I have lived and hunted in Idaho my entire life. I also spent most of my 20's guiding hunts in Idaho and other states. I have watched the number of non-residents grow steadily from a few dozen to a few hundred to a few thousand in some units. The number of resident hunters has also increased, but not as dramatically as the non-residents. As every surrounding state becomes more difficult to hunt in, draw a decent tag, etc., Idaho has steadily increased opportunity. I can hunt for 2 or more months in the spring and nearly four in the fall depending on what tags I choose to purchase. Archery or rifle, doesn't matter. The issue for everyone is that it is becoming extremely crowded. Some OTC units probably have more non-residents participating in hunts than residents. Is it a problem? Depends on who you are. The outfitters are working harder every year to give their clients a good chance to harvest a good animal. Lifetime residents are finding their traditional spots mobbed and "ruined" so to speak. I think the problem lies not with Idaho, but with problems that most of our surrounding states have created.
Utah has gone the way of the $$$. Wyoming has struggled with keeping big game herds healthy due to overwhelming energy development. Montana has some pretty steep prices, and their coveted tags get exponentially harder to get each year. Washington is amok in politics along with Oregon and California. Nevada is notoriously difficult to draw, and trophy quality has slipped a little recently.
That leaves Idaho holding the proverbial basket when it comes to OTC opportunity and wide open public land. Is it suprising that the growing pains have begun to unleash a movement by average hunters and outfitters alike? If it was your own state would you feel differently? I propose that the problem is not merely Idaho's, but it is a culmination of poor management and low hunter engagement in the states that the non-residents come from. If you are not from Idaho but have to hunt here more often than not, we appreciate you. You bring money to our economy. However, wouldn't it be nice to have similar opportunity in your state of residence? Possibly Idaho decreasing opportunity and starting to fade as the last OTC stronghold can spark some movements in other Western states to move the big game management back in line with the wishes of the people buying the licenses.
Just my deep thoughts on this matter. Not intended to offend a single individual.