Why the huge increase in Idaho NR hunters?

[njdoxie]

I bet, Almost Every Resident of every Western state will likely have grievances with the amount of NR hunters and new resident hunters in their preferred hunt areas.

Heck, a ton of us nonresidents, that have been doing this for a few decades have the same grievances.

Perhaps many Residents are aging as well and the plans they had are being tossed a curve ball more often than not, and it's just getting frustrating. They try to go deeper but their bodies are aging.

I'm a nonres, but agree 100%, my elk hunting spots get suckier every year due to being trampled by more and more hunters. Even when I don't see that many people, the boot prints and horse tracks I see are going thru the roof, so I know they're there. And I'm not getting any younger, I can't do what I used to do. I have maybe 10 years max of elk hunting left, hopefully it doesn't get so bad that I quit before then.

Memories are where it's at. I hope I have some more left to make.

Amen to that.

 

[rclouse79]

My Californian in-laws are exiting for Idaho. 2 groups in my wife's family have already made the leap and got there this year. I imagine another brother-in-law and his fam will transition over as well within the next 6 months. Lucky for Idaho, they are staunch conservatives and not interested in spreading the Cali policies they sought to escape. Unluckily for Idaho hunters, they like to hunt.....

Judging from stories and intel they conveyed to me, a lot of people they knew in Cali who had already migrated convinced them to roll on over there. They ain't gonna stop coming until you are full, my friends.

Not all bad. They are making my home value go up. Maybe someday I can sell it for an arm and a leg and move out into the country.

 

[AaronMColeman]

My Californian in-laws are exiting for Idaho. 2 groups in my wife's family have already made the leap and got there this year. I imagine another brother-in-law and his fam will transition over as well within the next 6 months. Lucky for Idaho, they are staunch conservatives and not interested in spreading the Cali policies they sought to escape. Unluckily for Idaho hunters, they like to hunt.....

Judging from stories and intel they conveyed to me, a lot of people they knew in Cali who had already migrated convinced them to roll on over there. They ain't gonna stop coming until you are full, my friends.

yeah go to Idaho, it's awesome there. Just no more into Wyoming, it's no good and you'll hate it here

 

[AaronMColeman]

There’s only one holdout in the NW now, WY and not many can afford Jackson Hole. The rest isn’t trendy, so WY probably the safest bet. CO, ID, WA, OR, MT, all be very similar in 25 years. In the 80’s and 90’s Montana we were going through the same boom, nothing you can do, enjoy what you can, or sit around and complain.

Pray for a mini ice age, that will run a few off.

Yeah, don't come here. It sucks

 

[Huntnnw]

Increase?? there has been a cap on NR elk tags for decades and has been capped at 12,000 tags plus or minus for that whole time! The huge increase in hunters is the states own residents in the last 20 years. Just the new "residents" alone have quadrupled the NR quota

 

[dreamingbig]

Is it really that many unemployed?

I know around here it isn't, however a lot of work from home which allows more freedom.

It is quite a few still. Travel, leisure, entertainment, restaurants and brick/mortar shopping are still getting hammered. Lower cost of oil isn’t helping either.

So yes UER is still abnormally high.


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[dreamingbig]

Most of the rigs parked at the spot I usually hunt were from Washington and California. I am fine with out of state hunters, but I hope they raise out of state fees. I think a 50 percent increase for most states and double for California sounds about right.

Just remember we are all out of state hunters in 49 states. If you only hunt your state then I guess you can still complain.


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[Michael54]

I think we will have to deal with this a lot more across the country. The Rona has increased tag sales here in pa for sure. And the price of chickens too. Everyone wants to be a self sustaining right now regardless of if they have the know how or not. You should see the homesteading groups on fb if you want entertainment. This is one year i'm kind of glad im not leaving our private property for hunting season.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Just remember we are all out of state hunters in 49 states. If you only hunt your state then I guess you can still complain.


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Ha. I only hunt my own state. But I’m ok wirh anyone coming here to hunt. I hate the crowds but I love the idea of “public land” more. It’s sucks but this is the price we pay for the pleasure and amazing benefit of having public land that you and I own.

 

[SaltySailor]

Not all bad. They are making my home value go up. Maybe someday I can sell it for an arm and a leg and move out into the country.

You are right, not all bad at all! Really works out for me, as I will have to haul them around chasing moose and bears at some point, and they will reciprocate by running me around for elk someday. I have always wanted to chase elk, but the cost of chasing them here in AK on Afognak or other islands is ridiculous for what you guys would call a rag head. I'll let them suffer through the learning process for a few years then reap the benefits later

 

[Customweld]

There are approximately 13k NR elk tags and 14k deer tags, with an additional 1500 reserved whitetail tags. This has been a static number for many years. With that being said, this is the first year that NR tags have sold out prior to being opened to residents as a second tag. So in that sense, there are more NR's this year. Historically, Idaho has been a fall back state for hunters that didn't draw in other states. OTC tags were always available, some even up to the point that you could wait to pick one up until you rolled in to hunt. The ever increasing population boom here is going to force some management changes.

 

[Randle]

Everyone knows there are elk behind every tree in North Idaho .... what they don't realize til they get here is the trees are every 2 ft. and brush in between that.
We saw alot more hunting camps this year but not another hunter in the brush with us. Youtube, covid $, more time off work, and a chance to fill Their freezer , meat shortage you know....
Maybe next year will die down .

 

[Rizzy]

I have seen 4 new residents to every nonresident in a lot of the areas I have hunted this season. It will be interesting to see if there is a noticeable change in the harvest statistics this year.

 

[MTguy0341]

I was a new NR hunter this year. Seemed to be alot of people. But if you went a rocks throw away from the road there weren't hunters where I was at. I dont feel bad, I see plenty of Idaho plates up here in rifle. Not here to B****, but it's big woods. No increase in tag numbers from last years. Even with tag price increase, I'll go back next year

 

[CamoPirate]

Idk. I got into some pretty good elk just putting in boot work consistently. The elk are always there. More hunters, roughly same success rate? I'm not worrying about other hunters, I'm worrying about my meal ticket.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Hunting pressure this year has been absolutely ridiculous.... Hopefully with some tag price and availability changes it'll ease up a bit. That being said, residents are also getting out of hand in recent years. If the state doesn't start enforcing and raising fines for ATV hunters who don't follow the rules, it'll just be a illegal road hunting cluster soon.
The majority of experiences I've had with non residents has led me to see how rude most are, and they trash the lands here from what I have seen. I'm really happy they're changing the NR system.

 

[Chase_D]

I don't know about NR numbers for next year, I know they've reduced the DAV tags for next year, reduced to 300. I'm definitely glad I was able to get in on a DAV tag for this year because there will be far less disabled vets able to hunt next year.

Which zone did you hunt? I hunted the Tex Creek zone with a DAV tag and I’m looking at Diamond Creek for 2021.

 

[MTLongdraw]

It will be interesting to see if this distribution changes much on hunting pressure. I’ll also be curious to see if the increase in tag prices matter. I bet it (price)has very minimal impact.

 

[SilentTree]

Seems like as Colorado is getting more people and MT keeps upping their prices, everyone has to go somewhere....

 

[Praxeus]

Thought I'd reignite this thread after NR tags selling out in record time.....