Non-resident license fees.

[4thefunofit]

In as much as state wildlife agencies have received billions of federal dollars in funding over the years, how is it that they can justify charging non-residents (US citizens) exorbitantly greater fees than state residents? Just curious.

 

[dustbag]

There's no need for justification. They have the animals to sell a lot of states don't. So we pay. If we'd quit paying prices would come down. That ain't gonna happen. I just submitted a request for a Montana tag for around $1200. Resident is probably $30. And I'll b happy if I draw cause I know I'm not getting 1 of the 10 elk tags available in WI. Where's the justification in paying income tax when they can print money out of thin air. Don't look for sane reasoning when it comes to governance. They do cause they can cause we let them.

 

[4thefunofit]

There's no need for justification. They have the animals to sell a lot of states don't. So we pay. If we'd quit paying prices would come down. That ain't gonna happen. I just submitted a request for a Montana tag for around $1200. Resident is probably $30. And I'll b happy if I draw cause I know I'm not getting 1 of the 10 elk tags available in WI. Where's the justification in paying income tax when they can print money out of thin air. Don't look for sane reasoning when it comes to governance. They do cause they can cause we let them.

I put the question to an old friend, and retired wildlife professor. He agrees it's probably intended to limit the numbers of hunters entering the state, that it favors wealthy over poor hunters, and, similarly to you, because they can get away with it. I don't know, but I suspect if we really looked into the numbers, we'd probably discover that more dollars are derived from out of state sources than from residents.

 

[Duramaxfxr]

In montana they use the non resident funds for the block management program supposedly

 

[dustbag]

I think it will b interesting to c what happens to Wyoming's revenue with the 90/10

 

[Reelamin]

In as much as state wildlife agencies have received billions of federal dollars in funding over the years, how is it that they can justify charging non-residents (US citizens) exorbitantly greater fees than state residents? Just curious.

Quickest way to explain is supply and willingness to pay. They have the supply and their is more than enough willingness to pay. I don't know I just feel like they will sell out tags even if they added another 50-100%. My kid argues all the time when I say no way in HELLO am I paying that "Why not, its not that expensive??". He is buying a Colorado tag this year and I turned it down before the gas blew up. Did not submit for Wyoming or Montana this year as the tags and fuel I just flat cannot afford.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Come on out to Colorado. You can hike and camp and frolick on public lands…FOR FREE!!!!! If you want to hunt an animal owned by the state you need to pay what the state charges. I hope lots of nonresidents don't like it and stay home because it's getting out of hand here in Colorado.

 

[Reelamin]

Come on out to Colorado. You can hike and camp and frolick on public lands…FOR FREE!!!!! If you want to hunt an animal owned by the state you need to pay what the state charges. I hope lots of nonresidents don't like it and stay home because it's getting out of hand here in Colorado.

I can understand locals feeling this way. Only question I have is....are you and all the other residents willing to pay the exact difference in license/tag costs to supplement the loss from out of state hunters with not one peep of disagreement? I am not fully saying sell to the highest bidder, as they are at the tipping edge of no more for me in cost. Reality is there are another 100 hunters wanting the tag I refuse to pay for.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I can understand locals feeling this way. Only question I have is....are you and all the other residents willing to pay the exact difference in license/tag costs to supplement the loss from out of state hunters with not one peep of disagreement? I am not fully saying sell to the highest bidder, as they are at the tipping edge of no more for me in cost. Reality is there are another 100 hunters wanting the tag I refuse to pay for.

Abso-freaking-lutely! I'd gladly pay multiple times over to not have to go out into the pumpkin patch! Most states or 90/10 or up to 20%. Colorado is 65/35 in most units and then otc is probably 25/75. Don't get me started on the secondary draw and turn back tags going to first buyer. Colorado has a lot of issues right now and it's not just the whoring of the woods, point creep is becoming a major issue. It's all fixable, but I'm not sure they want to fix it?

 

[Orange Dust]

Here if you want to camp on Federal land you have always had to buy a duck stamp for entry. All we have is Fed Wildlife refuges. I heard that has recently changed though. As for Non-residents we charge those from States that touch us what they charge non-residents. We have set fees for those that don't. Sorta fair, and while we don't have the opportunities that some States have we have some they don't so I guess that is fair. Big Game tags historically have been fairly priced in Canada. However, they are no bargain because you must book with an outfitter to hunt. Pretty much if you want to kill an elk or moose cheaply you have to live where they do. I would be perfectly happy if we just had mule deer instead of whitetails. I always thought they tasted so much better..... Maybe they taste better because they are harder to come by????

 

[Terry Lightle]

AND non residents are paying a lot more than residents to hunt federal land that is funded by the government that the non resident pays taxes to

 

[Orange Dust]

AND non residents are paying a lot more than residents to hunt federal land that is funded by the government that the non resident pays taxes to

Valid point. Wonder how much the State spends managing those Federal lands that are Unconstitutional for the federal Govt to own in the first place? Had to throw that in.....

 

[Terry Lightle]

They do spend money for managing the land.Just feel like it is a bit too much difference in cost between out of staters and residents on federal land.People coming in from across state lines spend a lot of money besides tags so they are paying sales tax, road taxes when they buy fuel etc to the state they are hunting in.Not trying to stir the pot,I have hunted out of state and country and if folks want to pay the price more power to them.

 

[Orange Dust]

They do spend money for managing the land.Just feel like it is a bit too much difference in cost between out of staters and residents on federal land.People coming in from across state lines spend a lot of money besides tags so they are paying sales tax, road taxes when they buy fuel etc to the state they are hunting in.Not trying to stir the pot,I have hunted out of state and country and if folks want to pay the price more power to them.

I have never really complained about it. I always thought at least most of it went to a good cause and was ok with it until you guys got me thinking about it!