The DOW is in the process of trying to take a bill to the legislature that will increase the price of NR hunting license fees, as well as price of NR deer tags. Don't know all of the details on it yet but keep an eye out for it, and encourage your elected officials to support it.
Non-Resident license fees to increase
- Thread starter LonewolfNopack
- Start date
Fullbore
Senior Member
Good news! It's about time Ohio to get with the program. Could you imagine the money that they could have made in the past 20 years. Especially with Ohio being one of the first States to allow crossbows.
Huckleberry Finn
Senior Member
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Fullbore
Senior Member
Huckleberry Finn
Senior Member
- 15,973
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As much as I'd love to say, raise it to $225 and tags to double what we pay, it won't make a difference.
No offense to our out of state hunters, but guys that are throwing down big $ for a lease or a trip from several states away aren't going to be stopped by a few extra hundred dollars.
No offense to our out of state hunters, but guys that are throwing down big $ for a lease or a trip from several states away aren't going to be stopped by a few extra hundred dollars.
ajupsman
*Supporting Member*
As a non-resident I obviously wouldn't like to see the increase but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened. Just curious, why do you guys want to see an increase?
Fullbore
Senior Member
It's nothing personal, but it's not fair for me to go to a bordering State and pay twice as much to hunt their State. For instance, for me to hunt W.Va it cost me 220.00 compared to their hunters paying 125.00 to hunt bigger deer in our state.
Plus, we are competing for hunting land with more and more NR every year. If they had to pay more, it might curtail some of the competition?
Milo
Tatonka guide.
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The value of the product should dictate the price. I also feel that should be evaluated. If our deer herd sucks the price should go down.
ajupsman
*Supporting Member*
My buddy and I have been coming to Ohio for only three seasons but one of the reasons we come back is the affordability of the license. I know this brings in more hunters but it also brings in more money. I understand that hunting land is becoming scarce but it's not all being leased up by non-residents. In fact the vast majority of out of state hunters I've met in Ohio are doing it just like we do. Public land DIY. Although raising the non-resident rates seems like a good idea I think overall it could lead to less money coming in. If the prices go up and less licenses are sold that money will need to be replaced. And the only way to replace it is by raising resident license fees. It's not fair to you residents but unfortunately that's how government works.
If the prices doubled, you could loose half of all NR hunters and break even as far as the DNR is concerned. Now, money lost from the drop in tourism might be an issue...
Basically what is going on is that the state has a lot of PR dollars coming to them from the Feds, mainly due to the gun buying frenzy the past year. PR dollars come from the federal excise tax on hunting and shooting equipment, and is a big source of funding for the state. In order to be able to get as much PR dollars as they can, the state has to match the PR dollars 3:1 with their own dollars. Currently the state does not have enough money to match those dollars. They are hoping an increase in NR tags will bring in enough revenue so they can get the match.
To me, a more long term fix would be to provide better hunting in the state in the form of more deer, and more deer tags would be sold. If we had a good population of deer I would personally be shooting 4 deer a year to fill the freezer, 3 more tags sold then what they are selling me now. This is true for many people. I think the NR price increase is a good thing to bring more funds to the state, but def. not going to help us much as far as providing better hunting. I don't think it will hinder many NR's from coming in. The state has already sold Ohio as having a big buck behind every tree, and unknowing hunters buy the propaganda.
To me, a more long term fix would be to provide better hunting in the state in the form of more deer, and more deer tags would be sold. If we had a good population of deer I would personally be shooting 4 deer a year to fill the freezer, 3 more tags sold then what they are selling me now. This is true for many people. I think the NR price increase is a good thing to bring more funds to the state, but def. not going to help us much as far as providing better hunting. I don't think it will hinder many NR's from coming in. The state has already sold Ohio as having a big buck behind every tree, and unknowing hunters buy the propaganda.
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I always like the pay what your state charges it's non residents.... Fairest way in my eyes.... Some will still get a better deal then others but it's fair too everyone one and if you don't like it you look no further then your own states DNR....
ajupsman
*Supporting Member*
ohio mossy oak
Senior Member
Personally I think everyone's lise an tag cost for deer should increase 50%. That includes residents,provided the extra money was put to a good use(that's another topic though).Which I doubt it would be.My idea only applies to deer and maybe turkeys.
I don't care if they make it 500$ . Our public land is over run with NR anymore. Residents are the minority when it comes to public land usage in the state and thats not right .
ohio mossy oak
Senior Member
Milo
Tatonka guide.
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- 171
All this does make me wonder what the state is doing with that money. It's not like they are flying planes to count deer or spending huge amounts if money to count deer. If they would reinvest that money into the deer herd I would gladly pay nonresident fees to hunt my own state. When you manage deer by checking your email, that's much money being spent on an important resource( to hunters at least)
i would like to see them go to a draw system too. way to many out of state hunters in my area for sure need to limit some how. That my 2 cents