RE: Utah and t,he little Circus
LAST EDITED ON Aug-20-12 AT 08:44PM (MST)[p]Does anyone here besides Tristate know how the system works in good ol' Texas? I didn't so I've been trying to sort it out for some time now (off and on) in order to see where Tristate was coming from and here's what I discovered. Disclaimer, I think I got most of it right, but the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the landowners, the federal agencies and the conservation organizations are so intertwined when it comes to issuing licenses and permits it's hard to sort it out.
1)Texas has only two statewide draws. One is called Big Time Hunts and it's for 7 separate hunts which include some for waterfowl or upland birds or whitetail or an alligator, and a package called the Grand Slam (Whitetail, Mule Deer, Pronghorn and Desert Bighorn Sheep). These hunts are drawn in a lottery form with a $9 online application fee or a $10 retail vendor or phone-in fee plus a $5 fee per transaction with no limit on the number of entries per person. In 2011 there were 62,610 entries. The second draw is for each of 2 Lifetime Super Combo Licenses at $5 per entry, no limit on the number of entries, residents only. So, the more expedible money you have, the more entries you can submit and the better your chances of winning. I couldn't find the number of entries for this drawing, but since there are a reported 1,000,000 hunters (The vast majority are dove hunters.), that doesn't seem like a lot who enter the drawings.
2)Texas has only 1.1 million acres of public provided hunter accessible land (State Parks, National Forest and Grasslands, wildlife Management Areas and lands leased from private landowners. (Utah has 29.8 million hunter accessible public lands in deer habitat.) The rest of Texas is mostly private land where hunters are charged a fee for hunting, if hunting is allowed.
3)Some deer permits are given to landowners in a program similar to CWMU's. It's a 3-step program where the landowner has to submit a request for tags based on acreage, deer population, buck to doe ratio, etc. This permits are given with no strings attached other than the hunter has to also buy a license. Unlike our CWMU's there are no public permits. The landowner can charge what he wants and keeps all of the money. The price? I've found it from $1,500 for an 8 point with 15" spread (Shonto Ranch) to $14,500 for a 190"-199" (888 Ranch). Most are $2,500 to $7,500 and ALL are based on antler score. Does are cheaper, obviously, about $750. However, most permits are sold over the counter, but like Utah, that doesn't guarentee access to private property and, for the most part, and access fees still apply (see prices below).
4)There are about 15-16 Desert Bighorn permits issued with only 20%-25% (3-4) of them issued to the Wildlife Department. The rest go to private land owners. Of the 3-4 TPWD, one of them is in the Grand Slam package and at least one is donated to the Wild Sheep Foundation for auction. I think the auctioned permits have the 90%-10% rule we do. In any case, the 2012 tag went for $85,000 (plus a 5% buyers premium, whatever that is.) at the WSF Convention in RENO, NV.
5) Turkey permits are much like deer. Most are in the hands of landowners with the rates about $300.
6) Pronghorn, ditto with prices at about $1,750-$2,500.
7)The exotics and wild boar require a license, but are not regulated otherwise and the landowners are able to charge whatever the going rate ($750 for pigs and up to $3,000 for some of the others.) Elk are $4,250 for a 330'-350' to $7,500 for a 370"-400"
8)There are about 4 million whitetail but only about 180,000 mule deer. The whitetail are doing fine because most of them are on private land and are adaptable and some of the ranch limits are as high as 5. The mule deer are in decline, same as Utah, and aren't doing as well.
9)The dove hunters far outnumber any other species hunters and are pretty much carrying the load. They also pay landowners to hunt, but by the day ($100-$200 per day) instead of the trophy value.
All in all, I'd say there's a lot of hunting money floating around in Texas, but has it helped mule deer. Nah! Their numbers are down 35% (down to 180,000 from 280,000) due to the drought over the last 3 years and they aren't expected to recover for several more years even if the drought ends.
Tristate, I'm sure you will have your own spin on this, but if some can't afford to hunt now, as you say, how many more will it be under this type of system?
Another point: Several times over your last few posts, you've said each state should develope it's own system, but apparently Utah isn't included. I thought that's what we were doing at the meeting when you begin your objection to our proposal.
And one last question you haven't answered. What is your real vested interest in Utah's wildlife management? It seems to me that you'd be better off spending your time and energy making Texas hunting more affordable to more people.