Anticipated impacts of COVID-19 on hunting this year?

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Nov 3, 2017
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Its only the beginning of April. No way this is all still going on 4+ months from now.
The odds that interstate travel bans in a lot of places is still in tact come fall is well over 50/50. Especially in places like AK. And in order to keep people in check, they will cancel non resident hunts.

I don’t think these lockdowns stay in place past April without extreme civil disobedience. Most polls show people simply are not willing to participate after April 31. People won’t be willing to watch their whole life savings slip away under government lock down. So states will take it into their own hands to stop the spread and say work but don’t travel - especially remote states most have trips planned to this fall.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
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It will be hilarious if September rolls around and the government tries to tell Alaskans they can't go get moose.
 
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Can you refund your NR tag for Montana if you do not draw the elk zone you put in for? I selected the NR big game combo and put in for Missouri River breaks unit which I won’t draw but was planning on still going to another unit with general tag. Now I really would rather push that out a year. When I applied it asked if you would want a refund if you don’t draw the unit or general tag. I selected general tag so I’m not sure if I can get the 80% refund after the draw.


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Riplip

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Can you refund your NR tag for Montana if you do not draw the elk zone you put in for? I selected the NR big game combo and put in for Missouri River breaks unit which I won’t draw but was planning on still going to another unit with general tag. Now I really would rather push that out a year. When I applied it asked if you would want a refund if you don’t draw the unit or general tag. I selected general tag so I’m not sure if I can get the 80% refund after the draw.


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Not sure if they changed this year, but in the past you were able to get a refund.
  • 80% refund if you turn in your tag by August 1
  • 50% refund if you turn in your tag after August 1, but before the opening of the general big game hunting season (Postmarked on or before opening day)
 

2five7

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If we’re still under nationwide lock downs in September the economy will be so f’ed that most people won’t care if its hunting season or not. And guys damn sure won’t be starting threads asking if he needs another year.


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No joke. If it's still like this come fall, I'm going on my first Sheep hunt lol
 

brsnow

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I think the concern is it clears up over summer, then comes back in the fall like the Spanish flu when the cooler weather arrives. If we don’t have a vaccine or cure, it is reasonable to see a bigger impact in the fall than now
 

Tylerb

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Feb 10, 2020
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I’m already impacted. I live on fort benning and for some reason they decided to shut down all hunting and fishing on post. Can’t even take my kids fishing. It’s a shame
 
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So, the states that require the 14 day quarantine, how in the hell do they enforce that? Does camping in the middle of nowhere count as a quarantine?

Obviously AK is different because you come through a port to get here. You are required to fill out the paperwork and submit at the port of entry and you must provide your quarantine address. It carries a $25,000 fine. So if you are stopped by a trooper with a NR license, you better have your story straight
 
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PA has a shelter at home thing going for residents and non residents can transit but not I’ve around. If this goes on it will blow through spring turkey season. West Coast friend got a warning for spear fishing. Seems like hunting isn’t high on the “essential” activity list in most places.
 
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PA has a shelter at home thing going for residents and non residents can transit but not I’ve around. If this goes on it will blow through spring turkey season. West Coast friend got a warning for spear fishing. Seems like hunting isn’t high on the “essential” activity list in most places.
In PA your fine to go hiking and hunting.
 
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The US has jumped off a cliff economically....a tall cliff. And that jumping-off isn't even close to finished, nor have we found the bottom of the fall as a nation. Covid-19 deaths are spiraling upward with little indication of slowing anytime soon. But it stands to (some...small) reason the number of infections will begin to moderate and hopefully level off. But currently we're in a very deep mess.

I personally believe it will be May or June at the earliest before we see infections begin to level. There will be more restrictions put in place before that happens, and there will be none lifted until it happens. I'll predict a very slow relaxation of restrictions both at the national and state levels. We may see lingering restrictions into late summer or the rest of 2020, particularly in states which take a hard line about protecting their health.

Our economy isn't destroyed, but is already damaged. The economic effects of this pandemic will last....years. Another pandemic or a resurgence of Covid-19 with similar mortality rates is something nobody wants to let happen. For that reason I think there will be a lot of caution about easing restrictions and letting life resume as it was. There will be a lot of desire to get things rolling....I'm just not sure we'll see it happen like we hope. We need a lot of things to go right if we're going to have a normal fall hunting season. Summer?....maybe already a lost cause.
 

11boo

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From Idaho-


The Fish and Game Commission will hold an emergency special public meeting via teleconference at 9 a.m. MDT on Saturday, April 4.

The agenda has been posted on Fish and Game’s website. See the agenda.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission will consider setting temporary limits on the number of nonresident license/tag/permits corresponding to the number sold to date.

The Commission will also receive an update on agency actions under the proclaimed state of emergency for COVID-19.

Consistent with Proclamation of the Governor dated March 18, 2020, regarding Open Meeting Law compliance, the public may listen to the conference call by dialing (408) 418-9388, and entering Access Code: 965-072-806.

There will be no opportunity for in-person attendance or public comment or questions during the meeting.
 

KurtR

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So, the states that require the 14 day quarantine, how in the hell do they enforce that? Does camping in the middle of nowhere count as a quarantine?

I was wondering the same thing if you isolate your self for 14 days with no contact in the woods is that considered quarantined? Do they list a directive of what is considered acceptable for quarantine?
 

BuzzH

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Do you have a link to this? I haven't heard anything.


Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon on Friday extended a shutdown of schools and businesses through April to contain the coronavirus, emphatically stating that people need to stay home whenever possible.

"The decision to extend these (statewide public health) orders was made to save lives and keep people at home," said Gordon. "We are seeing community transmission of COVID-19 occur around the state and we will continue to see more confirmed cases in the weeks to come."

"This action will help lower the rate of transmission and protect both our healthcare system and the healthcare workers we all rely on," he added.

To discourage out-of-state visitation during the pandemic, Gordon has also issued a directive requiring any person coming to Wyoming for a non-work-related purpose to immediately self-quarantine for 14 days.

"We know that travel from another state or country is a source of COVID-19 infections in Wyoming," said Gordon. "Visitors from neighboring states have strained the resources of many Wyoming communities so we are asking them to do the right thing to protect the health of our citizens and the resources of our rural healthcare facilities."

Wyoming had at least 162 cases of the coronavirus confirmed in 17 of its 23 counties as of Friday. Thirty-seven of those people have recovered
 
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I think the concern is it clears up over summer, then comes back in the fall like the Spanish flu when the cooler weather arrives. If we don’t have a vaccine or cure, it is reasonable to see a bigger impact in the fall than now

Exactly, it could come back worse just like the Spanish flu did also. I sure as heck won’t be going to work and idk if anyone would care about hunting or fishing seasons at that point


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Riplip

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Exactly, it could come back worse just like the Spanish flu did also. I sure as heck won’t be going to work and idk if anyone would care about hunting or fishing seasons at that point


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Unfortunately I think this is the most likely scenario, I truly hope we are wrong, and it has nothing to do with the cancellation of the hunting season.

Also I have read so many posts, and not just on here about hunting being the best form of social distancing, but in all reality this simply isn't true for most hunters. Yes I know there are plenty of solo and back country hunters or those that will argue that they have little or no contact with others in their hunting pursuit, but the reality is that a majority of hunters, especially those travelling from outside of the state are going to use hotels, grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants etc, and will generally gather at their camp, lodge or hotel. Not to mention the strain and risk it poses for first responder's and local medical facilities. At the very least I think we will most likely see more States limiting or shutting down hunting access to NR's as a precaution. Once again I hope am wrong.
 
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