Wyo Task Force - Nonres Comments!

[Treeslug]

So if I hunt National Forest and BLM lands none of this discussion applies to me because It's federally funded. I think I am ok and feel good for chipping in for the federal lands every one shoots rocks on.

Left Hand Dave,

I am a left-hand treeslug, and that ain't easy to be and still shoot a big gun. That being said, I want you to know that these days, the word "federal" on ANYTHING--scares the bejabbers out of me.

 

[Treeslug]

Or maybe NR should only be able to hunt with an outfitter

My wife is an outfitter. She has more outfits that no longer fit her than I can keep stored.

 

[orkan]

The fact that MONEY is the number one thing that gets talked about pertaining to game management... should be a clue.

 

[jimss]

It sounds like 90/10 for the big 5 species passed the task force. Next it goes to the legislature. Luckily I don't think deer, elk, and antelope has been decided yet. The scary part about it is that outfitters on the task force passed 90/10 for sheep and moose. You may ask yourself why in God's name would outfitters be in favor of 90/10 for the big 5? You can bet they have other alternative motives! It will be interesting to hear what is on the agenda for the next task force meeting.

If this passes in Wyo there is a good chance it will catch fire and pass in Colo. This would severely impact nonres that enjoy hunting 2 of the friendliest DIY nonres states in the Western US (Colo and Wyo). I'm a Colo res and will stick with my same conclusion that severely cutting nonres tags is a shame even in my home state of Colo. It's a sad day for nonres....bummer!

I guess it's time to check out what's next on the task force agenda? Outfitter/landowner tags?

 

[74honker]

So because you might have deeper pockets then me it gives you more entitlement to hunt the state I live in?

This very thing happens even in my state. Years back the big whitetail.craze started and tons of NR came in and leased up anything with a tree on it for insane $$ and started an outfitter business bringing in even more NR. Farmers took the money since it helped pay property taxes and whatnot but the lands that many R hunted for many times being a good neighbor and helping the farmers out throughout the years by putting up hay, fixing fence, etc. are now off limits due to high $ leases that no one but they can afford. Now due to the "NR outfitters", the game has suffered because they shoot whatever they see with horns just to make a paycheck and once they burn the area up, they just move on to the next farmer. All the while many R have to play second fiddle to get a tag. It is the future of our sport that someday in the near future, one will either have to own it, pay for it (lease, outfitter), or be out on the public lands that will inevitably turn into an impossible CIRCUS (it is here already), or you just won't hunt period. Residents should ALWAYS have 1st dibs! And yes someday I would love the chance to get out west to hunt someday but will patiently wait in line behind any resident for that chance.

 

[Muddyboots]

These are my animals and you can't have any. These are my fish and you can't have any. These are my birds and you can't have any. This is our Federal land and you can't enjoy it. This is our scenery and you can't view it. This is our state border and you can't cross it. This is our air and you can't breathe it.

How about? Nonresidents cannot purchase reloading supplies from our state to save it for residents.

Where does it stop?

IMO this is one heck of a slippery slope under the premise "we are protecting OUR resources".

I don't understand the attitude of throwing out the baby with the water thought process. Manage the resource as Professional Game Agency not as Political Hacks which is coming more and more prevalent. Reduce NR tags if the resource shows it is needed to do so but with actual science not political pressure. Giving the same NR tags to residents is not science just politics. Manage the resource with DATA not BS.

BTW a SLOB hunter is just that and they are just as prevalent as resident versus nonresident. I have picked up my share of garbage left from resident plated campers trucks over the years. A slob is a slob period.

 

[milo-2]

I could care less what happens to residents or non residents that hunt or fish Wyoming. I have never put in for a hunt or going to. But when you look at who spends the money to hunt and fish this state around 77% of license sales are non residents.


Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Revenue
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission's (Commission) revenue is generated from fish and wildlife constituents, associated federal funding sources, grants, donations, and from Commission owned property. The Commission receives no State General Funds. Revenue can be broken into five main categories and is reflective only of revenue that can be expended.
Updated Sept. 2020
View attachment 283772

License Revenue This includes hunting and fishing licenses sales, conservation stamps and fees, preference point sales, boat registration fees and the Super Tag program. View attachment 283773	$56,363,841
Federal Aid (PR/DJ) Federal aid includes Pittman-Robertson (PR) and Dingell Johnson (DJ) funds from federal excise tax on sporting arms, ammunition and fishing and boating equipment. Funds are apportioned to state wildlife agencies for con- servation work, hunter education programs, operation of archery and shooting ranges, and sport fisheries work. The Commission must match funds derived from PR/DJ at a rate of 25% state and 75% federal.	$19,400,000
Grants Grant funds awarded to the Department from conservation and other partners to achieve specific outcomes that benefit the Department's mission.	$6,400,000
Interest Interest generated from Commission accounts.	$2,700,000
Other Revenue generated from Commission owned property, magazine publication sales, Access Yes donations and other miscellaneous items.	$3,700,000
Total	$88,563,841

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission's yearly revenue is approximately $88.5 million. This includes hunting and fishing licens- es, conservation stamps and fees, preference points, boat registration, Super Tag and Federal Aid. The majority of the revenue, $75.7 million or 85%, comes from hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and boaters.
Of the $56.3 million that comes from license revenue, approximately 77% comes from nonresidents.
Prior to the current fiscal year, the Commission received approximately $800,000 annually from the State General Fund for license recoupment to offset the revenue lost from free and reduced price licenses. This year General Fund support was eliminated to aid in the State's current financial crisis.
The Commission's budget is based on needs and identified priorities. When revenue exceeds the budget, the Commission places those funds in a reserve similar to a personal savings account. This reserve is for emergencies and allocating funding to significant projects, including capitol construction, wildlife crossings and wildlife research.
All funds tied to license revenue must be controlled by the Commission and spent on approved wildlife related activities to meet the requirements of Federal Aid.
View attachment 283775
Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Revenue
Updated Sept 2020
View attachment 283774
Current License Revenue

Product Type	Nonresident Sales	Resident Sales	Total	% of Revenue from Nonresidents
Antelope	$ 6,658,986	$ 916,345	$ 7,575,331	88%
Archery	$ 377,700	$ 232,868	$ 610,568	62%
Bighorn Sheep	$ 99,760	$ 19,608	$ 119,368	84%
Black Bear	$ 176,429	$ 191,102	$ 367,531	48%
Deer	$ 8,062,641	$ 1,949,569	$ 10,012,210	81%
Elk	$ 8,295,614	$ 2,818,404	$ 11,114,018	75%
Fishing	$ 5,317,794	$ 2,181,663	$ 7,499,457	71%
Furbearing/Trapping	$ 11,703	$ 105,600	$ 117,303	10%
Game Bird/Small Game	$ 342,314	$ 362,298	$ 704,612	49%
Gray Wolf	$ 28,798	$ 36,372	$ 65,170	44%
Moose	$ 126,848	$ 37,392	$ 164,240	77%
Mountain Goat	$ 47,564	$ 12,312	$ 59,876	79%
Mountain Lion	$ 105,835	$ 78,744	$ 184,579	57%
Wild Bison	$ 134,818	$ 49,884	$ 184,702	73%
Wild Turkey	$ 138,084	$ 93,566	$ 231,650	60%
License to Capture Falcon	$ 2,241	$ 1,209	$ 3,450	65%
Fur Dealer	$ 3,705	$ 864	$ 4,569	81%
Taxidermist	$ 1,446	$ 14,904	$ 16,350	9%
Applications	$ 1,888,125	$ 778,915	$ 2,667,040	71%
Conservation Stamps			$ 899,156	NA
Preference Points	$ 12,091,618	$ 101,983	$ 12,193,601	99%
Watercraft Registration			$ 655,340	0%
Super Tag			$ 1,141,900	NA
Tags and Permits			$ 466,980	NA
Other Licenses			$ 90,062	NA
License Agent Commissions	- $318,938	- $384,144	- $703,082	45%
License Agent Commissions not resident specific			- $82,140	NA
Total	$ 43,593,085	$ 9,599,458	$ 56,363,841	77%

View attachment 283776

This thread is quite the circle jerk. Face it, WY resident hunters loathe non resident hunters, even more so is the hate for guides. Been this way since I came here in 1979.
I think we should calm down, by the ^^^ numbers above, if WY does reset it's license allotments, it will not last long. WG&F is used to this budget structure. WY as a state is losing tax revenue by the month thanks to declines in fossil fuel productions, WG&F cannot afford this loss today.
As early as 1990, game wardens in this state were issued club cab ford pickups, long before other states could fathom the upgrade, standards are in place. Just who is going to tell pelosi she no longer has access to her plane.

 

[LkeAF]

Free country? Have you watched the news lately ? Hell because I refuse to wear a mask these days I'm considered a racist and I hate America.
I hope that's not where this conversations heading.

Racist for not wearing a mask? Haven't heard that one.

 

[CF96]

If Wyoming was to make it about the Deer Elk Antelope ect. They would quit renting the land to ranchers for so cheap . Get the cattle off the lands so the native species wouldn't have to compete for food and water.

Lol that is an uneducated comment

 

[338 dude]

So because you might have deeper pockets then me it gives you more entitlement to hunt the state I live in?

My pockets are not deep at all and I will more than likely never be able to afford a guide to go into the back country of Wyoming it is expensive enough for me to put in for tags travel hotels food gas etc. just to do a DIY hunt as mentioned earlier these are all federal lands and we can use them but we must hire a guide that is the part I have a problem with you're discriminating against people who cannot afford a guide but are more than capable of hunting on their own

 

[Ol' Red]

Easiest solution, become a resident.

That sounds hasty, Haven't you heard we are already overpopulated.

 

[Ol' Red]

My pockets are not deep at all and I will more than likely never be able to afford a guide to go into the back country of Wyoming it is expensive enough for me to put in for tags travel hotels food gas etc. just to do a DIY hunt as mentioned earlier these are all federal lands and we can use them but we must hire a guide that is the part I have a problem with you're discriminating against people who cannot afford a guide but are more than capable of hunting on their own

Bill, I agree with you 100 percent. I am not against guide services, but you should not be forced to use one.

 

[gusd]

Lol that is an uneducated comment

Why don't you educated me please. Because this is just one thing I found on a quick Google search.

That comes to $17.55 per year for a cow and calf. Pretty dang cheap !
Also note that the $1.35 price was set as a minimum in 1986. That's 35 years ago and the price is still the same

 

[338 dude]

Bill, I agree with you 100 percent. I am not against guide services, but you should not be forced to use one.

Believe me it is strictly a money thing there's nothing I would like better to hire a guide and have a Cadillac hunt in a state that I am worried about my hunting future in