License Fee increase bill

BuzzH · Jan 31, 2017

Been pretty busy, but have a few minutes to update what's been going on Legislatively in Wyoming.

For starters, we killed a bad one that Bob Wharff proposed to the Legislature...SF120. Intent good...proposal bad. The problem with not understanding the laws, regulations, and pulse of sportsmen.

Enough of that.

The fee increase bill can be found here:

http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2017/Introduced/HB0288.pdf

I expect this one to be amended, cussed, and discussed, will try to keep everyone informed as things progress.

This is a huge deal right now since the Legislature cut 6 million of general fund money from the Game and Fish Budget...this is the legislatures answer. Don't kill the messenger...yet. You'll have ample opportunity to do that later.

Baerman · Jan 31, 2017

Is this to fund a wall???

The Hedgehog · Jan 31, 2017

$4,400 for a bison license. That's funny.

BuzzH · Jan 31, 2017

Greenhorn said:
$4,400 for a bison license. That's funny.

Yeah...not sure the "logic" behind that one.

npaden · Jan 31, 2017

Greenhorn said:
$4,400 for a bison license. That's funny.

Arizona's nonresident bison license is $5,415 for a bull and $3,265 for a cow. That's why I quit applying there.

The other price increases seem reasonable to me. The preference point says "Up to" but those are 50% increases which seems kind of steep. I think they realize there is a high profit margin in preference points.

BuzzH · Jan 31, 2017

I'm disappointed in the Resident fee increases...about a joke really. Should be much higher fee increases for Residents.

NoWiser · Jan 31, 2017

The main reason my local hunting buddies could care less about the public land transfer is because they refuse to pay NR tag fees out west. So, why should they care? Flipping the 60/40 and raising fees is not going to help matters any. I'm sure the outfitters love it, though.

BuzzH · Jan 31, 2017

NoWiser said:
The main reason my local hunting buddies could care less about the public land transfer is because they refuse to pay NR tag fees out west. So, why should they care? Flipping the 60/40 and raising fees is not going to help matters any. I'm sure the outfitters love it, though.

I don't disagree, and why I think Residents fees need to be increased to help out the loss of the 6 million from the general fund.

The 60/40 will be fought again by BHA and also Wyoming Sportsman's Alliance. I don't see it getting much traction.

JohnCushman · Jan 31, 2017

The archery license fee increase is pretty steep.

BuzzH · Jan 31, 2017

Don't panic yet, this is the first draft and it has a longgg way to go. I'll be monitoring this thread looking for some constructive criticism. Will keep everyone updated as its changed and amended.

Big Fin · Jan 31, 2017

The math shows that most non-resident fees are proposed to increase 20% and the resident fees 3%.

I think NoWiser has a great point. I often get that criticism when asking hunters in the Midwest or East to advocate for public land access, the majority of which land is in the west. Even the ones who know that Federal land ownership and State Trusteeship of wildlife are separate issues will give the, "They surely are welcoming to the rich non-residents, so why should I get too excited if the rich non-residents welcome themselves to some lands that get sold?"

I appreciate the updates. I hope Wyoming does something sane. The flip of the 60/40 Regular/Special split would be terrible for the average guy.

onpoint · Jan 31, 2017

"The main reason my local hunting buddies could care less about the public land transfer is because they refuse to pay NR tag fees out west. So, why should they care"?

I rarely, if ever comment on other threads concerning other state's matters. And I do this with no intention of "hijacking" this thread and hope it doesn't lead to that.
But that's a sad statement, having grown up myself in the Superior National Forest.
Public Land Transfer is not just "out west".
Carry on....... good luck Wyo. guys.

BuzzH · Jan 31, 2017

NoWiser has an excellent point, that's impossible to argue with.

My feelings are that the Residents may whine a bunch, but they'll pay a 20% increase. Their costs to do a hunt aren't shit compared to a NR. The resident license fee's, even if increased 20%, would still be the cheapest part of the entire operation.

WapitiBob · Jan 31, 2017

BuzzH said:
I'm disappointed in the Resident fee increases...about a joke really. Should be much higher fee increases for Residents.

Is this where we input the standard, fee increases are ... "making it a rich mans sport", or "killing a family tradition"?

AZ; $160 license and $665 tag
UT, $60 license to apply and $800 tag
NM, $782 tag

Wyoming can't be beat for NR opportunity vs cost even with an increase.

npaden · Jan 31, 2017

WapitiBob said:
Is this where we input the standard, fee increases are ... "making it a rich mans sport", or "killing a family tradition"?

You forgot "making it hard to feed my family".

NoWiser · Jan 31, 2017

onpoint said:
"The main reason my local hunting buddies could care less about the public land transfer is because they refuse to pay NR tag fees out west. So, why should they care"?

I rarely, if ever comment on other threads concerning other state's matters. And I do this with no intention of "hijacking" this thread and hope it doesn't lead to that.
But that's a sad statement, having grown up myself in the Superior National Forest.
Public Land Transfer is not just "out west".
Carry on....... good luck Wyo. guys.

Onpoint, I understand what you are saying, and this isn't my viewpoint at all. I'm doing everything I possibly can to oppose the transfer. But, there has been little, if any, talk about messing with federal lands in Minnesota (which I hunt often) so it's just not a concern to them, and neither is the federal land out west which they won't hunt due to cost.

I think it is to everyone's benefit to keep the cost of hunting at a point where it is affordable to as many people as possible. I have zero problem paying more to hunt than a resident, but the disparity between R and NR licenses is getting ridiculous!!

WapitiBob · Jan 31, 2017

npaden said:
You forgot "making it hard to feed my family".

Yea, the few dollars increase for a resident will tip them over the edge for sure.

onpoint · Jan 31, 2017

Thanks N.W.
I too agree us western hunters need to better pony up for the good of all hunting - our legislators out here - plain and simple - are aholes in this situation.
I got engaged on top of Eagle Mountain up da north shore. I remember the country fondly - your buddies may need to wake up a little.
Tying the PLT issue to hunting license costs is a dangerous affair - best left to a new and different thread - which would probably be a real cluster%$@&.
Once again, carry on.

elkantlers · Jan 31, 2017

I have been pretty vocal against the WY fee increase in the past. I Have changed my mind in that I can see a need for some sort of an increase. After reading the increase bill I can see that they are again sticking it to the NR hunter. I think this is a bad thing in that the fees listed, especially for Moose, Sheep, ect. , are going to price a bunch of people out of the game and that really is too bad. I know it has been said that if a person really wants to hunt they will find a way to finance it. That's true. The die hard, eat, sleep and drink hunters will find a way to still play the game. The average guy however will not. The problem is that there are way more "average guys" out there than die hards. When we need the Average guy to stand up to land transfer and other issues, they are not going to be there because they aren't hunting there anyway. They have been priced out.
I would support a fee increase that is a little more reasonable for the non resident and one that the Resident hunter pays more of their share.

Flatland Crusoe · Jan 31, 2017

NoWiser said:
The main reason my local hunting buddies could care less about the public land transfer is because they refuse to pay NR tag fees out west. So, why should they care? Flipping the 60/40 and raising fees is not going to help matters any. I'm sure the outfitters love it, though.

I guess they don't realize you end up dropping what more than the cost of a tag on gear and travel for these hunts, I usually figure the tag costs about 1/3rd that of the total hunt. There will always be a ton of guys complaining about tag costs or the something who don't really have the drive to do something new and outside of their comfort zone. You can blow way more money hunting the east on leases, clubs, boats, food plots, trucks, ATV's than hunting DIY out west.

Out of state hunts are purely a commodity to me in that I'm weighing the opportunity relative to the cost. That means good access, good opportunity and the ability to do that hunt fairly often. Wyoming has across the board one of the best products and the market will carry that premium. As an Easterner I view western tags cost as an access fee.

The biggest issue is still resident fee's in almost every state not being high enough and that being the standard.

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