Senate file 60, which would increase non-resident fees, fails in the Wyoming senate.
In a decisive 20-10 vote, the Wyoming Senate voted to kill the Senate File 60 bill that would have increased non-resident fees for deer, elk and antelope in the “special draw” by nearly double. The bill also had a last-minute amendment which would have also increased the costs of sheep, moose, goat and grizzly tags for non-resident hunters.
After reading between the lines it looks like there was much debate on the floor regarding this bill, which surprisingly revolved around the origin of the bill not necessarily the merits of the bill itself. Some senators were skeptical that this bill could hold up to Wyoming constitutionality because it was a revenue generating and taxation bill which would need to originate from the state House instead of the Senate according to the Wyoming State Constitution.
Although done for right now, there is still a slim possibility that this bill becomes a phoenix and rises from the ashes, this time in the state House instead of the Senate.
Senator Larry Hicks of Baggs, Wyoming stated the fact that there are “three times as many non-residents applying for tags each year than there are tags available” and that these proposed fee increases would bring Wyoming’s tag fees “more inline” with the “fair market” value in other competing states throughout the West as the reasoning for the bill.
We will keep you posted if this bill resurfaces in the Wyoming State House of Representatives. Until then, the price hike is dead on the mountain.
11 comments
Senator Hicks is absolutely full of Sh*t
Wyoming’s Special Elk tag is already the most expensive elk tag in the west.
CO, AZ, NM, ID, MT, NV, UT are all $600-$1100
I was love to hear Mr. Hicks explain how taking the already most expensive Elk tag in the west to 2x or 3x the rest of tge states elk tags “ would bring Wyoming’s tag fees more inline with the “fair market” value in other competing states throughout the West”
So much lying from the “esteemed” Mr. Hicks
Do any of our elected representatives ever think about the additional revenues non residents bring to the state from Outfitters, airlines, car rentals, hotels, game processors ? Nevemind, I think I know the answer. There is no real critical thinking going on there.
Do they think about all the money that state residents spend in local businesses buying their hunting gear, auto dealerships and shops, taxes paid for roads, fire, real estate, hospitals, airports, schools, income, game processors, and on and on?
A Wyoming based organization lauding nonresident victory. What is wrong with you people? A Wyoming based organization would more properly title this article “Wyomingites Once Again Lose to the Nonresident preference lobby”. Perhaps Eastman’s should pack up and move to Texas and commit its nonresident lobbying from there? You are traitors to your fellow state Wyoming state citizens. Disgusting.
Why don’t you residents pay more instead of raping the nonresident?
People also have to realize that if you hunt on Federal Lands that they are owned and paid for by all of us, non residents and residents. The monies for management of a species is grossly disproportionate in favor of residents. Technically why should non residents pay more to hunt on land they presently own and pay for?
Careful or they will kill the goose that’s laying the golden egg…….
The animals living on federal lands are the property of the state of Wyoming and it’s RESIDENTS. Use federal lands all you want, hiking, camping, birdwatching, etc. But you need a non resident license to hunt or fish. Been like that forever.
Yeah I think you’re confused about how much more money non residents spend on fish and game than residents.
Let’s look at bonus points for instance. 50$ a pop at what 100,000? 200,000?
Respectively $5,000,000 and $10,000,000 that’s just bonus points…not tag fees hotels has, food, processing, guides, trespassing fees, etc.
This would have been a lost for hunting in general not residents vs. non-residents. People only have so much money budgeted for hunting and increases like that would keep people from paying to hunt Wyoming which in turn is less money Wyoming for fish and game.
If nonresidents stop hunting in Wyoming, residents will have to pay to make up for the lost revenue…Wyoming fish and game will go broke, or residents fees will more than double. Careful what you wish for…
Not wishing for anything. There are 3x the number of people applying for non resident tags than there are tags available. There will always be non resident hunters with deep pockets to buy those tags, no matter how much they cost.
Mitch you are spot on I have hunted Wyoming for years as a non resident between loss of tag allocation and price increases on everything I am done hunting the west altogether can no longer afford wy or anywhere else my kids and grand kids will not be among any new hunters coming west good luck in the future