Idaho nonresident fee increase

[huntnrich]

I can't believe what the cost of the nonresident license has went to. It's sad when I can't see the F&G of Idaho doing anything for the deer populations in Idaho, yet they keep raising the license. I've been hunting there for years, I love to hunt the whitties, I think are hunting group we'll plan on going to another state next year. I can only hope, that every nonresident would do the same, then the F&G would have to look at the hole picture, you need something to sell something.
Rich

 

[Frontier]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-08 AT 03:56PM (MST)[p] As a resident, it's going to be real interesting to see if their revenue's increase after the kind of price hike they are asking for, especially in these times. I usually buy a res-nonres elk license, after this year that's over, especially with the price hike!

 

[kilowatt]

Is that just the LICENSE THAT WENT UP? How about the tags, did they go up too??

Brian

 

[Idahogrinder]

I posted this already, not everything is going up 20%, but it works out to 20% total...its on their site...

 

[deepforks]

youre right. everything is not going up....but basically everything that big game hunters will be required to purchase is going up. i think it is unfortunate that idfg cant reap any tax revenue because what services they provide and the activities that we as sportsmen do is "recreation". i think im correct in the last statement...correct me if i am wrong.

 

[Frontier]

deepforks, you have a point, at least on sales tax. Look how much money is generated on sporting goods, and on other sales such as travel trailers, boots, clothes, etc. The IDFG should be entitled to some of those revenues.

 

[deepforks]

i just feel that idfg is trying to increase the revenue too much, too fast. but what do you do? its a pay to play world. hey what is the state charging for sight seeing these days!!

 

[doeseedoe]

As a former resident and now a nonresident I am totally against the increases. I know personally 10 nonresident hunter who are not going back next year. 10 x $1000 is a pretty good loss for Idaho. Between the increases and the wolfs a lot of people will not be hunting in Idaho. Residents will have to make up for this loss by paying more in the future.
I know a lot of you are saying good ridance,but nonresidents pay for a lot of your programs.
Just my opinoin.

 

[deepforks]

doeseedoe, you and your buddys need to email fish and game and voice your frustrations. we all do if we dont agree. i know i have already done it. write into our legislature as well. i understand we gripe to each other, but we need to take it to them as well.

 

[grizzly]

My friend, my wife, and myself have hunted Idaho the last three years. Together we have paid nearly $5000.00 to IDFG. We have taken quite a few small game and one deer in that time. How many residents does it take to pay $5000 and only take one deer. Not to mention all the money we have spent traveling in Idaho to and from our hunting locations.

I wrote IDFG about a month ago stating I will not be back until they return the Southeast Region to a viable hunting zone. Their "management" is a joke.

Grizzly

 

[doeseedoe]

Ok deepfork:
I wrote a protest email to IDFG. Like you said if I don't protest they will just push whatever they want down our throats. I will get my hunting buddies to do the same.
Hell right now I can kill bigger deer here in Ca. than I can in Idaho and stay home.

 

[Idahoron]

OUCH!!! Ron

 

[supersider34]

Only bad thing is about the increase is after Aug 30 the residents buy up the tags also. I get one every year and I know of probably 10 other guys and some that would buy them if they had some leftover a little later in season.

You can boycott but they will still get sold out and still have the economy in Idaho going as it still has us spending money on hunting gear, gas, and etc... Sorry to hear all your experiences are not that good.

 

[elkslam]

I feel your pain it seems like every state is increasing fee's. My home state of oregon is adding an additional 24 % I believe. I have bought elk tags in idaho the last 3 years and have been very successfull and probably will continue to buy license and tags because the hunting and quality is so much better than my home state. It is going to be interesting with the economy the way it is. There is talk of boycotting the ODFW but I don't know if it will work. It could back fire and the tree huggers could gain some ground on stopping hunting totally. Everything costs more these days unfortunately it isn't going to get cheaper. Game management I won't go there I could write a book on that topic.

 

[idabigbuck]

I'm not sure about non-resident fees, but it has been 4 years since IDFG has raised fees on hunting tags and licenses. Everything else is going up and they either have to raise fees or cut back on services. We get no money from the State general fund. IDFG is completely funded by hunters and fishermen.
Its fair chase, or its foul!

 

[elkster123]

It dosen't matter how much the price increases are out of staters will still buy the tags and liscence. F@G Knows this that is why they increase that fees every other year or so under the descise of rising costs to do business etc, it's a cash cow for them and they no it. It's a outdoor activity that we men enjoy and will buy the tags no matter what the increses are. As long as we enjoy chasing elk and deer the tags will sell out every year just like they all ways do.

 

[Idahoron]

They will always continue buying? Even with deer and elk numbers dropping like anvils in a cartoon? I have had several non resident guys call me wanting to know about an area and if there are wolves there. When I tell them yes wolves are there they say maybe I will look into a state with better trophy potential. They also complain about the draw and how expensive it is. Lets face it wolves are making a huge impact on elk, and deer, and not for the better. When more and more NR's get skunked because of wolves the news will spread.
When It comes to Deer we are tanking hard and fast, and not JUST because of wolves. Even unit the mighty unit 45 can't keep up any more. With all the tags and the poaching going on the only trophy units we used to have are now producing only 160 and 170 class bucks at the top end. Ya a couple of big deer are killed, but nothing like we used to have. If I were a NR I would not come here. RON

 

[gemstatejake]

Take a look outside.........there is your answer. worse than poaching, or wolves combined. If this weather pattern continues like last year, Mule deer hunting will be really bad for a long time in most areas. Hunting is way down the list of things threatening deer in Idaho.

 

[peez3006]

For the first time in about 12 years, I don't think I'll be sending Idaho my money. I usually apply for deer and elk and buy a general tag if I don't draw enough hunts. I've yet to be drawn for a controlled hunt. I've used my license 3 or 4 times. Even though they raised up the junior lic/tag, they're still cheap. I'll probably take my twins in 2010 when they're twelve.

Don P.

 

[Idahoron]

>Take a look outside.........there is your
>answer. worse than poaching, or
>wolves combined. If this weather
>pattern continues like last year,
>Mule deer hunting will
>be really bad for a
>long time in most areas.
>Hunting is way down the
>list of things threatening deer
>in Idaho.

True, weather has a lot to do with herds, but how HAS throwing $$$ at the F&G helped herds lets say over the last 5 years? How will throwing more money be even better? Ron

 

[gemstatejake]

I cannot answer that..........I don't know. I'm willing to give the recent mule deer initiative a chance though. I gotta say, just a few years back I was really encouraged by what I was seeing hunting General units.....I felt that perhaps mulies were on the upswing and recovering....seeing lots of bucks and good numbers of four points and was able to take a good buck. After the past couple seasons I'm not so sure......One thing I do know is that weather is the biggest factor determining mule deer numbers by far.........and the one we have the least control over. Was hoping for a mild winter this year......still hoping this weather pattern mellows out.


I'll say this, if they do find a way to help but need more money to do so, I for one am willing to pay more.

 

[Daxter]

I don't really like the increases, but I could live with most of them. The one that really bothers me is the huge increase to submit an application for controlled hunts.

They used to just charge $4.50 to apply for the controlled hunts (of course after you buy your $140 license), but now on top of the new and improved $158 non-refundable license I have to pay $23.75 per controlled hunt application! If I were to buy a license and apply for deer, elk, and antelope under the old system it has been costing me $153.25, now it will cost me $229.25!

If I already have to buy a non-refundable hunting license just to apply, they can at least keep the application fees reasonable. $23.75 per controlled hunt application seems too high to me.

I probably will not hunt ID again until my kids are old enough to hunt and I can buy them cheap junior mentored tags, that is the only way I can justify the cost.

Quality and numbers seem to be down and prices just keep going up. ID is a fun state to hunt, but there comes a point where I feel like my money could be better spent elsewhere. I am sure the tags will still sell, but more of the those non-resident tags will be bought as second tags by residents than in years past.

 

[excaliber]

I've spoken to a couple Non Res. hunters in the last month and they are going elsewhere in the future.
These are two groups of guys (4 & 3)They said they are tired of seeing very little game in areas that once held very good numbers of Elk.
I know 7 guys isn't much in the big scheme of things but these guys are catching on pretty quick.

They know about the price increase and they just laughed. One of the groups is going to Colorado next year.

IDF&G is going to be in big trouble once these out of staters realize just how bad things really are here.
$23.75 is the highest application fee I know of anywhere in the western states. What a joke.

It's a shame too because this state has such great genetics and the ability to have hunting as good as any western state.

Mismanagement and the Wolves have sent this state into a downward spiral with no plans insight to right the ship.

 

[supersider34]

Link for the tags sold for 2009. Already selling out on some units. Does not seem to affect some people. Guess the increase will not affect alot of people.

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/licenses/quota/nrquota.cfm

 

[Idahoron]

>I probably will not hunt ID
>again until my kids are
>old enough to hunt and
>I can buy them cheap
>junior mentored tags, that is
>the only way I can
>justify the cost.


I heard that the cheep NON resident mentored tag will be gone for youth. All NR's will pay the same price no matter the age. Ron

 

[Daxter]

That's too bad, I really liked the junior mentored hunting program. I thought it was a good model for other states to follow.

I am sure that the licenses will still all sell. I just feel bad that I am starting to get priced out of the sport I love. I still might have to buy a deer tag in ID every once in a while. You just can't beat OTC tags with the ability to hunt deer practically statewide with seasons starting in Sept and running until Dec. if you want to finish up with whitetail or with a bow. Lots of opportunity, and there are still some decent animals. Just won't be an annual thing for me anymore. Best of luck to the guys that make the trip in 2009.

Dax

 

[OwnMoreBone]

I agree that all of the deer tags have sold out the last few years but it wasn't until the end of November this year that the Whitetail tags finally sold out. A few years ago the tags never did sell out and when we hunted whitetails in November we had the chance to buy a 2nd tag if we filled our 1st one. I would bet anything that they will not sell out this year. I know of about 30 NR hunters (myself being one of them) that usually hunt's Idaho that will not be going back for the 2009 season. We have really enjoyed hunting whitetails in Idaho but over the last 5 or 6 years the wolves have really taken a toll on the herds where we hunt. It's really sad when a NR deer tag in Idaho cost more than a NR Elk tag in Utah or Idaho.

OMB


There's room for all of God's creatures, right next to the mashed taters and gravy

 

[tagsoup]

I always buy Idaho's license and apply for permits. But with the increases's I will not being doing that this year. I hope that the last 5 deer in idaho are killed by the winter or wolves this year.

 

[deepforks]

tagsoup, with a comment like that, maybe you should keep your a$$ out of idaho. not worth coming here for 5 deer anyway!

 

[PeterGriffin]

Idaho USE to be a pretty good place to hunt on OTC tags. There's still some fair archery elk hunting, but deer hunting pretty much sucks for muleys on OTC units. The late archery hunts get more crowded every year, and the bird hunting isn't worth it either.

Chalk up one more nonresident that's going to pass on Idaho in the future. If they gave nonresidents points or some decent incentive to buy the licenses then maybe, but until then-SEE YA!

"Dear MacGuyver, Enclosed is a rubber band, a paper clip, and a drinking straw. Please save my dog." Peter Griffin aka The Family Guy

 

[springer1]

i hope everybody nation wide boycotts the Idaho fish & game haveing spoke with a regional director about said increase and his position was and i "quote if they can afford to 8,000.00 on a guided hunting trip they can afford to spend alittle more on a tag." he knows i person doesnt even stand a chance to harvest an elk (little lone- see one )he proceded to tell me not to write to the local newspaper and call them on the carpet or to tell everybody who oppose this to contact their congress men or senator (state level) i told him "i'll think about it" (but not for long )none of the monies goes to help the elk or deer ,it all goes for wages and enviromental projects....(also the increase will be on the resident sportsmen also)everything is % out minium being 4% to 428% on a non resident chance at a limited entry unit-people that is just to apply that is f#@%&$#@* crazy.... i urge everybody resident -non resident to contact idaho governor butch otter ,the idaho travel agency,the idaho state senators and congressmen tell them how much money you spend then tell them no more .WE NEED YOUR HELP IN THIS FIGHT.... iurge you you to do this,the anti-hunters and enviromental wackos have taken the department over for their benefit not yours or mine...

http://westinstenv.org/wp-content/Outdoorsman_31_Dec2008.doc

 

[tagsoup]

>tagsoup, with a comment like that,
>maybe you should keep your
>a$$ out of idaho. not
>worth coming here for 5
>deer anyway!


Deepforks, no sh!t. That is what I said. I won't be back.

 

[Idahoron]

I just read that web page news letter. it was spot on with what I have been saying and they went into great depth. Thanks for the link. Ron

 

[Frontier]

That is a good link, it's nice to have that kind of knowledge, but I'm not an optamist about the IDFG changing their course. It would take an all out rebellion by sportsman, both resident and non-resident, ain't going to happen. What I will be doing is only buying the tags and licenses that I need as I need them. No more res-non res tags, no more sportsman packages, no more bear tags unless I acutually go, no more lion tags, no wolf tags, etc. Besides the way I understand it you don't need a wolf tag unless you need it to put it on one.