Idaho Nonres sold out

[Elktaco]

20, 30 or 40 years from now we will be saying these were the good ole days so enjoy it while you can!

 

[87TT]

I for one am glad prices are going up. I think they have been too low for a long time. I remember reading about hunting for elk when I was "younger", like 30+ years ago. Idaho used to be one of the if not the most expensive NR tag. Even then the numbers weren't the highest for game but there were some giants. If I remember right the tag was close to 1 1/2 times or more than CO or MT. As little as three years ago they were selling left over NR tags in August at a discount. I think they were like $299 for an extra elk tag.
But I would be happier if all them NR wolves were gone.

 

[TheTone]

Some southern Idaho units had 4 point minimums on mule deer for a while. It resulted in lots and lots of three point bucks laying dead on the hill. I know someone that was the game warden in those areas and he would get more calls about dead three points in a week than he could get to.

That said I wouldn’t be against trying antler restrictions in some areas for elk. I’d like to see spike bulls protected and allowed to at least reach two years of age. Many units the largest percentage of the harvest is spikes and really all protecting them might do is bump that up to two year old bulls being the majority but IME a two year old is a bit smarter and more in tune with the rut that yearlings are. Colorado has done it for years and seems happy with the results. Worse thing is you could try it for a few years and if it’s not having any real effect go back to open season

 

[BuzzH]

Not sure why elk tags in Idaho would sell out...thought the wolves ate all the elk.

 

[87TT]

I found a nice three point shot dead on the side of the road in the two point area last year and a friend had some guys shoot one in his back yard. So it works both ways for wasting game.

 

[idahohikker]

Not sure why elk tags in Idaho would sell out...thought the wolves ate all the elk.

In 1995 when wolves were introduced the in demand areas to hunt were the Central Idaho wilderness. Now it’s everything but the wilderness which doesn’t sell out with small quotas. It wasn’t habitat changes that magically torpedoed the Frank and Selway. There’s been so many big fires in there, including in the 70s, 80s, and 2000s. Lots of prime elk country sitting empty from major predation issues. But the Wyoming guy knows all about it, just listen to him.

 

[finnbarr145]

Gotta get em early

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[VO2Max]

One problem I see here is that many are complaining of NR hunters being a problem and more and more are coming... this isn’t necessarily the case. For elk, anyway, NR tag numbers are capped at 13,500(?) so they may selling out now and sooner but NR hunters, to me, aren’t a problem. Especially when NR are bringing in 10-15x’s the revenue compared to residents.

 

[jmden]

But I would be happier if all them NR wolves were gone.

That!

 

[87TT]

Part of the reason NR tags have sold out is that the left over tags go on sale to anyone at NR prices after August 1 as a second tag.

 

[JWP58]

Not sure how all the elk tags in Idaho would sell out, when we all know hunter numbers are plummeting and there wont be any hunters left in 10yrs......

 

[westsloperman]

So Colorado now has to bear the brunt of even more unlimited nonresidents flooding the state? Great.

 

[Rob5589]

So Colorado now has to bear the brunt of even more unlimited nonresidents flooding the state? Great.

Yep. I am looking at CO for next year. Can you point me in the right direction for some decent bulls? Not looking for your honey hole or anything...

 

[KurtR]

69000 non resident pheasant hunters here last year. 13500 spread out between archery and rifle don’t seem to bad. I don’t mind the price going up if it helps habitat and maybe killing some more wolves

 

[87TT]

So Colorado now has to bear the brunt of even more unlimited nonresidents flooding the state? Great.

The least of your worries. Wait until the wolves get there..

 

[westsloperman]

The least of your worries. Wait until the wolves get there..

I'd take the wolves over the unlimited nonresidents.

 

[87TT]

I wouldn't if given the choice. At least the NR go home at some point.

 

[westsloperman]

There were 70,000 nonresident elk tags bought in CO last year I believe. 70,000.

 

[87TT]

According to what I found, their were a TOTAL of 88,710 NR elk, deer and pronghorn tags sold in 2018 in CO. So unless only 18,000 people bought deer and pronghorn tags, that can't be right. Plus CO has way over twice as many elk as ID. At least until the wolves show up. Those snowflakes probably won't allow a season on wolves ever.

 

[Elkchaser54]

Colorado hunting by the numbers: What’s being killed, how much money is made, and more

Records pulled give a better understanding of Colorado’s shrinking world of hunting, from the number of tags to license revenue.

theknow.denverpost.com

According to this article in 2018 Colorado sold 88,710 tags to non residents but that includes deer, elk and pronghorn. So maybe elk is half that or close to it ?