Thanks a lot OK

[Sealesniper]

I believe the cost to "play" will continue to increase as more and more "pressure" is applied from anti hunting and anti gun lobbyists. Liberal controlled states will continue to lead the way. For me, the only state I hunt annually is Illinois. The cost of my tags and license for out of state is $476 for archery and then a gun or ML tag is $360 each. I got both tags in this years raffle, so I am "all in" for $1200 so I can hunt 3 weekends in Illinois. I normally make it for 2 days in October for archery (last weekend) then the first gun weekend (3 day season) and then the 4 day ML/Gun season. I would not be surprised if this continues to increase as the number of tags has been reduced over the years for the counties I hunt. The state will want revenue to stay the same or to increase to compensate for their corruptness and waste of funds, so as the tags available are reduced in number, the cost will exponentially increase. Hunting will soon be a sport only the wealthy can afford to do regularly.

I have about given up on my points in Wyoming for deer and Elk as their tag numbers continue to decrease, disease has effected the herd, and the cost to book a hunt has skyrocketed. I plan to forgo the Wyoming trip and return to Africa every couple of years for a much better hunting experience. On that note, if you have not been boots on the ground in Africa, it is a hunt I urge you all to do. And do it now, not when you are much older. It is a hunt you will relive all the time and an adventure that will run through your memories regularly.

 

[Frog4aday]

I think OK is just trying to price out all the Texans eating up all the leases for cheap (relative to TX!)

And the OK fish & game will use the extra money to buy up land for residents to be able to hunt affordably on public land. That's a 'win' for the locals that aren't swimming in dough.

Time will tell if the higher rates stop people from coming entirely and upsetting business that count on that out-of-state hunter money.

I'm suspecting the people that pay for a lease to hunt will beatch & moan about the price increase but will keep coming because it'll still be cheaper than trying to hunt private land in Texas.

 

[Hydra6]

I was going to Wyoming from Georgia for about 7 years on DIY mule deer and antelope hunts - last couple of years got too hard to draw NR. Looked at guided elk or deer hunts - too high for me. Went to South Africa last year for plains game package - wife came as observer - awesome trip. Will try Africa every few years again. Doubt I go to Wyoming or similar again.