Wyo Task Force - Nonres Comments!

[jimss]

If you are a concerned nonres and have years of applications and $ invested into the Wyo pref pt system....especially for the Big 5 species you can submit comments directly to the Task Force for the July 8th meeting. You must do this by 5:00 pm on July 6th!

90:10 would cut nonres limited tags in 1/2 and require twice as long for ALL nonres to draw tags. For the Big 5 this would likely mean that those that don't have max pts or close to max pts may never draw tags. Nonres that have invested years and $ into a draw system will suddenly have the light switch flipped off with these changes!

The more nonres willing to comment, the more attention will be given to nonres at this and other meetings!. There are no nonres members on the Task Force even though nonres stand to loose so much with decisions made! Sending comments is the only voice you have unless you attend one of their meetings.

Here's a link to submit your comments: https://sites.google.com/wyo.gov/wyomingwildlifetaskforce/home/public-input

 

[26Reload]

I don't see a problem there...happened in Oregon long time ago....and 'the only bad thing is a few less hunters in the woods'...NOT....just means more residents may take up hunting...
And...this wont affect nonresident on guided hunts..as guides get an allotment of tags for client or don't they......

 

[bsnyder]

That's great for those that can afford guided hunts. we used to start new hunters in wyo for deer and antelope because game was plentiful and the people were great and it was easy for a non resident to get a tag and almost as affordable as hunting in their home state. 90/10 would be a bummer. I don't live close any more to hunt there like I used to. Also would suck because my best friend still hunts there but will never draw and he is getting up there in years.

 

[jimss]

There is currently no outfitter tags issued in Wyo. What's concerning is this could happen IN ADDITION to taking 1/2 the tags away from nonres with 90/10! There are quite a few outfitters and outfitter/landowner related members on the task force that could ask to set aside even more tags that are currently available to nonres in the public draw. What happened in New Mexico years ago with outfitter only and landowner tags could easily happen in Wyo with the members that are on the task force.

The sad part is that some Wyo residents want to cut nonres limited tags in 1/2. There are very few nonres tags issued with current nonres quotas. Draw odds really won't improve much for residents because proportionately there aren't that many more additional tags issued to their pool of tags.... but will require twice the time to draw for all nonres.


If you've been applying for big game in Wyo for years it could take you a lot longer to draw limited tags if this passes! Young nonres hunters just starting out may never catch up and have the opportunity to hunt Wyoming. It's also tough on local economies since nonres often spend quite a bit in their stores, gas stations, restaurants, and hotels.

Nonres have been charged up to $100/year/species to apply for pref pts and some nonres have up to 25 years and a lot of $ invested in the application process.

If you enjoy hunting Wyo as a nonres now is the chance to step up and state your concerns.

 

[Triple BB]

I sent my comments supporting 90/10. Trying to get my resident friends to also comment in favor. This is long overdue based on what other western states are doing with limited quota tags.

Jim, I don't remember you ever being concerned about Wyoming's local economies until now. What gives?

 

[doug2080]

I have some mixed feelings on this issue. Being born and raised in the great state of montana and being a hunter basically from the time I could walk has been an absolute privilege, and one I always thought all hunters should experience. That is until this last year. My father and I along with our long time family friend have been hunting the eastern part of the state since I can remember, on public forest and BLM as well as state lands. I'd say up until the last five years or so game was always plentiful and so were the hunters, but there was always plenty of room and game for everyone. We have past up more game and come home empty handed more then we have taken by far. Usually it's more of an excuse to get together talk about the old times and look for the "BIG ONE". Last year I was lucky enough to draw a bull elk tag that I had been putting in for 15 for the area, deer has always been a general tag in that area. To say the hunting was hard is an understatement. I took off three weeks of work and decided to basically live down there. In that amount of time and according to my GPS I put on over 140 miles of boot leather on the ground. In that 140 miles and three weeks I came across a whopping 71 mule deer and of those 71 was only two bucks I would consider decent! In days past not and not that long ago we would've considered that a bad day. Anyway to get to my point here, I did get lucky and finally connected with a decent bull second to the last day of season, and while back at camp hanging and skinning said bull a group of hunters from out of state came by to check it out. No big deal I like to BS. While talking we came on the subject of deer and they started bragging about how their group, be it a large one held multiple mule deer doe tags for that area as well as each having a mule deer A tag(aka buck). And they filled each and every one of them. Over 40 mule deer does as well as 17 "four" points(and just to be clear out west here 2 points on each side does not count as a 4 point). And they were complete us that they just weren't seeing any deer hardly. Then just to rub salt on the wound as we were headed out the next afternoon we drove by their camp and there was garbage scattered everywhere along with 4 different latrine holes overflowing with TP and waste that they didn't have the common courtesy to bury. So we stopped and cleaned up the mess and reported it to the park service. What came of it I do not know. These are the reasons I'd like to see one of these task force deals in MT. And yes I know they had the tags and they payed for them and yatayata, but an actual conservationist would realize that, hey we ain't seeing much game here, maybe we otta leave a few for next year or let them little ones grow up a couple years. This part isn't completely their fault though some maybe a lot of it lands on montana wildlife fish and game having their heads up their ***. If they wanna give out that many doe tags they should only be good for private lands. There are plenty of ranchers out there that would gladly let people on to shoot does. The second part is what really gets in my craw, when grown men can't even clean up their own mess. These are the ones that give all a bad name, and us locals to throw such fits and seek alternative measures and try to change things. Not all are bad people and most I've encountered have been really good people, but it's the bad one we remember the most and course our hands. I know this is long and most will probably skip over( I would) but just my two sense as why this maybe happening.

 

[jimss]

Colorado actually had this same debate years ago. There was a coalition of small business owners from Western Colorado that raised a stink about lost revenues if nonres tags would be limited. They actually did a survey and found that nonres are the life-blood of their small communities. The business owners won and tags remained the same. I have to agree with the business owners on this and haven't brought up a stink about nonres in Colo getting 35% of limited tags since that time.

I can assure you if Wyo goes through with 90/10 that it will raise a red flag again for residents here in Colo. I really think it's a shame to do this in both Wyo and Colo!

Even though Wyo res may have a slightly better chance to draw tags if they take a hand full of limited tags away from nonres is it really worth it to greatly impact ALL nonres by cutting their tags in 1/2? I actually produced a spread sheet and it showed that draw odds for most limited deer and elk units for Wyo res only increased around 0 to 3%. It really didn't help cutting the few tags available to nonres.

 

[Triple BB]

"Even though Wyo res may have a slightly better chance to draw tags if they take a hand full of limited tags away from nonres is it really worth it to greatly impact ALL nonres by cutting their tags in 1/2?"

The answer is a resounding yes! If non-residents don't like it, they should hunt somewhere else. I don't see Wyoming telling Colorado how to manage their wildlife or how to grow their weed...

 

[jimss]

Take a look at who is funding the WG&F! 77% of license and preference point revenue comes directly from nonres! Wyo residents only contribute 17% of this revenue! Wyo residents don't even have a pref pt system for antelope, deer, and elk that contributes to this revenue. Nonres contribute more in pref pt fees than Wyo res contribute in license sales! Nonres have been supporting the WG&F through pref pt fees and higher license fees for around 25 years. If the WG&F cuts nonres tags in 1/2 with 90/10 it's like they are pulling the plug on nonres that have devoted so many years to supporting their program and Wyoming wildlife! What happens to those nonres that have been devoted to support the WG&F through the pref pt system for so many years? Nonres certainly deserve something don't they?

Any big question mark.....what happens to the WG&F revenue if nonres limited tags are cut in 1/2? Supposedly they will make up for this revenue loss by selling more 2nd draw and doe/cow tags. Take a look at how many 2nd draw tags were available this year for deer and antelope.....few to none. What makes up for this revenue loss in years after winterkill, drought, and poor fawn recruitment?

 

[Andrew Massi]

Take a look at who is funding the WG&F! 77% of license and preference point revenue comes directly from nonres! Wyo residents only contribute 17% of this revenue! Wyo residents don't even have a pref pt system for antelope, deer, and elk that contributes to this revenue. Nonres contribute more in pref pt fees than Wyo res contribute in license sales! Nonres have been supporting the WG&F through pref pt fees and higher license fees for around 25 years. If the WG&F cuts nonres tags in 1/2 with 90/10 it's like they are pulling the plug on nonres that have devoted so many years to supporting their program and Wyoming wildlife! What happens to those nonres that have been devoted to support the WG&F through the pref pt system for so many years? Nonres certainly deserve something don't they?

Any big question mark.....what happens to the WG&F revenue if nonres limited tags are cut in 1/2? Supposedly they will make up for this revenue loss by selling more 2nd draw and doe/cow tags. Take a look at how many 2nd draw tags were available this year for deer and antelope.....few to none. What makes up for this revenue loss in years after winterkill, drought, and poor fawn recruitment?
View attachment 283057

Exactly!^
If they adopt 90/10 I'll burn my points and head elsewhere. Wyoming residents can pick up the slack with reduced opportunities and increased tag prices

 

[26Reload]

The only true loss if funds....is the pers retirement.......same crud happened in Oregon.....
The state actually made more hunts available...re-increased their 'draws' monies........the guides are allotted tags per opportunities for hunts..which most are sold to non residents.....still 10% non-residents tags..plus the guides tags sold to non-residents.....
States back east went the opposite direction...they just raised prices til the lay-man couldn't afford to hunt out of state......
It's all about the monies...

 

[doug2080]

Exactly! It's all about the money to fish and game and management comes in a distant 3rd if at all. Give more and more tags get more money even if the resources aren't there or ruining the hunting for generations to come. Some fat bureaucrat is getting rich off the system, throw a dart in any direction these days and you'll hit ten of them. Fact is hunting is becoming more and more of a rich mans sport, and I fear if the system doesn't change for the better and in the wildlife's advantage our children will not be able to enjoy the thrill and excitement, and overall satisfaction that comes with this thing we all love called hunting.

 

[shortmagshooter]

Take a look at who is funding the WG&F! 77% of license and preference point revenue comes directly from nonres! Wyo residents only contribute 17% of this revenue! Wyo residents don't even have a pref pt system for antelope, deer, and elk that contributes to this revenue. Nonres contribute more in pref pt fees than Wyo res contribute in license sales! Nonres have been supporting the WG&F through pref pt fees and higher license fees for around 25 years. If the WG&F cuts nonres tags in 1/2 with 90/10 it's like they are pulling the plug on nonres that have devoted so many years to supporting their program and Wyoming wildlife! What happens to those nonres that have been devoted to support the WG&F through the pref pt system for so many years? Nonres certainly deserve something don't they?

Any big question mark.....what happens to the WG&F revenue if nonres limited tags are cut in 1/2? Supposedly they will make up for this revenue loss by selling more 2nd draw and doe/cow tags. Take a look at how many 2nd draw tags were available this year for deer and antelope.....few to none. What makes up for this revenue loss in years after winterkill, drought, and poor fawn recruitment?
View attachment 283057

Yeah but license and tag sales only make up 61% of the annual revenue. And honestly I'd bet 90% of nonresident hunters could give 2 ***** about the welfare of the department or Wyoming for that matter. They just want a tag to kill a animal. And I would also bet us Wyoming residents will gladly pick up the slack.

 

[Rick Richard]

Yeah but license and tag sales only make up 61% of the annual revenue. And honestly I'd bet 90% of nonresident hunters could give 2 ***** about the welfare of the department or Wyoming for that matter. They just want a tag to kill a animal. And I would also bet us Wyoming residents will gladly pick up the slack.

I am a nonresident and have hunted Wyoming many times and have NEVER felt what you have described.