Utah Elk Hunting Application/scam

[Delta County Hunter]

Just wanted to pass along a note to other sportsman and get some opinions.
For several years I have been putting in for a limited entry elk hunt in Utah. The cost to apply is $5. We have just taken the preference points and have been hoping to start trying to get drawn next year. However, when doing my internet application this year I smelled a rat and was right on.

In order to put in for the drawing, I now have to purchase a Utah 365 day hunting license. Of course it is only $65 plus a $10 handling fee. So, to put my name in the hat it will be $75. I live in Michigan and have no intention of doing any small game hunting in Utah this year. Needless to say, they can stick it. It is bad enough the license fee has gone from $325 to $795 in less than ten years.
I will call and register my disgust with the state of Utah. However, it will not make any difference. I haven't seen a scam this bad since Granholm and her cronies were floating tax hike proposals around last year.

This brings me to my main point. If I want to pay a huge sum to hunt on private ground with guides, that is my choice based on income, time and other reasons. However, when has it become the role of state government to divide sportsman on the basis of income? In fact, their mission is the opposite when it comes to the outdoors. It is one more step to becoming more like other countries where only the wealthy few are allowed to hunt and or own land. I am sick to death of western states using sportsman to balance their budgets.
I will be contacting other groups to voice my disgust with this latest scam.

Has anyone out there seen this type of thing going on in other states with limited entry hunts. This stinks, I was looking forward to going out there and have been registering every year. Right now, they can kiss my a**. Not because I can't afford it, but based on principle. :sad:

[yoopertoo]

I don't know the details in Utah. There is a lot of pressure on western state legislators to reduce NR pressure. Making the drawing difficult, costly and improbable are ways of doing this. This is not limited to big game either.

[ID-Birddog]

Most Western States require that you purchase a hunting license before applying for a controlled hunt. I think it is because it is easier to track if one is assigned a hunting license number as opposed to just a tag number.
The western states Fish and Game Departments are funded completely by hunting/fishing fees. There is no input from the general fund.
I don't think there is pressure to reduce NR hunters, most states have a quota, I know Montana, and here in Idaho, NR can only draw up to 10% of the available tags. We do have areas that sell elk tags over the counter to everyone as well.
If you don't like having to purchase a hunting license to apply, then don't look at the trophy species, (Moose, Mtn Goat, Sheep) most states require the tag fee up front too. It is around $1200 for a NR to apply for those species in Idaho. I don't know what the answer is, but hunting costs money. The license/tag is only a small portion of the overall expense of hunting out of state.

[PA BUCK 2]

I have been applying in Utah for the past 5 years..... had not heard of the lic thing prior to this though (i missed this year since I had previous things happening).

I did buy a OTC tag and hunted on the Wyom/Utah border and took a decent 5x5. Saw a bunch of elk, mule deer, speed goats... good area to hunt- got a little pressure though. We have been putting in for the book cliffs area with no luck- group of 4 of us....

I guess it is still a lot cheaper than going guided and an extra $75 bucks is not going to matter that much in the whole scheme of things.... IMO. It is what it is and it is the same for everyone- guided or not.

[TNL]

Yeah, I saw the same thing and decided to pass on Utah, as well as Wyoming. $50 to $75 just for a preference point is rediculous. But I'm sure that they will still have enough people applying to fill their tag's sales quota and also get people to pay the extra p. point fees to make a ton of $$$ for the state.

[Bellyup]

My Grandfather got me into hunting Mule Deer and Antelope in Wyomng. He went every year for about 30 years or more. I went with him a few times. Back when I went out you had to send in for the drawing and I think the fees were right around 100 bucks. Kind of expensive in 89 for a just graduated high schooler.

Well since his death I finally developed the desire to go back to the ranch he always hunted. I remembered draw deadlines were usually January. So a few wekes ago I went online and looked at what I had to do for a draw. Well needless to say I only got as far as the cost of the liscence... I about crapped. Almost 400 bucks to apply for a Mule Deer and I think it was over $300 for an antelope. I thought piss on that. I have a place to hunt there, but dammed if I am gonna pay high fees to do it. That is ridiculas. I am content now hunting here. I just wanted to share the western style hunting with a couple buddies and have a good deer camp. Thanks State of Wyoming for making it difficult and expensive to enjoy your own heritage.

[Fur and Feathers]

I read earlier this year that there was legislation trying to be passed that would keep NR fees the same as resident fees for hunting on BLM or federal lands. I haven't heard where it stands now though. I've been looking at a couple of out of state turkey hunts this year and ran into the same thing. You must buy a general hunting license to obtain a Turkey Permit. I don't want to hunt anything else. I'm glad Michgan doesn't do that.