Idaho potential nonresident fee increase

[menhaden_man]

From IF&G


On Feb. 4, the Idaho House voted in favor of House Bill 330 — legislation proposed by Idaho Fish and Game that would increase most most license, tag and permit fees for nonresidents.

House Bill 330 still needs approval from the Senate Resources and Environment Committee, passage in the full Senate, and the governor’s signature to become law.

What is House Bill 330?

The bill will implement a general 10 percent increase in the prices for nonresident items, with larger increases for big game tags and related items such as archery and muzzleloader permits. The bill adjusts reduced rate licenses for mentored juniors to a general 50 percent discount below the related adult item. The bill does not increase the cost of nonresident wolf and Disabled American Veteran tags. If passed, the new fees become effective with the start of the 2021 license sales on Dec. 1, 2020.

Why has Fish and Game proposed this fee increase?

In separate but parallel process in August, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission adopted a rule that would allow them the discretion to manage nonresident distribution/participation in general deer and elk hunts. The rule is currently pending approval of the legislature. If approved, it would go into effect at the end of the current legislative session.

This rule is an outcome of concerns about hunter crowding and congestion in some popular hunting areas. While the overall number of deer and elk tags available to nonresidents is not proposed to change, this rule would allow the Fish and Game Commission to limit the number of nonresident deer or elk tags available in a specific general hunt unit or elk zone.

Although the pending rule does not reduce the overall number of tags available to nonresidents, Fish and Game anticipates that it may cause some nonresident hunters to redistribute across the state, and others to choose not to hunt. The increased fees proposed in House Bill 330 are necessary to offset this anticipated reduction in nonresident participation, allowing the Idaho Fish and Game Commission to maintain a balanced budget that can support existing services.

 

[elkguide]

Hunting is truly going to be only for the elite or rich class.

There will be no effect on the hunting pressure now that the interweb points people to the great hot spots and that area is overwhelmed.

 

[npm352]

A 10% increase in tag fees will not keep many, if any, from traveling to Idaho to hunt. They just want more money. If the raised them 50%-75% then there would be less pressure and they would make as much. As and Idahoan, I think Idaho needs to drop NR fees for OIL but raise fees for deer, elk and antelope. We basically have the only OTC mule deer tags for huge areas of public land....raise those. And elk should raise as well.

IDFG has many problems. First, they are a bloated organization that should think of ways to CUT costs rather than RAISE more money. Second, we have too many non resident hunters and it has become ridiculous. Our deer fees should be up because they can be done every year, in good areas with good genetics and cover. No one else offers the Walmart option on mule deer like we do.

Last, elk should go up too.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Is the 10% allocation of nonresident tags bs?


the future of hunting is and always has been people hunting their local areas.

I do have a moral problem with governments turning non residents into a cash cow that is to be milked. Collectively western state’s receive huge allotments of money from out of state resources. BLM, NF, Pittman-Robertson etc etc

 

[87TT]

Just bringing us in line with the rest of the west or at least closer. Not going to change the amount of NR. It is more than a ten percent increase. It is a limit of ten percent of the tags in any one area for NR.

 

[bluetick78]

^^^This. All that these increases will do is bring Idaho in line with other Western states.

 

[NYyotekiller]

Just another example of the upward rise of the monetization of big game hunting.

This will probably be a common theme for western states as they will keep increasing tag and license fees. Not to mention preference and bonus points.

 

[Rob5589]

A 10% increase in tag fees will not keep many, if any, from traveling to Idaho to hunt. They just want more money. If the raised them 50%-75% then there would be less pressure and they would make as much. As and Idahoan, I think Idaho needs to drop NR fees for OIL but raise fees for deer, elk and antelope. We basically have the only OTC mule deer tags for huge areas of public land....raise those. And elk should raise as well.

IDFG has many problems. First, they are a bloated organization that should think of ways to CUT costs rather than RAISE more money. Second, we have too many non resident hunters and it has become ridiculous. Our deer fees should be up because they can be done every year, in good areas with good genetics and cover. No one else offers the Walmart option on mule deer like we do.

Last, elk should go up too.

10% is mostly for licenses and random stuff. Elk tags are going up about 55%, 416 to 650. I have not seen the deer tag increase posted anywhere. As a non res hunter, I don't find the final prices out of line but, the sudden jump is a bit shocking. But that's what happens when you haven't raised prices in more than a decade. I don't see it slowing down non residents, at all. What's an extra 500 bucks in the grand scheme of out of state hunting.

 

[Deplorable77]

As a nonresident hunter, I'd like to see Idaho fees raised a minimum 50% across the board.

 

[Trial153]

The issue is that nothing takes place in a vacuum. The incremental over monetization on hunting will be our demise.

 

[wapitibob]

The Legislation giving IFG some authority to manage themselves is a good one.

 

[87TT]

License and tags have been going up since they started them. It just only happens here after a long lull because it has to be voted on. We will survive and you can too.

 

[WCB]

Some of these western states need to raise resident fees on top of Non-resident fees.

 

[Ross]

seen many many changes as a resident then nonresident for Idaho....back in the day archery closed september 30 rifle opened the next day 10/1 those were some very god days and ran until the end of October you got 60 days to hunt in the 80 s tags were very cheap but so were houses and cars, then they bumped up some to like 220$ a tag in 1989 built my first house for $63000 that home has now sold for $290k last year so in 30 yrs it has gone up 4.5 times in value...elk tags are still very cheap in comparison to many things all relative and about priorities I hope it drops out a few and still let’s me keep buying second tags

 

[Idaho_Potato]

The issue is that nothing takes place in a vacuum. The incremental over monetization on hunting will be our demise.

I think we'll be OK. Hunting is thriving in Idaho and the IDFG doesn't have to answer to non-residents. They can stand to bleed more cash out of NR hunters and hunting pressure will not change. The goal is to maximize cash flow and maintain game populations. Good for them for carrying that out.

$1,000 NR elk tags will happen in my lifetime.

 

[Wrench]

I bet if you can get them to get the elk numbers back in the central part of the state.....they can raise the price every year and people will be happy to pay it.

 

[idahohikker]

I bet if you can get them to get the elk numbers back in the central part of the state.....they can raise the price every year and people will be happy to pay it.

It would be a win win for everyone (except the ardent wolf huggers perhaps) but I wouldn’t plan on it anytime soon. Vast wilderness and inaccessible winter range and the non native forced species just will pound away all winter at the native species.

 

[87TT]

Time we quit being everybody's back up plan if they don't draw somewhere else. Pretty sure if the DFG could just raise tags without having it voted on, they would already have been higher.

 

[dreamingbig]

Time we quit being everybody's back up plan if they don't draw somewhere else. Pretty sure if the DFG could just raise tags without having it voted on, they would already have been higher.

Colorado, Oregon and Washington all have OTC options too.


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[menhaden_man]

Colorado, Oregon and Washington all have OTC options too.


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WA OTC is a joke... I’d rather go fishing.