Bowsite.com

Wyoming outfitter, landowner, DIY battle

Sorry if you've already read this on a different website but I am trying to reach out to every DIY/OYO across the country that enjoys hunting Wyoming. I'm not sure if many Wyo nonres are aware but nonres landowners currently take tags off the top of the pool of nonres tags available each and every year prior to the limited elk, deer, and antelope draws. Currently nonres landowners can potentially take every tag available. In fact, this happens every year in a number of high demand Wyo elk units.

With that said, Wyo outfitters are trying to do this same thing in Wyo. Hunters that sign an outfitter agreement prior to the draw would be eligible for tags prior to the Wyo elk, deer, and antelope draw. Every tag issued to outfitters is obviously 1 less tag available in the public draw.

If you are a nonres that enjoys hunting DIY/OYO in Wyoming I would highly recommend offering comments in regard to your dissatisfaction of Wyo offering any type of tags in any form to outfitters. Allow hunters to draw tags in the public drawing. Once tags are drawn hunters can decide whether they want to hire an outfitter or hunt on their own.

Nonres hunters across the country have devoted years and years to applying for Wyo deer, elk, and antelope and paid stiff pref pts fees. I encourage all of you to offer comments.

The Wyoming Task Force is taking comments for the next meeting with an April 21 deadline. Here is a link

https://sites.google.com/wyo.gov/wyomingwildlifetaskforce/home/public-input

Appreciate the post and was going to submit comments as I would be against that. When I went to the link, I did not read the changes they are asking comment for the way you described. I'm posting it below. Correct me if I'm wrong or I'm not understanding the wording......these guys have a way of making it confusing for me. I don't see anything in there about outfitter tags. Thanks, Matt

Comment #3: The Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce is considering a recommendation that would change the nonresident elk allocation. The 7,250 cap on full?price licenses issued in the nonresident drawing would be removed. Nonresident general elk licenses would be issued through a regional quota system, similar to how nonresident general deer licenses are issued. Neither of these changes, if recommended, would result in a change to the percentage (16%) of non-resident limited quota licenses issued in limited quota drawings. Should the Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce recommend that the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission make modifications to non-resident elk license allocation?

Go to the Task Force page then look at the Meeting Materials link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17pVGiR1Bd9q71veftEulNpZKus3d5H9f/edit

This proposal sucks, imo!!! Look over all the meeting materials , some interesting info in there.

I hope this task force understands that NR revenue makes up over 70% of the Game and Fish revenue? I listened to one of the task force interviews, (HF podcast) and they are talking of advising the 90/10 split on deer, elk, and antelope. At what point can you cut NR tags, and not bankrupt the G and F?

Sivart exactly! They should call themselves the Non Res Hunter Elimination Club who doesn’t give a shit about balancing the budget. I have faith that Fish and Game will always need our money from non res general elk licenses. But I don’t know if that alone will pay the bills. Fish and Game ultimately sets the regs correct? I don’t understand how a bunch of locals can force their agenda on a state agency????

The fish and game does not set the regs. They only enforce them. The regs are set by State legislation. This task force is recommending the state legislation. This task force is doing what they say, the state gov. doesn't have time to do.... Its disturbing.

Everyone should listen to Huntin fools latest podcast. Its an interview of all the task force members. What bothers me even more, Huntin fool seems to agree with them?

I am not aware of the outfitter recommendation, but would be against it, there should NEVER be an outfitter set aside in any way.

The proposal as above changes a "general" tag to be an area or set of areas tag, they are also discussing this for us residents. I am against both. They are also talking about changes to deer tags to be "pick your species", again, I said "no", that is pretty much enforced by different rules in different areas.

Yes, that was the other disturbing proposal. Cutting the Gen tag into smaller individual areas.

Huntin fool agrees with them because they generate cash flow from outfitters they send clients to.

Follow the money!

NR provide about 50% of the dept revenue.

I like the region concept for gen licenses, gives the dept better control and flexibility over hunter numbers. I would prefer it was both res and non res, but being only non res the end game is an increase in nr licenses in those areas that are generally outfitted.

Yes Bob but not more DIY licenses there. Possibly less. And potentially less in other areas.

Noted. Thanks fellas.

Good thoughts guys! Thanks to every DIY/OYO hunter that is willing to submit comments!

Here is the bottom line for DIY/OYO nonres in Wyoming. 1) Landowner tags are currently taken off the top of the Wyo elk, deer, and antelope tag pool prior to the draw. 2) Outfitters will likely be asking for an additional chunk of nonres tags for those nonres hunters that sign an outfitter contract prior to the draw. 3) There is also the chance that 90/10 could take 50% of the current nonres limited elk, deer, and antelope quotas (nonres tags cut in 1/2). So, landowner tags + outfitter tags taken off the top, nonres quotas cut in 1/2 with 90/10. How many tags do you think will be left for nonres DIY/OYO hunters? With current quotas nonres aren't even issued tags in a number of high demand elk units due to landowner tags being issued prior to the draw.

Remember April 21 is the Task Force deadline. Here is the link to submit your comments: https://sites.google.com/wyo.gov/wyomingwildlifetaskforce/home/public-input

I can only find 3 specific questions that can be answered on the Task Force comments section. It's a bummer if they aren't allowing hunters to post comments. If anyone is aware of any other place to submit comments please let us know!

I can answer that easily. If they start chipping away at non resident hunting licenses what will that mean for outfitters? They already need hunters with enough points to draw and they all book clients with almost enough and cross their fingers. So outfitters, Wyoming residents, would strongly oppose what the task force, anti non resident people, are trying to do. On the other hand if they guaranteed outfitters licenses AND got rid of the competition from DIY hunters they’d have the support of the outfitters in their state. So it’s not really about subsidizing outfitters. It’s about their own personal agenda. Politics like everything else these days.

Also realize that the State Board of Outfitters is part of the Department of Labor. So supporting local businesses is something they have an interest in. It’s no different than subsidizing farmers, ranchers, or any other businesses in their state. Remember they make money from the whole outfitter licensing system. The USFS makes money from outfitters from the user permit system. It sucks that the only people who don’t make money from outfitters is Fish and Game. They make it from licenses and as we know they have no problem selling those. Who gets them doesn’t affect their income.

Register here to reply to this topic