Hunting Opportunity's Decreasing Nation Wide

[AT Hiker]

As miserable as that looks, I hate that less than I hate sweating my nuts off most of deer season, most of turkey season, and having a summer full of 90+ degree days with 60% humidity.

Humidity, of lack of, makes all the difference. The wind can make things miserable out here too but I do not miss the 90 degree summer mornings with 85% humidity.

WY isn't for everyone, which looking at historical population trends proves it, but it seems like the perfect fit for us. When I show up to my daughter's soccer game and team mom says "did you get your elk" I know I'm in the right place.

As for hunting though, it's not on a great trajectory either. Outfitters have really taken a strong hold. I'm not opposed to them necessarily but their influence shouldn't dictate management and regulations. Once again, it's money driven and it's no denying the economic impact outfitted NRs have on local communities. The double edged sword conundrum.

 

[Newt]

Hunting is getting insane on costs. I know of 200 acres in an East TN county that was recently leased by 3 guys from Knoxville for $30,000 per year. Just insane. I don't see it getting better.

I can't imagine

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Bill Would Hike Wyoming Hunting License Application Fees By 300% To 400%

Hunting license application fees could see huge increases in Wyoming, jumping 300% for Wyomingites and 400% for nonresidents under a legislative bill.…

cowboystatedaily.com

House Bill 2 would boost resident hunting license application fees from $5 to $20. Fees for nonresident hunters would jump from $15 to $75. That's an overly sensationalized headline. The percent increase is real, but it really isn't that bad when you actually look at the dollars.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

House Bill 2 would boost resident hunting license application fees from $5 to $20. Fees for nonresident hunters would jump from $15 to $75. That's an overly sensationalized headline. The percent increase is real, but it really isn't that bad when you actually look at the dollars.

That doesn't sound like a lot, but that's per species. If I put in and don't draw a tag for elk, pronghorn, mule deer, and turkey, that's $300 with nothing to show for it.

 

[AT Hiker]

House Bill 2 would boost resident hunting license application fees from $5 to $20. Fees for nonresident hunters would jump from $15 to $75. That's an overly sensationalized headline. The percent increase is real, but it really isn't that bad when you actually look at the dollars.

Here is a real look at the dollars.

It will cost you as a NR $75 to apply for each species. Whether you draw the tag or not, you are out $75.
Let's say you want to apply for elk and deer, that's $150. Add on a pronghorn app, make it $225. Let's say you and your son, grandson, nephew, etc want to apply…that's $75 for every applicant for every species.

If you do draw the tag, then you are out the money for the tag ($390 for deer) and conservation stamp ($21) on top of your $75 fee to just apply.

Last year the state increased the NR special license for the species by several hundred dollars, too.

 

[Antler Daddy]

I have hunted ad Dunaway several times. It is an incredible place. A buddy of mine ran it for years.

From what I read, it is around $10,800 a year in fees. Your home has to be a certain size and approved.

There are plenty of county club fees, sports costs, and HOA fees that will get a man to those money levels quick. If I could work from home and live there, that is a place that I would check out to get a home.

Need more of these places! Need a few in middle TN and KY.

 

[AT Hiker]

That doesn't sound like a lot, but that's per species. If I put in and don't draw a tag for elk, pronghorn, mule deer, and turkey, that's $300 with nothing to show for it.

It's a matter of perspective. That pricey elk tag that went up $700 last year and possibly another $60 after this year is actually a "elk fishing" license

 

[AT Hiker]

From what I read, it is around $10,800 a year in fees. Your home has to be a certain size and approved.

There are plenty of county club fees, sports costs, and HOA fees that will get a man to those money levels quick. If I could work from home and live there, that is a place that I would check out to get a home.

Need more of these places! Need a few in middle TN and KY.

I mean, if one's budget allows the purchase of a million dollar home what's an extra $1k a month HOA fee

 

[Antler Daddy]

I mean, if one's budget allows the purchase of a million dollar home what's an extra $1k a month HOA fee

Yeah....I did not look at the real estate. It has been at least 6 years since I visited that site. I guess real estate has just about doubled everywhere.

Then again, where can you buy 6000 acres with a home for that price now?

 

[knightrider]

Hunting is getting insane on costs. I know of 200 acres in an East TN county that was recently leased by 3 guys from Knoxville for $30,000 per year. Just insane. I don't see it getting better.

Well their ignorant!!!! You could make a payment on 400-500 for that

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Here is a real look at the dollars.

It will cost you as a NR $75 to apply for each species. Whether you draw the tag or not, you are out $75.
Let's say you want to apply for elk and deer, that's $150. Add on a pronghorn app, make it $225. Let's say you and your son, grandson, nephew, etc want to apply…that's $75 for every applicant for every species.

If you do draw the tag, then you are out the money for the tag ($390 for deer) and conservation stamp ($21) on top of your $75 fee to just apply.

Last year the state increased the NR special license for the species by several hundred dollars, too.

According to an article in Outdoor Life, the increased fee covers all the application fees for tags/licenses bought at the same time.

"On the bright side, that pricey fee would cover all applications. Hunters currently have to pay a fee for every limited-quota tag they apply for"

Wyoming Lawmakers Want to Quadruple Hunting License Application Fees

A newly proposed bill in Wyoming would raise application fees for nonresident and resident hunters by 300 to 400 percent.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Well their ignorant!!!! You could make a payment on 400-500 for that

I agree it's ignorance but in that particular location, the farm would cost $2mil. So you could be looking at $12,000ish a month if you were doing a 20% down loan which would also be insane. Yeah you could go somewhere cheaper for sure. I guess it's easier for these guys to pay $10,000 a year x 3 guys and get an easy to hunt farm. Just absolutely crazy.

 

[.243 Deer]

Heck, there are people who actually leave the great state of Tennessee to move to the western part of the United States to hunt and fish and raise children. Can anyone imagine that? Imagine how those natives feel out west?

I'd leave Tennessee in a heartbeat if I could afford to. Tennessee is a alright state but it doesn't even hold a torch to the beauty and outdoor opportunities out west or even up north in Canada.

 

[AT Hiker]

According to an article in Outdoor Life, the increased fee covers all the application fees for tags/licenses bought at the same time.

"On the bright side, that pricey fee would cover all applications. Hunters currently have to pay a fee for every limited-quota tag they apply for"

Wyoming Lawmakers Want to Quadruple Hunting License Application Fees

A newly proposed bill in Wyoming would raise application fees for nonresident and resident hunters by 300 to 400 percent.

www.outdoorlife.com

Here is the proposal, admittedly it's clear as mud. *Upon further reading it does appear to make it one application fee. So weird. Just does t make sense to me.

https://wyoleg.gov/InterimCommittee/2024/06-2024070925LSO-0057v0.6.pdf

Few things if the article you linked is indeed true.
1.) They would have to change the structure of applying. Currently the NR process is staggered. For example; NR elk apps are due the end of Jan and deer/pronghorn are in May. I suppose they could credit your future applications for that calendar year.
2.) If it is one application fee then it will by default put a stupid amount of demand on the drawing process and therefore draw odds in the random draw. For example; if you are paying $75 to apply for elk in Jan you might as well apply for deer/pronghorn in May.
3.) I am a WY resident now. It cost me $5 for each species. Deer/elk/pronghorn cost me $5 each right now which is $15 per year. I can also apply for sheep/goat/bison/moose. So for a year it cost me $35. Game and Fish would loose money on residents because instead of me paying $35 a year it would be decreased to $20. Sure, many people don't put in for all species but most put in for deer/elk/pronghorn.
Wanna get mind blown? Resident turkey tag is $16, so if you only hunt turkeys in WY the fee to apply to hunt cost more than the tag
4.) You pay an application fee currently for doe/cow tags too. Making it one flat fee could stand the risk of the state actually loosing money or going through this whole process to have a net zero gain.

I say all that to say this "it makes no sense to make it a flat fee under the disguise of raising more money". The whole premise is to raise funds, not save the applicant money.

However, these are politicians and I think the main credential is to be an idiot.

 

[nso123]

From what I read, it is around $10,800 a year in fees. Your home has to be a certain size and approved.

There are plenty of county club fees, sports costs, and HOA fees that will get a man to those money levels quick. If I could work from home and live there, that is a place that I would check out to get a home.

Need more of these places! Need a few in middle TN and KY.

They have a few that live there full time. I'm pretty sure they even have fiber internet service. It's definitely got the wildlife. I saw a buck that was over 170 there one year. It was in a horse pasture and I initially thought it was an archery target.

 

[deerhunter10]

I hunted pike county Illinois in the fall of 2012 and they had a ehd outbreak I have never in my life and hope to never again see the piles of dead deer I saw in that 4 day hunt. You couldn't step around a pond bank without steeping on a bone. The locals estimated around a 70 to 80 percent die off that we talked to. So that I believe.

As far as It turning into expensive it absolutely is, but you can still hunt cheapish if you want to. Will you have the opportunities? Well probably not. Look no further then duck hunting, that will be deer hunting in 5 to 10 more years. It's already started.