Cow elk tag pricing going to $450 next fall! I may not go next fall as that is the only vote we have.

http://wildlife.state.co.us/SiteCol...3/Nov/ChW-2-Big%20GameCPI-AsApproved.pdf

It also is close to the tipping point. Up till now, I was satisfied to hunt a cow due to the price break. Now if I go, I may just hunt a bull/either sex tag since it is not that much more any more. Ready to see more bull hunters in the woods?

I hope that doesn't mean less tags for residents.

Herd must be where they want it now.

No reason it should. As it is, I draw a cow tag as a left over practically every year. If anything, it should mean more cow tags for residents as more of us decide it isn't worth $450 for a cow tag. And residents are locked in at 65% and 80% of available drawing tags.

I hear there was a 10 million dow shortfall this year. They are betting we won't stop coming and they will make more money. It might be a bad bet but they could lose almost 23% of us and make the same money.

Cow elk, a bargain at any price. Buy a bear tag too if you don't mind.

Sure, maybe they should raise it to $1500 for cows! A bargain for sure.......... for residents.

They are pushing the envelope as it is, and they could be making a bad bet. They already lost 30,000 NR elk hunters, what is a few more.

And of course, that leaves more for residents

The tag price are tied to the Consumer Price Index. They go up and down with the index.

That is true of the bull/either sex tag, not cow tags. Bull tags went from $585 to $600. Cow tags jumped $100 dollars

Cow tags were raised from $250 to $350 in 2010. So they are up $200 in the last 4 years. And residents price has gone up how much? Sounds good from the residents point of view

Supposedly so is my pay raise. Did I mention I am not getting a raise next year.....again.

Dink

I guess you'll just have to stay home and hunt elk in Missouri this year...good luck with that.

Yeah, sorry about that txhunter58, you're right about the NR Antlerless Elk not being tied to the index. That said, the last page of that document has the answer.

Yep, they can manipulate numbers to justify what they want to do.

The truth is they screwed up with the cow elk tag pricing that first year and no one came to the party. So they reduced the price to woo some hunters back. SO, now they are just bringing it back up to where it should have been all along! Right!

Also ignored is that they are going to reduce the take of cows (hopefully without any reuduction in money in) totally on the shoulders of the NR. If I were a resident, maybe I would think that is fair, but even though I can afford to pay the increase, I have friends that can't any longer. ONLY $100 isn't that much, but for some it it the straw that breaks the camel's back. Little by little and more and more every year, NR elk hunting is becoming a hunt for the rich.

I love government. If I told my clients I wanted fewer of them but I wanted to make the same money, so I was raising my prices by 28% so fewer of them could afford to come to me, I would lose more than the 28%.

Cheaper tags to be had in Wyoming and Montana for cow elk...

I tend to agree with you on the NR fees getting near the price point that NR hunters are willing to pay.

I got to wait until 2016 for that.

Dink

I paid $46 this year...

Boo hoo. Not too long ago everyone had to burn preference points and draw cow tags. And that was your only elk tag if you drew! Then they became over the counter and considered an additional license to your bull tag.

Personally, I don't think the elk numbers in CO are anywhere near what the DOW claims. They just want the revenue so they focus on marketing it out. I'd love to see less elk hunters in the woods.

after moving out of colorado I won't buy an elk tag and go back to hunt. what I will do though is go visit one of my best friends who has a large ranch, and HE will buy a resident tag and shoot me an elk, he could care less about the meat, and neither of us cares to shoot another elk (a cow at least). all my wife wants is the meat. if the price were what is was at 250, then I would probably buy a tag and bring home two. in the mean time, I'll go and help him feed cows (bovine), watch him shoot a cow(elk) on the meadow and bring it home with me.

Did they raise deer tags for next year too? I don't like seeing our deer tags cost less than the Iowa tags I am buying. They need to jack those up some more. Who wouldn't pay a little more to hunt some mule deer?

They need to restructure the deer seasons here. That 4th season isn't helping the deer numbers.

Deer pice went from $350 to $360

Dogcatcher: This may mean that you actually see more BULL hunters in the woods. Under the current system I was hunting a bull every 3-4 years and a cow on the other 2-3 years. As addicted elk hunting in your great state, I will probably figure out a way to go, but may go ahead and buy a bull/either sex tag every year instead of a cow tag.

It will be interesting to see if they actually issue fewer cow tags next year or if this is just lip service.

I agree that the CO DOW over estimates the elk population. In the last ten years,I have seen fewer and fewer elk and each one I killed came harder and harder and they were mostly cows.

Couple that with the fact that elk have moved into areas that they typically did not frequent and the hunting gets worse.

If I were an NR, I would not buy CO cow tag and I would probably not buy a bull tag. Other states are harder to get tag for, but the chances of success seem higher, just from what I read. (might be mistaken there).

I agree completely about the elk numbers. I have hunted an area in Colorado over the last 12 years that has nowhere near the elk numbers it did before the 09-10 winter. Matter of fact, I have not hunted it for 2 years just hoping I might see numbers increasing.

As for me, I am not worried about the cost of the tags, I simply budget more for them as hunting elk is darn near priceless for me.

Not too many elk in Texas....

Wow, thanks for the info!

Rifle elk hunting has gotten harder, but archery has gotten even worse. Everybody and their grandma is running around the woods with a hoochie momma and a bow that can shoot 100yds, LOL.

I agree with others views on Colorado over estimating elk herd numbers. I live butt deep in elk wintering grounds. Up to 7 years ago I woke up every morning to elk on what used to be my lawn. The fields just below my house wintered @400 elk annually. My kids left early for school as to make up for the driving delays from herds of elk on the road. About 7 years ago we had a winter from hell, many traffic control signs completely covered with snow for a few months. Since that horrid winter our elk heard of 400 plus animals went to exactly 1 {ONE} seen in the spring. The numbers have never been the same since. This winter instead of seeing many hundreds of elk @ the house all winter, a small group of @50 have been seen twice.

Colorado has no elk. Go to Wyoming.

You can't swing a dead cat in Colorado and not hit an elk.

http://vimeo.com/81139982

Kind of reminds you of Africa and Wilde beast.

http://vimeo.com/81139983

Sorry the video is so shaky, the flies due to the amount of elk in the area where eating me up.

http://vimeo.com/74115006

Shoe rag bull shoe!

http://vimeo.com/67764941

From a draw unit but a good clip for a butt freezing December day.

http://s429.photobucket.com/user/ZupancicJoe/media/P1030960.mp4.html?sort=3&o=173

The elk Olympics.

http://s429.photobucket.com/user/ZupancicJoe/media/P1030942.mp4.html?sort=3&o=174

This thread was started to provide info to NR hunters. It is funny to me that residents feel the need to come on this kind of thread and call us whiners and tell us to go elsewhere to hunt elk. Wishing there were fewer NR hunters to compete against, imagine that! I do understand your point of view but unless you want your tags to go up to our price and beyond and have us stop spending money on hotels, gas, groceries you are stuck with us. That said there is no need to kick us when we are down.

Ok, invite us to come hunt your private high fence spots in TX for a mere $450.

No elk in CO.

The winter of 07-08nthathad severe winter kill .Many of us told the CO DOW about it and they said their surveys didn't show that( computer models), then two years later,they fessed up and said they screwed up,but still were selling elk tags like they were 50 cent coupons and advertising to NR how many elk we had.

I don't begrudge NR hunters. I have had many in my camp for a lot of years. I just begrudge the slob hunters who complain that they spent 20 hours traveling and thousands of dollars. They deserve to kill an elk and take any shot presented to them, because they sure as heck are not going home with an unfilled tag.

I don't want to see anyone's license fees increase, NR or resident. The way things are going, you're going to have to be a rich man to continue to hunt. I know I'll most likely get bashed for saying this since there are always the few that feel they can and will pay anything for a license, no matter how ridiculous. However, if you have kids, bills, mortgage, etc. it is extremely difficult to continue to pay more and more for recreational activities, especially in this economy. I used to regularly hunt out of state in WY, MT, and AK. However, with the prices always going up, especially in MT, and my pay not increasing, it got to the point where I just couldn't justify it anymore. I'd love to continue doing it but had to choose other priorities. I do believe that NR should pay more than residents, but not to incredibly stupid levels. I also believe that each state has the right to manage game and set license fees wherever they desire, but the NR are taking the brunt of it and the residents are next. Unfortunately, that is what seems to occur in most states since, as others have pointed out, the NR aren't around to vote against it. As Colorado so proudly pointed out just a few weeks ago, we did not see a decrease in NR hunting licences this year due to the gun control laws that were passed and the supposed "boycott". In fact, the numbers increased. Unfortunately, this just confirms to the power brokers that they can continue to do whatever they please and the hunters will just swallow it down and dig out their wallets. At some point, at least I keep thinking this, they will reach a $ limit and then people will stop coming to our state. That's when they'll start looking to gouge the residents and even more of us will be forced out of the hunting pool. Then the anti-hunters will finally have it the way they want it. That is why I'm against anymore license fee increases. We keep seeing it over and over again. Your state is next.

If you wanna hunt elk at "discounted" rates, move to a state that has elk. As was mentioned earlier, Iowa whitetail tag prices are going through the roof, so it ain't like it's only CO that's bending NR's over.

I have always found the guys that say "just pay it" or "I am a non-resident and tags should cost more than the do" are the same guys that don't have two nickels to rub together. They usually owe more money than they could ever pay back.

I often wonder how many residents of western states could not come up with just the non-resident tag fee. Not counting travel, lodging or food cost.

Dink

What is really unfortunate is the resident whatever state pay to manage them and then pay to hunt what they pay to manage. The state or whomever are raping us at both ends.......

I have found here in CO over the last couple of years with the so called merger of State Parks and Dept of Wildlife that they are kinda overlapping responsibilities but if someone representing the parks shows they can't do somethings and don't understand some DOW laws or processes so they exhibit confusing information to the outdoors man.

To mix that up more, you have the dept of agriculture the Dept of forestry dept of interior at the fed level. Over the last about 2 years the Fed level dept of forestry has been sending forestry LAW enforcement to Colorado during the Big games seasons from other states when it is slow in their home states. Like this year a person that had been in Colorado for 1 month assignment representing the forestry dept but worked FT in Californication year before met someone form Arizona- is this going on with other states ? ....

Big mixed bowl of soup.....Too many cooks in the kitchen!

Definitely prices are getting sticky and I don't agree with allot of what is going on...

Iowa NR Fees

LICENSE FEES*
Any-deer/Antlerless-only License ......................$426
Hunting License (18 and older) .........................$112
Habitat Fee ..........................................................$13

$551 to hunt a stinky whitetail in Iowa. Guess what? I don't get to/won't go anymore, boo hoo.

You don't see a lot of western state hunters going to other western states for that very reason I moved here for the very reason to be able to hunt elk every year and have done so. I didn't get a big raise in salary or a big promotion. I just started to look for a decent job, got one, packed up the wife and kids and never looked back.

In 40 years I have hunted out of state twice. Once in Alberta that I saved up for five years to do so and once in New Mexico when I was given a landowner voucher.

So what if a guy can't rub two nickels together and yet goes hunting elsewhere. It's nobody's business except his.
It isn't a sin to be poor, just darn inconvenient.

It's all matter of priorities.

You missed my point.

The guys that screaming that tag prices should be more are usually the guys that do not have the money to buy them anyway.

Poor man never throws his chest out and wants to pay more for a tag. Never.

I have been poor my entire life but I live cheap. I can afford to do about any DIY hunt every couple of years but with tag prices, gas prices and all the other bullchit fees it's just not hardly worth it.

Dink

I'd be happy to host you dogcatcher.... No cost! 3000ac - half is high fence and half is low so call it what you wish! You can come any time all the way through the end of Feb.

I don't mind paying and like hunting in Colorado with friends that live there but at some point my tag $ is gonna head elsewhere or out of the country. They're not above screwing residents they just haven't gotten there yet. I don't begrudge any man for wanting to hunt all over though it may be en vogue to do so nowadays. I'm in no competition with other hunters but in the the quarry I seek.

I agree with you about not kicking NR when they're down, but what's funny to me is that non-residents feel the need to complain about the way things are in my state. You had it right in your first post, your only vote is "yes" or "no." Only you can make that choice.

Fewer NR hunters will not bother me one bit. Hell, there were four NR hunters camped near where I was this year, with only two bull tags between 'em but they were all hunting bulls anyway.

The federal gov't and the banking industry can hose us and milk us unmercifully and get away with it, so the state gov'ts are just following suit.
As with most issues, you can spin up either side and make it sound good to those who already lean that way.
Personally I think the whole thing sucks, especially the small attendance on voting day.
jmho
Tim

One thing people don't grasp is us residents aren't happy with a lot of DOW policies either. I would gladly kick down more money for a deer tag if they would dump the 4th season and outlaw the transfer of landowner tags, and get rid of governor tags.

It is bad enough the CO DOW has exagerated elk numbers to lure in nonresidents, but it is even worse to sell deer tags for deer we don't have.

I never thought a cow tag should be an "additional" tag in the first place. Either draw a cow tag, or buy a bull tag and shoot one elk. Population studies are about as lopsided as photographs showing elk around homes. Just because there are elk on private land or in town, doesn't mean their are elk on public land or in traditional hunting areas.

After I'm done with school, 800 of my dollars will get sent to Montana, annually, for a chance to not kill a bighorn sheep in their Unlimited Units. But I'll have a tag. And I won't complain about the price, because Montana offers something my state does not.

Priorities....

Tanner

I would like to ask Tanner which boots though.....

Yep, all ranches in Texas are high fenced and expensive to hunt and all people in Colorado are transplants from California who smoke pot. Not!

I have a family ranch that has been in my family since 1906. All low fences. We have 4 leasors that hunt to give my Mom some income and otherwise we take friends and family at no cost. This past weekend we had our annual Father/daughter hunt with 5 Dads and 6 girls ranging from 8 to 23 years old. I helped a 17 year old friends daughter get her first animal bigger than a rabbit (a feral hog). I have taken friends from Montana, Alaska, Colorado and North Dakota for free. 8 people from Colorado alone. Next week my friend from ND flies down to hunt along with other friends and family

As far as NR tags down here: $315 allows you 4 whitetail, 4 turkeys, and unlimited exotics and feral hogs. Several of my friends come in the spring and hunt turkeys and exotics (axis deer, blackbuck and hogs) for less than $200. And yes, all those exotics are wild and free ranging. The low fencing and the holes made by hogs make sure of that!

No, you don't have to pay big to hunt a great ranch in Texas, you just have to network and make friends with like interests. I could hunt elk on a high fence ranch less than 10 miles from my house, and a cow hunt would be cheaper than I spend to hunt Colorado, but I would never do it

I'd trade schitty CO elk hunting for good coyote calling. You need to prioritize!

$551 plus 3ish years of points at $50 a piece isn't it? TO HELL WITH IOWA FOR RAISING PRICES.



So don't come out.

I was a Colorado resident for 12 years, and I've paid NR prices twice since then, once for a bull tag and once for a cow tag.

The cow tag was in '11 and IIRC I paid $350 for a late season draw tag in a premium unit that I knew pretty well.

I don't see myself paying $450 for a cow tag.

Everybody's gonna bitch about everybody else. Down here we've got bitching about Florida hunters, in Florida they bitch about NR saltwater fishing while both states jack up their respective licenses. Just another divide and conquer scenario and In the end the only ones laughing are the politicians and anti-hunting organizations. Dammit I just wanna go kill some schitt and not take out a second mortgage or play politics to do it.

I usually draw a doe tag or a cow tag to go with the OTC bull tag. Don't need two animals. But, feel better having the second tag (option) in my pocket. We run a low budget coop arrangement, $1200 to $1600 per year, public land, DIY, with a nominal 20% success rate... Might be better to save my nickels for several years and just pay for a guided, outfitted hunt with a higher probability of success...

Shame that the resident CO hunters have an attitude about NR hunters. Most of the locals I have met in CO seem to be nice folks...

Shame that NR hunters earn their disdain via an attitude of entitlement. Not all, but enough.

I have no attitude towards NR hunters.

As long as I get my tags.

Which I won't because of the NR hunters.

We have family farms in Iowa. Last time I checked non-resident pheasant (small game) license was $85. I'll stick with hunting Colorado.

That's ironic

I've got family in Iowa also and have 3 points I've had for years but I'll NEVER pay that kind of money to hunt whitetails.

Looks like "divide and conquer" of the Second Amendment and hunting lobbies is already well underway. And the tree huggers and gun grabbers are just standing on the side lines grinning while we do it to ourselves...

Bullsh**. I've always wanted to hunt moose in Alaska, but never could justify the money for a NR tag. If I'd only known that the solution was bitching about their fee structure or resident hunter attitudes, I could've started bitching years ago.

You want to talk about divide and conquer, that's the best way to go about it. Piss and moan about someone else.

The NR moose tag is THE cheapest part of that hunt...BTDT.

I suspect the same is true of a NR cow elk hunt in Colorado.

Carry on.

no kidding..The tag is chump change compared to the 4-6k for a transporter..At least thats what it would cost to get to the unit I apply for.

The AK NR moose tag makes the CO elk tag look like a bargain, but you don't hear me bitching about it. Either I pay it or I don't. It's very simple.

And has nothing to do with the other costs involved, this thread is about tag costs.

Really?

IIRC, I paid about the same for a NR AK moose tag a couple years ago, that I bought at the wal-mart in Anchorage, as a NR will pay this year for a cow elk tag in Colorado.

Let me look...I'll report back.

Just looked at my NR licenses...$400 for NR AK moose tag and $85 for an annual hunting license.

I paid $1100 for my musk ox tag.

Hmm, back when I was looking, I thought they were more like $1200. Doesn't really matter anyway, either I pay it or I don't.

In Texas, when I visit Dallas and stay in a hotel, I pay a tourism tax that helps the Dallas mavericks pay for their play venue. I am a Texas and I disagree with that method or making NR pay for their budgets too.

Of course all you would have to do to cut us out all together is raise resident elk tags to $800 and Deer tags to $600. That way you wouldn't have to sell us any tags. Of course many of the mom and pop businesses would go under but at least you could get your tags.

That last statement is pretty brusque and inflammatory, but I said it to make a point. I think we are stuck with each other and there is room for give and take on both sides. You still have what I consider the best western state to visit the mountains and hunt in. Is it any wonder that I dislike price increases of this magnitude?

And residents are OK with making us pay 70% of their license revenue because they have a great product to sell and they know we will pay. And talk about us bitching and moaning? On the rare occasion that residents get a price increase, you hear a lot of complaining as well.

You can say "its only $100, just shut up and pay it." But what it means is that hunting is more about market forces and annual budgets than helping hunters continue the great tradition of the western hunt.

deer tags in SD are in the ball park of $275 for Non residents,should we lobby to raise ours as well then? what our GFP is doing is cutting back the budget on poor years, as opposed to jacking up fees. but then again we are a very conservative state, YMMV

My sarcasm was probably not obvious. I'm with you on the cutting back on bad years stuff. Kind of like a business or household operates. The GOV doesn't work the same way here.

TX, my comment about bitching and moaning was not directed at you. You're complaining and I understand your complaint. What I really object to is the "we all need to stick together because the antis want to divide and conquer" argument because it's a crock and I've seen it used to justify just about everything you can think of related to hunting. And it also assumes that antis are reading what you and I say here, which is comical in itself.

I agree with you about having a great product and a great state to visit and hunt, which is one reason Colorado hosts more nonresident elk hunters than other western states. The other reason being that we are THE ONLY state that still sells unlimited OTC elk tags, where you can be guaranteed a tag every year. Given the numbers of NR hunters we host and the pressure on the elk herd, pretty much the only lever the CP&W has left is the price of tags. Cow tags are not unlimited, but numbers of cow tags are the critical factor in managing the herd. Too many and the herd suffers. If there's a surplus in the population, sure I'm all for less expensive NR cow tags. If not, then I'm all for fewer tags for both residents and NR and when that happens the short supply will cause some problems. If CP&W and the people of the state of Colorado elect to keep the more scarce cow tags cheaper for residents and raise prices for NR hunters, that's OK with me, it's one of the perks that comes with living here.

I might add that 15 years ago I lived in S. Texas and traveled to CO for winter, summer, and hunting season vacations. Then decided to move my family here. So I don't have a lot of patience for the whole subject.

sarcasm can be tough to read sometimes, I agree, the gov't needs to be run like a business in that sense. I used to live in CO, the new things work there are why I will never move back. too bad because it's a beautiful place.

I came to Colorado for 50 years, and never whined about the fees. I was happy to do it to hunt here. Then 10 years ago I moved here to retire, and hunt cheaper. I feel i've paid my dues, and wouldn't be real happy to see the resident tag fees go up.

How many pounds of meat do you get out of a cow elk? Curious how it works out per pound.

I never weighed it but if you're careful, I'd estimate 150 boned out for a big one.

Probably about right. I try not to shoot those big old cows, and I figure about 120-130 lbs for a 2-3 yr old.
The last 1200lb beef we butchered, we got 495 lbs of processed meat, including the bones we put up. That is about 40% of live weight, so a deboned cow elk at 300-400lbs should get about 45%+ since there isn't as much fat or 135 lbs-180lbs.

Never figure the price per pound. You'd probably stop hunting.

I usually figure for deer etc on 40% loss of live weight when field dress and 40% loss of hanging weight when boned out. Or, about 36% of live weight in the frezzer.

But back to the solution.
Lets ALL move to CO. as was suggested above as THE solution.
Then we all could possess what was there before anyone lived there and since there wouldn't be any non residents we wouldn't have to share what is ours and only ours. And then we could lease out the other 47 states (leave HI and AK out of this) to foreigners to pay for everything.

Now even I am getting lippy and stupid. I apologize.

I have had some great times in CO (and other states too), but due to age, cost, etc, etc, I probably won't be out there again --and that sucks.
And there isn't much I can do about that and that sucks.
jmho
Tim

No, it was not suggested as THE solution. There are multiple solutions. One is to be happy with hunting in your own state. Another is to prioritize what's important to you. If $100 or $200/year will keep you from doing something, that speaks louder than words.

Every State should make a rule on out of state hunters, if you hunt our state you get charged the same price your state charges us to hunt . Recipitary Fees across the board for each State.

Geez, I thought that the public land in all states was just as much partially "my own" as it is the locals "own".
I doubt that anyone could peruse the regs and costs of any one state without not liking something.
One answer would be to have been born a couple centuries ago--Oh, yeah, we screwed that up toooooo.
Tim

The land is ,the wildlife isn't.

Every state should do as its citizens see fit. Period.

Anyway, we're talking elk here, most states don't have them so how would reciprocity work for those? If I can't hunt elk in Massachusetts, they can't hunt elk here?

smokepole,

I generally agree with you, that hunters need to prioritize their budgets etc. I pay lots of NR fees each year, but its not just about what I'd be willing to pay.

However, I also feel that if the CDOW, WYG&F, etc. are going to gouge for more money (as in $100 more for a cow tag in CO's situation), the NR hunters better be getting something more for that extra money they're spending.

The view (maybe right, maybe wrong), that many NR's have is that they're getting no benefit from that extra money they're being charged. In fact, in many cases, that is exactly what is going on. The only portion of the hunting public that is benefitting from increased NR fees in most cases...are the Resident hunters who are seeing no, or very small, fee increases. As an example, how much are Resident CO cow tags increasing in response to the Non-Resident $100 fee increase?

Every product has a cost/benefit and every product has a price point where many just arent willing to pay any more. I think Colorado is pretty well there. I also think MT, WY, and most all the Western States are pretty well there. When the NR money dries up, the State will then want a little looksy into the Residents wallet...FACT.

I dont think most people mind paying more for a better product. But I dont know many people that enjoy paying more for less.

Many dont have a problem with prices reflecting inflation or the increased cost in doing business. But, $100 jumps in one year for a cow elk...tough to call that keeping up with inflation.

I also believe that G&F agencies across the West, better start thinking about other funding sources other than dipping more money out of the pockets of the NR hunters every time theres a budget short-fall. That well of money is about dried up.

We all need to get to the table and come up with ways to fund the G&f agencies. The result of no action is going to be higher and higher fees...for both Residents and Non-Residents.

I'd like to know what i'm getting for the $.60 more I pay for gas than Denver. Is my gas better than Denver's?

It's the old supply and demand. Colorado has the elk, and if you want to kill them. You pay for it.

Just the way it is in 2013. It sucks, but what can we do?

The answer for NR hunters is very simple, especially if they want to make the case that higher fees will mean fewer willing to buy tags.

It sucks, but what can we do?

Ask those that benefit from wildlife (nearly everybody) to help fund it...for starters.

Seems odd that everyone enjoys wildlife, lots of businesses profit from wildlife, yet hunters pay nearly the entire tab???

In the case of Wyoming the G&F operating budget is 71-73 million, most all of it license fees, and the direct return economically is 1.1 billion.

Somebody sure as chit aint paying their share of the freight...

One thing not mentioned is that the cow tag fees are only going back up to what they use to be before the CPW decided they needed to get the cow numbers down. It wasn't but a few years ago where cow tags cost the same as bull tags. Now everyone is complaining about the cost.

One thing is for sure,If NRs decide not to hunt that state. That 73 million dollar budget is not going away!

Yeah, and the Resident whining would be heard in every corner of the world when their fees were increased to make up that 73 million...

Only one way to find out.

You beat me to it. The cow tags have been discounted for a few years. I saw no complaints when the price was to the NR advantage, but put it back where it was, and the whining starts.

I'll gladly pay more for a guaranteed tag every year. To pay more, and still have to fight for tags? Nope!

Hello all,
My Daughter & Family live in Colorado and she wants me to move there , as I'm getting along in yrs.
Does anyone know how long I have to reside there before being eligible to hunt as a resident ?
I've hunted Colorado & Montana as a Non-Res' ,but am looking forward to being there year'round .
thanks ,Rich

1 year I believe. Resident address, driver license, register to vote, pay state taxes are pretty much the notable items.
Not all necessary but Resident, driver license pay state taxes are the better ones.

No it is only 6months

6 months.


edit...Oops! You typed faster dink.

Rich,

Its 6 months, facts are pretty rare on this site.

You can also google CDOW...search for residency requirements in their search bar.

�� For purposes of determining residency for hunting and fishing license sales, a Colorado �resident� is any person who has lived in this state for at least six consecutive months immediately prior to the date of license application or license purchase with the intention of making Colorado their primary state of residency

Most NR should realize as stated above, there was a time when a cow tag actual took points to draw and then it was your only tag.

Numbers are down a bit from the highs a few years ago, if you want to eat elk next year skip a couple nights at Texas Roadhouse.

And despite what the resident whiners may say, there is still a bunch of elk in this state. A whole bunch.

Huh? It was answered twice before you.

We can give facts every now and then.

Thanks Guys
Residence ,Drivers Lic' Reg' to vote no prob' .
Prolly won't be working so might not pay state income tax ?
Rich

Paying state income tax isnt a requirement to purchase a resident hunting license.

I'm pretty sure the state will realize you're retired, I doubt you're the first, or only, retired person in Colorado.

Maybe Obama will redistribute elk tags! Just kidding and like smoke pole I moved to a state that has elk. I will continue to save, drink less Starbucks, beer, whatever to fund my hobby, but I understand and my buddies that hunt NM cringe when they have to pay $750 to my $94. It isn't going to get cheaper!

Thanks Buzz,
was only going off this
badaboom
Campfire Regular

Registered: 07/14/09
Posts: 425
Loc: CO., USA 1 year I believe. Resident address, driver license, register to vote, pay state taxes are pretty much the notable items.
Not all necessary but Resident, driver license pay state taxes are the better ones.


Edited by badaboom (Today at 05:39 PM)

Drivers license is all you need. That's all the application asks for.

It also asks you to fill in the blank and answer the question, "resident of Colorado since." And the date you got your license is incorporated into you DL number, if I'm not mistaken.

I'm corrected...I haven't had to look into this in over 25 years.

I can understand the CDOW has unique set of requirements 6 months in state with intent of becoming resident built of state driver license date. For Hunting licenses

I was coming from the perspective if anything came into question insuring in state residence in general would need to have Home address - primary, registered voter, Driver license and pay state taxes. Many times to receive state funding such as in state tuition and other such things these things are required, Unless your here Illegally, then you just receive it anyway through empathy

I was also retired when I moved here. Paying state taxes wouldn't have worked for me.

Well one begins to wonder if someone with a Colorado ID card and somebodies local address (known) and the intent to move here permanently says he's been here 6 months can then receive a in state hunting License.( Just keep a record of date of residence during application process)
I really don't want to know about the proof of residence for voting if the above will work for in state residence for Hunting licenses...one begins to wonder

I had the intent to go to the grocery store but just didn't go.

Here's another weird one. You have to have your drivers license for 6 months to use it as proof of being a resident. That includes when you renew your license.

I renewed my license on Dec. That meant I didn't have it for 6 months when the draw ended in April.

I hear you...........

Thanks for all the input Guys and sorry for thread Derailment.I will be out there in the Spring,so should fall inside of 6 months and can get an OTC lic ,have hunted Del Norte , Paonia , The Gunnison & Crested Butte in the past ,but will be looking for new ground in the future ,Daughter's a Townie in Lakewood ,So maybe North will be the direction to go ? Always wanted to try Steamboat Sprngs and areas up there.
Hopefully more discussion to come on Tags , Areas & Success.
Good hunting,
rich
BTW one of the times I hunted there , Bumper Stickers sayin' "If You Ain't got a 280 , You Ain't got Schit" , were popular ,I've had a Lefty 280 almost forever,so I didn't need the inspiration !

Idiots have bumper stickers. Ignore them.

That would be a funny bumper sticker.

I agree , you'll like this , came on a bunch of Jeeps on a Public Land road ,on the way down from the Mts West of Del Norte all had the Bumper Stickers & California Plates , Didn't realize the feelin's for Calif' hunters 'til we got to the local waterin' hole that evenin' , wow!!

I agree with smokepole. I make my decisions based upon my resources & perceived ROI.

Thing about the post cited above is that the OP didn't complain, at least from my reading. I understood him simply to be saying (likely correctly) that by narrowing the difference in tag fee between cow & bull more NRs may opt for bull.

I look at Co's fees and success rates as the cost of an OTC system. I've been planning different hunts for a while and none in Co. I have PPs in SD and Wy and plan to do the majority of my hunts there. If, however, my plans were to be thwarted by the vagaries of lottery, I like the fact that I can buy OTC in Co and still have a beautiful setting in which to enjoy tag soup.

Just my $.02; YMMV.

Yep, that is what they say........However the truth is more complicated. When they raised both bull and cow tags to the same price, very few nonresdents came to the party. So after one year, they lowered the price to woo us back. It worked.

Not true ,up until a few years ago when they cut cow tag prices, bulls and cows were the same price for as far back as I can remember.

Not me, [bleep] COLORADO.

Good, one more tag for us.

Next!

Not really, no tag saved here. You don't need a tag to run your mouth.

If you did, sure as sh** T-A-K would be complainin' about NR tag fees........

You're usually pretty witty Smoke, but that's a weak retort.

$450 for a cow tag is getting a little high, when NRs have to add in travel, gas, hotels, restaurants, etc.

Who hunts elk outta hotels?

It's safer to stay in a hotel over night on a long trip than sleep on the side of the road. Dimocraps, you know. Getting old. A 15 hour drive is a long one at my age.

I do camp out to hunt, though.

That was not a retort, just a simple observation.

No, it is not up to the state to subsidize your travel, gas, and hotel by awarding cheaper tags..

Good one SS, but I understand what he is saying. He's saying the same thing that others have said, and that is, with the higher price for cow tags together with the cost of everything else, there may be fewer NR elk hunters coming to CO.

But I kind of doubt it. Anyway, there's only one way to find out, and that is to raise the price of the tags.

All this hand-wringing over something that may or may not happen is a bit premature. Especially hand-wringing about the loss of revenue to the CP&W, since I doubt any of the NR's here who've expressed "concerns" are really worried about any budget impacts on the CP&W.

Just tell your boss.

Colorado raised the cow tag fees. I need a raise!

Wow, 14 pages and still going.......

Last time I checked it was all about choice...

Do I want to hunt in that state with those tag and license fees? Yes or No?

Yes = Pay the tag and license fees and have a great time.
No = Choose to stay home or hunt elsewhere and STFU.

Pretty simple....

"And residents are locked in at 65% and 80% of available drawing tags" Which will be 5% less than it was last year since land owners now will skim 20% (instead of 15
%) off of the top before the draw.

We all lose with the new CPW's new "European" style management.

That is not correct. At one point, bull and cow NR tags were both $250 for many years. Then they raised BOTH to I believe $450, but that year very few NR bought cow tags. SO after one year of the higher price, they lowered the cow tags back to $250 until 2010 when they raised them to $350. So they can say the reduced the price to $250 increase the harvest, and that is technically true, but the bigger reason was that they lost all that revenue when none of us bought them.

So the CP&W has a pretty clear precedent for what happens when they raise the price on cow tags. So they must not be very concerned about the effect of price on demand.

Maybe you can show the revenue for the years you're talking about, and how it differs from the other years.

Then we can believe how the NR are controlling everything.

So those who feel $450 for a cow tag are proud to anti that much up for a state the dont reside in I'm sure.

I'm not saying its bad, just getting up there.

Why is this such an issue?
Non resident elk hunting is expensive. Period. Tags are only part of the expense, as in expensive.

What residents pay is really not pertinent. Plus I don't care about Colorado's wildlife budget. I do care about having a good elk hunting opportunity especially when paying a NR price.

For NR hunters enjoying their Colorado elk experience, they will pay the price.
Others will look elsewhere or stay home. I went elsewhere three years ago and never regretted it. More elk, less crowds, full freezer. Tag price was not a factor. Elk hunting was THE factor.

You just proved me correct. Bull and cow tags were the same price. I don't remember any complaints back then. Cow tag prices went down because they wanted to kill more cows. Those cows have been killed now and the herd is in the high 200,000 now instead of 300,000 + like it was. In addition they raised the prices to $450 to come in line with all the other western state prices. Colorado has become the dumping grounds for all the NR that put in for other states and when they don't draw they flock to Colorado. I don't mind the NR's at all, but I think they should have to draw tags just like all the other states or they should have to buy their tags when all the other states have their draws, like WY in January/February.

Back when bull and cow tags were the same price, you didn't see many NR's apply for cow tags. So it wasn't a matter of losing that revenue as you state from cow tags because NR 's didn't buy them. Except for a few units like the Flat Tops where they sold 2000 cow tags OTC for a few years then dropped it to 500 ,then zero, cow tags have always been by draw only, and then left over tags went on sale

If they wanted to kill more cows. They should have let the residents have two cow tags. I have a big freezer.

This is really getting more complicated than it has to be. Here are some facts. I remember them, but am not going to spend the time to look up the specifics. You can if you want.

Awhile back bull and cow pricing was both $250 and NR bought bull AND cow tags in great numbers because the price for either wasn't that bad

Then, in one year, they raised the prices for both to $450. That year, the bull NR hunter numbers dipped slightly but the cow NR hunters dipped dramatically.

The very next year they lowered the cow tag prices back to $250.

Those are the facts and you can interpret them any way you want to.

This is definately getting old. I guess I just need to shut up and pay whatever the price is

Or not

I have never taken a cow away from you. I have only drawn a cow tag as a second or third choice. So you had first choice and didn't take it. Last year the cow tag I drew was drawn by some hunters on their FOURTH choice.

And in the not so distant past, you COULD have shot two cows in one year, or 1 bull and 1 cow.

Truth is price hike or no, there may not be any/many left over cow tags in the future so it may be a moot point.

One year, you could get two cow tags and a bull tag or three cow tags. I know because I did. It was only for one year. I filled all three tags.

I have been here for close to 40 years and I'm pretty sure I know the history of cow tags in Colorado

Saddle, I think you know my angle and I think I know yours. I am going to agree to dissagree with you and wish you great hunting in the future! I love visiting and am passionate about hunting your great state and I will continue to do so. Because of the price, my best friend has made the "choice" that he will no longer be able to go with us as a hunter and I think that is sad. Maybe I can elist him as camp cook!

And I know Mauser knows what I am talking about: http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/8337218/Elk_tags#Post8337218
"ridiculus pice" is a relative term.

As far as making NR draw all tags, I think that would be fine. In fact make all elk hunting draw only. If the quality went up I would be fine with NR only being able to go every other year. Wouldn't be my first choice as it is a sad year when I can't go elk hunting, but I could make do.

Only thing that this does to me is now I have to let CO "borrow" more money for a bit when I put in for a bull point...

I don't see much of the other states discounting their NR tags. Apples to apples- Colorado NR DEER tag $351.00, Kansas $346.53, Nebraska $521.00.

Both Wyoming and Montana cow tags are less than $300

Texas NR tag $350. But that allows you to shoot 4 deer, 4 turkeys and unlimited feral pigs and exotics. Not apples to apples though as we don't have federal land to hunt free. But I have had at least 8 people from Colorado hunt my ranch for free!

And if you like hunting Turkeys, hogs, etc. you can hunt in the spring for $150.

Or elk. To speak of. So an apples to apples comparison is impossible.

I could go on a "hunt" and kill a bull less than 10 miles from my home in Texas for not much more than I spend to hunt a cow in Colorado and less than I spend for a cow......but I never will

It's not like you have to come up with $450 all of a sudden. If someone has been coming all along. It's just $100 more you have to come up with. A pretty small amount in the overall picture of what a NR spends for a hunt. How much do you spend for a new scope that you don't need? New boots? A couple of boxes of premium ammo you didn't need?

Did you stop coming when the price of gas went up. I know that cost some guys more than $100. Before moving here. I drove 2000 miles round trip to come to Colorado every year. I paid what I had to pay, because hunting was more important than money.

You assume too much. How do I ever get enough points for a bull if I take a cow as 1st choice?

Before you say it. I refuse to hunt an OTC unit.

Please define "suckers" and "ridculus amount" (your words relating to NR pricing in Montana)

Everything is relative and it is different when the shoe is on the other foot.

BTW, I think my success rate for a cow in the last 15 years in OTC units is around 70%. Bull is 50%

$800 seems ridiculous for an elk tag to me.

Why did you go way back to that post. What about my last two posts?

Shoe on the other foot?? I've bought more NR tags than you.

It is always interesting to hear "but is is only $100" from guys who don't have to spend it.

And it is not "only $100". It is $100 add on to an already expensive trip that was already getting at or near max for lot of guys.

If you never hunt OTC units then I stand by my claim that I have never taken a cow tag away from you because that is all I hunt. Plus, looking back 5 years, I have gotten my cow tags from units where left over cow tags were drawn at least into 3rd choices

I am just glad that you think some amount for an elk tag is ridculus. Everyone has different ideas on that.


And I should be sorry that I get a cow tag as a second choice so you can build points?

WAY back to that post that you made on 12/09?

Maybe you have bought more than I, but that is an assumption on your part too. I have been hunting for 30+ years as a nonres and have hunted Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. So even if you have, I have paid my dues as well

What's your problem all of a sudden? I never said you took my cow tags. I can always get a cow tag, and i'm sure you don't hunt my unit.

I'll also repeat I came to Colorado as a NR for 50 years. So, don't tell me about what hunts cost.

You want to lower your hunting expenses? Move to where you hunt, and stop whining. Either that, or go somewhere else and whine. Colorado will do fine without your money.

Obviously we well never agree and that is fine. You have valid points and I feel I do as well. Good hunting

And on one important point we will always agree: "accuracy is everything"

Ok, no problem.

I sort of lost my place with you. I was posting in threads on 3 forums. I didn't mean to get short with you. We normally get along ok.

If someone is gouging for 22LR ammo all you hear is "your [bleep] the working guys/kids" or "we need to stick together to drive prices down" or "don't buy at high prices and keep supporting these high prices" or.....

I guess the same rules don't apply to non-resident tags. It's pay up or shut up.

Dink

There's no such thing as price gouging.

All you have to do is compare NR elk tag prices.
Texas-priceless, as in no matter how much money you have, or how big your hat is, you can not purchase one.
Missouri- priceless, as in no matter how much money you have, or how loudly you whine, you can not purchase one.
Even if you have Swaro binos and a Sako.
Colorado will be 450 cow or 586 for bull
Montana is 273 cow or 809 bull
Wyoming is 288 cow or 577 bull

Suddenly Colorado and all the rest seem a real bargain for non-res elk hunters, when compared to priceless.

Actually you can purchase elk and elk hunts in Texas. I didn't travel to Colorado for the elk themselves, but rather for the experience to hunt them on the NATIONAL FOREST.

Can Colorado charge nonresidents anything they want? Yes.
Do residents have a right to hunt on Federal land? No.
How would Colorado residents react if hunting on federal land cost $586?

Hunting on Federal Land has nothing to do with it. We can all do that.

Colorado owns the animals. That's what the NR are paying extra to hunt.

Stalker....

Rumor is 2016 for elk tags here.

Dink

This is what needs to happen.

Any unit more than 50% federal ground everyone pays the same price for tags. States can set the limit on tags and the price. I bet a bull tag is not $600 anymore.

Dink

Pack your pipe with some Borkum Riff and head on up to bed.....because that's a pipe dream if I ever heard one.

Right, for three people.

Thank Jebus that DINK doesn't have a say in tag and management policies. Bull tags in GMU 10 and 201 would be stocking stuffers, and everybody from Missouri would get to road-hunt the Montana backcountry. Roads and stands for EVERYONE!

Tanner

All it takes is for Non-residents to ban together and decide we have had enough of being gouged. There are way more non-resident hunters than western states have residents.

No one thought Obama care would pass either....

Dink

Tanner,

Your young and I hope everything you want works out for you. But you will have different opinion if end up somewhere other than Colorado. When your married with two or three rug rats that want to hunt Colorado will be when your opinion changes would be my guess.

Dink

Yeah; that'll happen

Dink let's take a look at your state Missouri. $17.00 for a resident deer tag. $225 for a NR tag why that's 13X what a resident pays. By comparison Colorado elk NR tags are a bargain. Maybe Colorado isn't charging enough for NR tags.

Tx Hunter let's take a look at your state Texas. $25 for a resident, $315 for a NR resident hunting license. That's more than 12X for a NR license. More than what Colorado Charges.

What magnification spotter do you need to read the ear tags?
Do you aim for the collar, or just behind it?

Lots of elk in Texas and you can't purchase an elk license here because you don't even need a elk tag to shoot one. But I could kill an elk tomorrow less than 10 miles from my home. I would never shoot one behind a high fence, but if one ever walks through my property, I would probably shoot it. Course they is a drop in the bucket compared to the numbers you guys have.

In fact, I got to help trap, blood test and radio collar some of the actual wild elk in West Texas ( free ranging and living in the Glass mountains). That was a blast! We are trying to get them classified as a game animal, but that is an uphill battle.

And yes, Monatana has a reasonable price for cow elk. Of course Mauser and I won't be hunting bulls there because that price in "ridiculus" in our opinion.

"Ban" together and do what?

I didn't really have an attitude towards NR hunters until this thread.

Most NR hunters are not like the few whiners on this thread.

Then I have done us all a disservice by helping this get out of hand. You have a right to expect a lot from your state and a lot from us when we visit you and hunt in your great state. It really is as simple as in my opinion that $450 is too high for a cow elk tag and most residents would disagree. Proably should have left it there.

I may disagree with you, but I will uphold your thoughts as genuine and with a lot of logic on your side. I may debate you more than I should, but I will never call you names or even say you are wrong.

And as far as letting the Feds control hunting and tag pricing. NO THANKS. I would not want the people responsible for obamacare anywhere near our hunting.

Put enough pressure on law makers at the federal level to get things changed.

Keep in mind with the mid-term elections coming and Democraps going to take it on the chin over gun control. All it would take is enough people to tell congress they could show they were still for sportsman (gun owners) by endorsing/voting for a bill to keep tag prices (on federal land) reasonable they could/would win back a lot of the votes they lost and may be able to keep their seats.

It's not that far fetched IMO. They will do anything to keep those seats. It would also bring backing from a lot of Republicans with enough emails, phone calls...

Dink

You're higher than giraffe puzzy.

I am a conservative, which means I vote republican 99% of the time, but I don't want my US congressman/senators getting involved with controling hunts in anyones state. Look where that got us with wolves! I may disagree with what a state charges for me to hunt/fish etc, but I will uphold a states right to be in control. Most conservatives/republicans will probably side with states rights on that one. They did with the wolf issue, and thank goodness they did.

Just messing around with you guys, most NR hunters I have met were good folks.
Hell, I would probably even take Dink out for a bigger forkie than he got on the private ranch.

My take as a Missouri Hunter. Ive been to Colorado 10 times Elk Hunting. Bow and Muzzleloader. Have taken 4 Cows and a Bull. About 50/50 public/private as the Ranch we hunt has public on three sides. Oddly enough most of the Bulls we have take have been on public. While I would like for tags to be cheaper I will gladly pay the money if I get a chance to go again. Most of my best hunting memories have been on the Elk hunts. Ive been within 25 yards of two bull moose. Have been within spitting distance of black bear, mule deer and Elk.

Cant see most of those things here in Missouri. The way I always played the tag game was to put in for Bull Muzzleloader with Cow muzzleloader second choice. Usually draw a Bull tag every 2 years but lately has been every three.

The years I didnt draw I carried a bow. Oddly enough my bull was a bow kill. It was nice only paying half for a cow tag but the higher cost wont stop me from going again.

I wouldnt mind seeing missouri charge Non Residents the same as what there state charges us. Other than that price it how you want if I cant afford it I will go somewhere else or not go at all. If it gets to high people will quit coming and the price will come down.

I just love the Rockies in September.

How far off the road in CO do you need to walk to get into elk? Is it possible to pull over to the side of the road, hike for a bit up a hill, and have some decent hunting?

Calvin, based on hunts of yours I have read about, just go 2 to 3 miles in in most places and have the place to yourself. And I'd get into muzzleloading. Aspens are changing, weather is good, bulls are bugling. Love September.

While I understand what you are saying and agree with you. I161 showed that western hunters don't give a [bleep] about non-resident hunters.

I still think states can be in control. Just tag prices need to be same in any unit that has 50% public ground and how those tags in those units are allotted.

Dink

Roger that. Plan on coming down this fall to check things out. Take 3-4 days to hike a hill (afraid to say mountain with the rockies) and see if something happens.

States could still be in control. But congress would tell them what they could charge for a tag.

Yup, makes sense to me.

PM me if you like. Have had a few hunts in various parts of the state over the years.

Sometimes you can find them close to the roads. Once the pressure is on you gotta get farther from the roads. The ranch that we hunt is pretty small but it is a couple mile off of the main road. If you were to walk in from the main road to get to the borders of the ranch we hunt it would be a 2-3 mile walk. We seldom see other hunters on the public ground. Of course my experience is with the early season. Rifle season I have no experience but the stories are it gets pretty wild.

Dink

Let's look at it this way. In Western Colorado there is Steamboat Springs Ski Resort and some the best elk in North America. I taught skiing in Steamboat in 79/80 one of the best times of my life. The ski resort is all on US Forest Service land and the price for a 5 day lift for the current season is $445. A typical elk hunt is approximately 5 days and the current cost of a cow tag is $450.

I have not heard of skiers demanding that the cost of a lift ticket should be lowered because the resort is on federal land and the pricing should reflect what a working man can pay. One either has the money to ski on federal lands or they do not ski. The same as elk hunting. Western ski areas do have lower local price tickets. Stop bitching Dink or better yet stop hunting in the west.

Hey,

abc, I flipped burgers on the second floor at the top of the gondola that winter.

To get what you want would take a change to the Constitution. I don't see the mid term elections flipping things enough across the country to allow that to happen. State's game and therefore they set the price. Not a whole lot a NR can do other than "vote" with their wallet. How many elk CO cow elk tags would your lease in MT have bought?

Still doesn't work. The people of the state "own" the wildlife legally. Should units with primarily private land let the land owners set the seasons and tag pricing?

Tx, thank you for your level-headed attitudes on the federal control issue. Just curious though, in your quote above, you said you were a conservative, and then said "but I don't want my US congressman/senators getting involved...."

Why use the word "but?" I thought most conservatives would use the word "and" in that context?

Not trying to be a smart-ass, just pointing out that Dink's continued references to Obamacare are quite ironic, given that he's arguing for a federal takeover of something that is clearly a state governance issue, and has been repeatedly decided that way by the courts, including federal courts.

States would need a two tag system. Public land tag would be the same price for everyone. They could even leave it up to the state to set the price. Residents would make sure tag prices stayed down.

Private land tag could be priced anyway the state chooses. It would still be cheap for residents and it would bring market value to non-residents.

For guys that hunt both public and private. Resident would need a public land tag (cause it would be the most expensive) and non-residents would need a private land tag(it should again be the more expensive tag).

The state would still set quotas,seasons, ect.

This way no one would get priced out and they can set private land tag at any price they want.

Dink

I am not arguing for a federal take over. Just a law that states you can't price the average guy out of hunting on federal ground.

Dink

In other words, it's not a federal takeover, just the federal government dictating to the states about what they can or cannot do?

Dink.............Nobody is being priced out from using the land. You can come use the land for free.

You just can't shoot the game, because Colorado owns them.

++I am not arguing for a federal take over. Just a law that states you can't price the average guy out of hunting on federal ground.

Dink++

What is the average guy hunting federal lands? I want to know. The first thing that you have to know is that there is not enough hunting in the Western States for everyone who wants to hunt. The cost of tags is one way to eliminate hunter numbers. I have lived in Montana most of my life and I'll be damn if I had to sit out a hunting season because a non resident took precedence over my hunting.

I think the cost of resident licenses is to low and resident license need to be raised.

I know that this is not popular but I would like to see the first three days of hunting season for resident hunters only and the last 4 days for resident hunters. In Alaska the first 5 days of moose season is for residents hunters and the last five days is for residence hunters I have no problem with that and have hunted moose under those restrictions. I still killed my moose.

I don't think NR hunters realize how many resident hunters don't get tags they try for.

LMAO

I was reponding to Dinks post that made it sound like republicans would be all for having the feds control hunting pricing in states. So, I am a conservative republican, BUT I don't think like Dink's version of republican AND don't think most republicans would either.

Got it, thanks for explaining. We're on the same page.

And personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the NR cow tag price come down, $450 is a lot.

I wouldn't mind seeing longer elk seasons either, like Montana's month-long rifle season. That ain't gonna happen though.

Exactly, that's why I'll keep my azz somewhere I can shoot a half-dozen or so whitetails each year.

Yup, that's about how many you'd need to equal an elk......

I didn't say I wasn't getting tags. I hunt every year.

What do you get...2-3 meals from each one of those whitetails?

Let's see, what do I have in my freezer right now: Elk, whitetail, axis, feral hog, and turkey. Some halibut and salmon too! Oh yeah, and a small bit of beef!

Wife wanted to go to Alaska for our 15th anniversary, and she loves to fish. I sacraficed and took her!


Axis, now there is a deer you can really sink your teeth into! And they are beefy, about 50% bigger than the whitetail. Axis is 1st in my book, with elk being a close second.

Sounds like your wife is the real prize there......

Yep, you got that right! Guess what her Christmas present is? Hint, she is a pisto packin mama, but she carries an old/big 6 shooter 38.

Found her a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield 40 cal semiauto. Only $390, so maybe if I work a little more this year I can still go elk hunting. She is not someone who shoots a lot, but she takes her self protection seriously. And she is a better shot than I am. She will be tickled. Shhh, don't tell her!!

Truth be known, I get her what she wants and she never gives me a minutes grief on any of my hunting trips.

You broke the code, LOL.

Why do you think you deserve a tag on federal land any more than any other American? Because you live within a imaginary border?

Dink

Ever use state highways or county roadways to get access to those federal lands? Most likely didn't reach your final destination by parking along an federally funded interstate highway or motel 6 and trekking it all in on foot.

Better think about what state assets your using before going off on imaginary border lines and your right to pursue game on federal land.

O.P, don't waste your breath trying to reason with dink. It's been explained to him a thousand times, he just likes to whine.

He's said as much.