Talked to a friend the other day and he said Iowa jumped their prices up to over $400 for this year and when he tried to buy a preference point for the future he was told $50 for the point and starting next year non resident fees for a tag will be over $1,000. Anyone know if this is accurate?? Hate to say it guys but if you want to hunt out of state in a quality setting I would do it VERY soon!!!! This seems to be the way of the future and my guess is Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, Kentucky, and a few others will probably be there within the next couple years.......Montana is already at like $1,200 I think. Kentucky and Ohio look like absolute steals at their current rates.
If that's the truth...it IS ridiculous! "I" would never pay that amount of money to hunt an animal that I'm capable of hunting in my home state.
It is what it is. We can complain, but it really does nothing. IL keeps jacking their prices to the point of insanity, yet hunters in general flock there like it is the playboy mansion for 12 year olds. Why WOULDN'T the state make the top dollar they can for tags? Sucks, but don't expect it to turn away people as a whole. Out west it has already been this way for a while, the midwest is only beginning to catch up. Grow them, and they will come. FYI, I will LIKELY have an IL tag in my pocket for next year. It is what it is.
I'd head north of the border if I ever paid that kind of money to hunt deer anyway. States should charge what the state your from charge for NR fees.
Some states do. I think Minnesota is one. Look at so many states that have great hunting have high tag prices. Montana and Idaho are two that come to mind. But they have a plethora of game to hunt. Iowa? all they have is Whitetail. I have a friend that has a large farm there and I have been able to hunt there in the past, but with the fees going trough the roof I doubt that I will again. I will NOT pay a grand to hunt deer just because it is Iowa. These prices are high because of demand and demand is high because of the T.V. shows and guided hunts. It is something that is happening everywhere. It is becoming less about the deer management and the sport of hunting and more about the money.
I think missouri should raise their tag prices maybe then the out state boys will stay out of my treestand this year. How do you mistakenly climb in the wrong treestand? especially when its a climber.Im not bitter though the guy did buy me breakfast and was friendly enough. This year I think I will use less public land in early november. This guy drove all the way from wyoming. I still remember when the guy said that he was suprised that a local would hunt public land.
An Iowa non-resident licenses is approximately $550 this year once you add the required permits, stamps, etc.. I got lucky and bought my preference point for $10, one day before the new prices went into effect. One way to look at it, you aren't gonna draw for Iowa but every 3 years in most areas so have that time to save a couple hundred a year.
Illinois is around $460. If they aren't careful, they're going to price themselves right out of business.
Wow! That's crazy. I paid $500 for a lifetime license here in GA! (I know I know we don't have the same "class" animal, but still.) IF I ever dropped that kind of coin to hunt it would be for Elk, Moose, Caribou or something that I can't hunt in GA.
If you build it they will come. I hunt in Brown County in the Golden Triangle, there are guys paying in the thousands for guided hunts on properties within 1-2 miles of the farm we are at. The prices keep going up because people will pay a fortune for a crack at a booner.
Yep. You're exactly right. The main difference is that people won't be able to afford to go every year. They'll have to save up and only go maybe every other year or every 2 years. Now, unless they're filthy rich but that's a whole nother story.
Here's a break down. NR hunting license = $110.50 Stupid habitat fee which doesn't go to habitat = $11.50 NR bow = $296.50 NR preference point = $50.00 Bare minimum = $468.50 As an Iowan this embarrasses me. It should cost the same for a non resident as it does for me to hunt. This states DNR has gone to hell. When you think about it, a non resident pays a hell of a lot more to hunt already without paying this DNR extortion. What with traveling here, hotel, food. If we went back to it costing the same, more people would come to hunt and it would equal out. The DNR says it can't control the deer population but want to rip off the people who can control the population for them. I just don't know.
I paid my $50 for NR preference point. Ryan is spot on; it's basic supply and demand. However, I think people will start dancing around Iowa if they price themselves too high. An elk hunt in Colorado, for $500, seems like a better choice. What are the license fees used for? Is this money being siphoned and commingled with general funds? If so, that might explain things in these tough economic times.
That's about what I pay for my license here in SC. It's called a "Sportsman's" license. It covers all big game, small game, and fishing...all weapons.
Wow, embarrassed. I have hunted several states and provinces and believe me it never costs the same for a non-resident. Your DNR is the only reason we have one of the best deer herds in the country. Why on earth do you think there is enough demand to require up to 3 years to get an archery tag. :huh: It isnt because they like our motels and scenery. Tell me how many other places you can have an opportunity to pass on several P&Y class whitetails in a single hunt. Why did I have to put in for a lottery for my New Mexico elk tag and spend $700 to hunt?? Because it is a well managed trophy herd. No difference. We dont need more people to hunt, that is the point. Tight regulation of harvest is what maintains our trophy potential. We also dont need nonresidents to help maintain the numbers. They kill a very small percentage of does and that is proven by the harvest report data if you bother to look. The DNR has never said they cant control the deer population and has actually done a good job of getting numbers back in-check with bonus doe tags and seasons. Basic game management at its finest.
Like someone said before it comes down to supply and demand. The top deer hunting states are going to charge more than others as long as people are willing to pay the price.
