I'm all for it. Charge them $1000. Every year it seems the crowd in camp is more and more from out of state. I'd say it's about 50/50 the last few years. I pay $1000 for a truck license plate in CO - a year. Our taxes in CO, especially for small business, are extremely high. If want a cheap elk tag, by all means, move here, and buy a 3 bed/3 bath house for $1.2 million in the burbs that needs a remodel, pay the $1000 license plate fee on your truck, then pay all the other taxes. At that point, you've earned the "cheap" resident elk tag. Until then, look at your cost of living in midwest and be grateful all your other life expenses are reasonable.
This is the most cogent argument I've seen on this thread with respect to CO. CO has become a very expensive place to live, plus it is filled with way too many liberals these days.
I've been hunting CO since the 1990s. I've seen the prices climb through the years and ate the increased cost. I'll continue to eat the cost because A. Elk hunting means more to me than $760, B. I can.
I''ll be 60 in May and know I have more years behind me than in front of me. A DIY elk hunt costs ~ $1500. $200 a month is worth it to me. When I had less money, I simply did things that saved money - brought my lunch to work, didn't buy Starbucks coffee, drove used vehicles, and other similar things. Finding $200 a month isn't difficult for most of us.
At the end of the day, quit focusing on the money and focus more on the experience. Some day you won't be able to hunt elk.
i like your thinking next year i will go back to buying a non-resident tag if i get drawn. i still might try for a cow tag there is nothing like elk hunting and being in the mountains. thank you for posting i turn 70 this year i don`t have many hunts left,Pete53
