tsoc

Great topic and one that is unlikely to see meaningful change in the near distant future.There are two thoughts that come to mind for me as it relates to this issue.The first is that in many instances hunters are on DIY hunts and hunting federal land,land that their tax dollars have supported.I do this every year in Idaho,my license and tag run me about $400 to hunt whitetails.
I do believe the circumstances should be more favorable for residents,just not as disproportionate.I would be in favor of a cap from a percentage point of view for non resident states.As an example those states could be no more than 50% higher than their resident license and tag fee's.I don't believe we will ever see this because there is to much money at stake for the best states.
If a state is aggressive and progressive in their game management and devoting their resources to foster better hunting they should be favored,just not to the rediculous degree that they are!

hardcorehunter

My biggest gripe is nonresident fees on National Forest. My FEDERAL taxes pay to fund this land, but I am called a non-resident. $500 to hunt elk in CO on my federal land while the CO resident can hunt the same land my taxes are paying for for $36.00.[:@]

hardcorehunter

I also believe that a concealed weapons permit issued in my state should be valid in all other states. My state says I can carry, why should another state deny me the right to bear arms. Off topic, but I had to vent.

hardcorehunter

No deer here, bad tick outbreak this spring, herd population was desimated.[:@]

Fieldmouse

Federal land should be treated different except it's seen as lost tax base revenue to each state where the land exists. As far as State land and fees, welcome to the law of supply and demand. It would be nice to have cheaper fees but then the lottery system would kick in in a lot more states.

I've always believe state parks with a deer problem due to lack of hunting should employ a revenue generating lottery for hunters to hunt. This would in thoery reduce license fees. I'm all about the exploitation of natural resources.

Greg / MO

Good points, all... and I see I'm not alone in my thinking. Great use of the word "exploitation," as that's exactly how I would categorize it as well.

IL-Cornfed

No doubt, NR tag pricing is ridiculus! The price to play the whitetail game in states such as IL, IA, and KS is getting staggering.... add an Outfitters cost into the equation and you can easily see why many folks would never be able to experience one!

I say let's simply BAN all NR hunting, or atleast here in IL.

All kidding aside, it's become strictly a money game for ourDNR as well as our Farm Bureau, who controls more than the DNR does in my state! There's no end in sight, just be thankful that they don't limit the tags like they used to.You have to pay a bunch butatleast you canstill get one every year.

MeanV2

Non resident tags are like Gas prices, Crazy!! New Mexico NR Elk tags and Montana NR Mule Deertags are the reason I can no longer play in those 2 states.

Greg / MO

IL, appreciate your input, as always...

I've got a sneaking suspicion they don't limit the tags, either -- even though they claim too. The reason I say that is I've never heard of anyone turned down, and they supposedly capped it at the number of tickets which was bought several years ago. Either they're truly not capping it, or the number of hunters with the resources to pay such exorbitant prices are fewer or they're at least unwilling (which I know several, such as MeanV alluded to above) that simply throw in the towel after a certain point.

BigTiny

I do not like the high prices on out-of-state tags either. But, having said that, I realize that state-level politicians set these things and they are not subject to votes from out of state sportsmen. The prices of these tags will not go down until the outfitters notice their business being hurt as a result of the expensive tags and start complaining to their representatives. I would like to take a big game trip myself, but the cost is prohibitive right now, I'll have to save up. From what research I have done, I'll probably wind up hunting Canada and making it part of a longer vacation trip. As for Illinois, I would not hunt or fish there, not because of the license/tag fee, but because they make their residents get a permit to buy a firearm.