Non-resident license fees.

[Lee Deming]

Now might be an opportune time to brush up on "The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation". --- "1) wildlife resources are a public trust to be managed by governments for the benefit of all citizens; 2) unregulated commercial markets for wild game that decimate wildlife populations are eliminated; 3) allocation is by law, meaning that laws are developed by citizens and enforced by government agencies to regulate the proper use and management of wildlife; 4) opportunity for all, which means that every citizen has the freedom to view, hunt and fish, regardless of social or economic status; 5) wild game populations cannot be killed casually, but only for a legitimate purpose as defined by law; 6) wildlife will be considered an international resource because wildlife migrates across political boundaries; and 7) science is the proper basis for wildlife policy and management, not opinion or conjecture, in order to sustain wildlife populations." --- Notice that principles numbers 1 and 4 reference wildlife as being a "public trust", and accessible to all "regardless of social or economic status". Non-resident fees greater than that of residents are counter to the principle of the NAMWC, and it might be legitimately argued they violate the 14th Amendment equal protection clause of the Constitution. As an aside, The Boone & Crockett Club support the NAMWC. Just saying.

So, this is old but Montana has been sued multiple times over our non-resident license costs. I will continue to look for cases but I think we have been sued at least 3 times and the SC has said the fee structure is constitutional. If I remember, the reasoning also applies to out-of-state students attending state colleges and universities. https://www.animallaw.info/case/baldwin-v-fish-and-game-commission-montana

 

[4thefunofit]

I've found a copy of Montana FWP's budget but no where in it does it show exactly how much money is coming from non-resident fees; its included within state funding sources which seems inappropriate. Seems to me a simple way to determine the ratio of resident to non-resident tags would be to base it on the ratio of funding from in-state versus out-of-state sources. But I suppose that would be too easy.

 

[manitou]

It is a racket... in ALL states. But don't blame the states, the prices are set by the people paying the price. Blame your neighbor, your doctor, your lawyer who are willing to pay outrageous fees to play. If tags wouldn't sell for (example) $695, then the price would be lower. Same goes for bacon, shoes, pickup trucks and houses. The price is set by the buyer.

 

[manitou]

I did the same a few years back and how now been to South Africa twice. It is amazing and way less expensive. I'm not complaining, because its a choice that each of us has to make, but its not just the state fish & game agencies that are charging outrageous prices for hunts in the United States.

Somebody please show me hunts in Africa that are WAY LESS EXPENSIVE than hunting here in the US. If so, color me there.
I can hunt elk, bear, mule deer in Montana, Utah, etc for less than air fare to Africa, much less the guide, game fees, and export fees.

 

[Ranger Rick]

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.

In Idaho, the annual reports show resident revenue is 3x non-resident revenue. In the fifty years I've lived here, elk tags have gone from $7 to $30+!and sales tax has gone from 3% to 6% property taxes have gone from $200 to $3,600 per year. Residents pay plenty in Idaho.

 

[Ucsdryder]

In Idaho, the annual reports show resident revenue is 3x non-resident revenue. In the fifty years I've lived here, elk tags have gone from $7 to $30+!and sales tax has gone from 3% to 6% property taxes have gone from $200 to $3,600 per year. Residents pay plenty in Idaho.

Woah woah woah…don't be throwing facts into this argument!

 

[4thefunofit]

So, this is old but Montana has been sued multiple times over our non-resident license costs. I will continue to look for cases but I think we have been sued at least 3 times and the SC has said the fee structure is constitutional. If I remember, the reasoning also applies to out-of-state students attending state colleges and universities. https://www.animallaw.info/case/baldwin-v-fish-and-game-commission-montana

Thank you for pointing this out. I looked it up (Google, of course) and apparently the Supreme Court majority disagrees with me, and the NAMWC.

 

[Bigiron71]

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.

Maybe the Federal funds allotted to CO should be Curtailed so non-residents are not penalized. In the meantime, the hiking and frolicing by should continue by all the imports for FREE. Please consider electing people who believe that Game Biologists should manage the wildlife instead of politicians.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Maybe the Federal funds allotted to CO should be Curtailed so non-residents are not penalized. In the meantime, the hiking and frolicing by should continue by all the imports for FREE. Please consider electing people who believe that Game Biologists should manage the wildlife instead of politicians.

Some people unfortunately don't get it and never will.

 

[L.Sherm]

Its always a money arguement NR wanna claim how much they pay, simple you dont wanna pay NR fees then move to the state you want hunt or is it you dont like paying NR fees so you can hunt 2 or 3 states a year and stay were your at with your high paying job knowing full well you will never make the money you do in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho like you do in states like California, Oregon, Washington etc. thats exactly what friends of mine do.
I've hunted as a NR in N.M, Nevada and Wyoming and accepted the fact long ago its there game im just asking to play it.
Aren't the politicians of states like Wyoming, Montana and Idaho suppose to do what there residents elect them to do or vote how the " foreigners" want?
I guess NR would rather have it like alot of our U.S politicians do cater to " foreigners "

 

[WYO300RUM]

Its always a money arguement NR wanna claim how much they pay, simple you dont wanna pay NR fees then move to the state you want hunt or is it you dont like paying NR fees so you can hunt 2 or 3 states a year and stay were your at with your high paying job knowing full well you will never make the money you do in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho like you do in states like California, Oregon, Washington etc. thats exactly what friends of mine do.
I've hunted as a NR in N.M, Nevada and Wyoming and accepted the fact long ago its there game im just asking to play it.
Aren't the politicians of states like Wyoming, Montana and Idaho suppose to do what there residents elect them to do or vote how the " foreigners" want?
I guess NR would rather have it like alot of our U.S politicians do cater to " foreigners "

Amen Brother. Where have you been? Long time no see ? Good to hear from you ! You are right on the money

 

[22250imp]

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.

Well we need all the help we can get for the BLANKETY BLANK wolf reintroduction here in Co.
Just say'in!!!

 

[Hunterjones]

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.

 

[Hunterjones]

I came hunting in Wyoming the first time 20 some years ago. After subsequent trips I loved the area so much that I packed up and moved here. I NEVER complained about tag prices as a non resident nor am I complaining now I'm a resident. You have to PAY to PLAY. I honestly don't know the true monetary "value" of any individual game animal but I do know that license cost is just a part of the cost of a hunt.
One other poster mentioned that you can come out west and hike and sightsee 'til your heart's content and it only costs the price to get here. Maybe anyone who things license prices are too high should just come out and explore the wide open for FREE, off season and stay home and HUNT their own state where tags are cheap.