the G&F budget in that state. If that was the case, they wouldn't have cut the antelope tags by thousands this year, as well as making a lot of cuts in deer tags in certain units that are really hurting. Antelope tags are the bread and butter out there for the G&F and they are losing a ton of money this year by cutting tag numbers like they did.

 

[nocwalker]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-14 AT 02:43PM (MST)[p]Earlier this year we had the situation in NM with the NR tags being cut. Many dicussions and feelings came out from all over the place, some heated , some civil, just all over the place. Many guys feel to cut out NR's all together is the way togo, some res would argue we need the reveneus from the NR's

This Is not about NM or NR's!!!!

During those dicussions on these threads and others, I decided to see where the funds come from for OUR F&G departments. Like stated earlier, all the G&F departments are in trouble everywhere!!!! Here in Pa, they are considering charging non hunters a fee to use the State game lands (WMA's) IMO, that is a future threat to those lands and hunting.

What I found out was the Pittman/Robertson provided 25% to 38% of the revenues to each state that I looked at. I'm going on memory here from earlier this year and I hope I was reading it correctly.
If so, "maybe the solution should be attacked from the bigger side"

Maybe, Pittman/Robertson needs a raise ! maybe the supply side can grow

nocwalker

 

[wyoboypt]

I agree 100% with everything jm77 has said. Also as a side note, even though its not on the table now, when fees do go up it should APPLY TO NONRESIDENTS as well. If they have the money to come here and hunt, they have it to pay more for a tag. Especially if they're paying an outfitter. I cant afford to hunt out of state，and neither can most of the hunters in this state.

 

[wyoboypt]

I agree 100% with everything jm77 has said.

 

[TOPGUN]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-08-14 AT 07:19PM (MST)[p]>I agree 100% with everything jm77
>has said.


Heard you the first time, LOL and nobody has said NRs shouldn't be left out seeing as it's been quite a few years since the last tag increase.

 

[wyoboypt]

Mule creek thinks it shouldnt apply to non residents. As well as most other non residents no doubt.

 

[WapitiBob]

Maybe he's tired of subsidizing your hobby.

 

[mulecreek]

I do think tag price increases at this time should be for residents only. At least for big game. Fishing and small game should be looked at for every one. By the way I am a proud resident of Wyoming and hope for it to remain that way for the rest of my life.

 

[TOPGUN]

>Mule creek thinks it shouldnt apply
>to non residents. As well
>as most other non residents
>no doubt.


You're sure making statements about a lot of other people you don't know in your state and for NRs. I'm not for increasing NR tags as high as they already are compared to the cheapskate residents, but I'll pay my way if an increase is passed.

 

[wyoboypt]

Maybe so topgun. But im also speaking for alot of hunters i DO know.most of which arent on this site. But only the ones who share my opinion ?