'Simplified' Fees by AZGFD

[654321]

I wouldnt give up so easy. These fees are conceptual and really lack any basis in logic. If AZGFD needs more money they can raise fees on all tags rather than try to separate hunters into classes. Before these changes take place the department must show that they have properly solicited the thoughts of all hunters, not just input from a handful of critter group board members (that guide on the side). AZGFD has a website, they should provide a link to a survey so all hunters can provide input.

 

Some survey questions could include.....Would you be willing to see all tags go up a little $30-40 or see the very best tags go up $80 and others go for $20 more? Do you agree with Arizona hunters having to identify as either trophy or general hunters? Would you be willing to pay a little more for all tags instead of having the best tags pulled into separate buckets that provide more opportunity to those with greater financial resources?

 

With the stuff that happened last year with AZSFW and auction tags, the recent story about the officer that let his elk be tagged while he was away, and the Husted story, it is vital that the commission proceed cautiously in order to maintain credibility. The commision would be foolish to believe that hunters in Arizona would sit idley by while four guys change the culture in Arizona by allowing hunters to be split into trophy classes by species. The only State that actively does this crap is Utah, and Utah is kind of the joke of the West with how biased they are toward hunters with money.

 

I could write a couple pages about issues with the powerpoint presentation but the funniest part is how most of the higher costs are related to fishing but the cost for fishing privileges are being reduced in most cases. It almost seems like someone is trying to create a shortfall on one side in order to justify price increases on the other (hunting) side.

 

I recomend others send their thoughts into AZGFD on this issue or attend the meeting on Monday.

I believe NM has different catagories standard, quality and high demand also WY has regular price and specail price same hunt just pay more for tag for better draw odds

[elkslare]

rather than piss and moan among each other I challenge all of you to do the same, let AZGFD know your feelings, maybe if they hear from enough of us it will have an impact, doubt it but at least we tried

 

LicenseSimplification@azgfd.gov

 

 

I just voiced my opinion. I also asked them to read it at the meetings for my voice would be herd. Like this would happen. LOL

 

I agree if you can not make any of the meetings send a email to voice your opinion.

[bbd1234]

I think they need to fix the draw system sh!t first before they start raising the prices on us. In my words F**k them. Keep poaching elk with in and raising rates way to go game and fish

[couesmagnet]

New mexico does have a stratified structure on their fees. They have 3 diff fee structures. Standard, quality, and quality high demand. I wasn't refering to weeding out anyone based on economic class at all .what I'm talking about is weeding out all the applicants that are in the game not really to hunt. Many diff people put in many other people some of which don't even really care to go hunting in the first place, like uncle bobs 3rd cousin. Uncle bobs third cousin could really care less about hunting but because someone in his famiily occasionally goes ,they tell him to put in also. Also the are many people that put in several of their friends and family each year who normally dont or might not ever go hunt so they can build a reserve of bonus points to tap into in the future and higher prices could weed out some of that. There are several diff classes of people that the higher charges could weed out and non of it has to do with economic status in any way shape or form. If you can't handle a increase then how the heck can you even pay for the gas to go hunting in the first place. Relax everything is going to be ok everyone, and yes I do hope they raise fees and yes I hope it weeds out some people indeed . There is a lot of people out there hunting that really aren't there for themselves but got talked into it or were just thrown on a tag app. Theses are the ones that might not want to pay more anymore just to have a tag for some reason when they didn't really want one in the first place.

[jim]

What is funny after reading this thread and complaining about it with one of my friends, is that I would bet everyone on here pays alot more for much dumber things. I can dump 200 dollars just fishing in a weekend so in hindsite 200 for a elk tag is not all that out of line compared to alot of my other activities. As for the ones complaining about families affording this I don't see the prices for youth hunters changing unless your putting them in for the premium hunts. With that said I dont like the increase but I do like the simpler liscense and stamp fees. The biggest problem I will have with the fee increase is for my out of state son being able to afford to come home to hunt elk.

[rossislider]

I have so many issues with these new increased prices, many of which I have posted about, but I guess the one that grinds at me the most is the 73% increase in application fees. This fee isn't even about the opportunity to hunt, its a fee for the opportunity to have the opportunity to get drawn. I see this as the biggest area where AZG&F will really be cashing in and is really taking advantage of hunters. I now have three hunters in my family; my wife, my soon to be 10 year old son, and I. We put in for the for the following species each year:

Elk

Deer

Antelope

Buffalo

Ram

Javalina

Turkey

 

With the newly proposed app fee of $13, I will now be paying $273 in app fees alone even before considering tag fees. Add license costs on top and it is really creeping up there.

[elkaholic]

for a family of 4 - an increase of just for premium elk fee - its 367.00 - for premium deer its 268.00

 

forget all the other increases / decrease in license ----- that's 635 .00 added to all the other expenses to take a family of 4 hunting.

 

sorry but a lot of family's wont be able to take their kids hunting!

 

 

one of several RULES the G&F uses for standards

 

 

Hunting and Angling Opportunity for All
Opportunity to participate in hunting, angling and
wildlife conservation is guaranteed for all in good
standing, not by social status or privilege, financial
capacity or land ownership. This concept ensures
a broad base of financial support and advocacy for
research, monitoring, habitat conservation and law
enforcement.

 

that's just deer/elk - most kids I know want to do it all - turkey - javelin- antelope etc .. by the time you add up all the increases and especially the ridiculous 13 for just applying , you've put them out of the financial capacity!

 

so much for take a kid fishing/hunting - they are making it financially impossible

 

we should all have the right to hunt elk / deer during the rut - without it costing more !!

[Becker]

Jim,

 

I was thinking the same thing.

 

Hunting is a LUXURY in my opinion. Its not a need its a WANT. I do whatever it takes to make it happen. ITS MY WANT. In reality I only have to save up the money once, put it in a little piggy bank, and pull it out to apply. Since I never draw no biggie but say the average person does every 3 to 6 years(for ELK), $200 bucks every three to six years, not a ton of money. Most of the people that are complaining to me would just have to cut back ONE can a week of chewing tobacco and they could put three people in BWHAHAHA. Its all about priorities and planning ahead. I could see if you didn't save up the money and had to pull it out of your wallet the day of for 5 people, but everyone knows they will put in every year, make it easy on yourself and save a little money ahead of time. I'll probably take some crap for this but hey its what I think.

 

As for the hike in prices, its bound to happen. You can't run a business on 1960's prices. Everyone knows that. How they raise them, well, we are seeing what they want to do. I don't necessarily like the separation of the type of hunt but I don't really mind it. "Trophy" or "RUT" hunts are generally better. I would rather pay a little more to hunt rutting bulls, than get drawn for a november hunt. Thats just me though.

 

My main complaint, which is off topic from this is how the Game and Fish actually manages our wildlife with our money, or doesn't. I watched a presentation at a Mule Deer Banquet and the WM presenting was talking about mule deer after the Rodeo Fire. Mule Deer numbers were low and trending down but after the fire they were growing considerably. What I got from it was look how good we are doing at managing the deer herd. In reality what he said was, "our current management was failing, we needed a natural or should I say unnatural disaster in order to have good deer numbers." My general feeling is that G and F does not manage our animals. They simply delegate how many people get to go hunt and sit back and watch. Then don't spend very much the money we invest to manage our GAME animals, they blow it on wolves, chubs, and frogs. Not saying that we don't need to manage those other species as well but come on. The natural process of the world is extinction of old species and evolution of new ones. We have zoos for the ones that can't make it anymore. OOOOOH that sounded harsh but ohwell.

 

If they are charging us more to hunt the animals we want spend it on those animals!

[couesmagnet]

Jim, well put with regards to spending money on so many other things having to do with the outdoors that the tag increases aren't the end of the world. It's nice that everyone has been able to state their opinions in the final stages of this post. I was waiting for certain arm chair warriors to chime in with stuff that has nothing to do with anything but grabbing the arm chair to hard all day with a computer in their hand. Also I noticed all the wonderful awe inspiring advice has ceased to come in from a few. I woke up worried that I might not make it thru the day today without some advice from a certain few. Could it be true they woke up on the right side of the bed this morning. Lol

[Big Browns]

This year I put my wife, my son and myself in for Bull Elk. My wife and my son put in for late rifle hunts. I put in for 2 early Bull Hunts. If all of us would have gotten drawn we would have paid $342. With the new proposed system I would have paid $364. With the new system my license would have been $ 6 more for my wife and I, but my son's license would have saved me $21.50. That would even out the added cost of the tag increase. Yes I would pay more if my wife and son put in for early hunts. They prefer getting drawn more often so they will only put in for late rifle hunts. I personally don’t care about the $200 for an early hunt. I understand that the cost will affect some people and probably myself, but I also understand that Hunting is not cheap and never will be. I know that when I go hunting I spend a lot more than $200 on a hunt! I personally would pay a lot more than $200 if I was guaranteed to go on a quality Elk Hunt in my own state. That’s why the $200 does not bother me. Just my .2!

[huntjunkie]

Jim,

 

I was thinking the same thing.

 

Hunting is a LUXURY in my opinion. Its not a need its a WANT. I do whatever it takes to make it happen. ITS MY WANT. In reality I only have to save up the money once, put it in a little piggy bank, and pull it out to apply. Since I never draw no biggie but say the average person does every 3 to 6 years(for ELK), $200 bucks every three to six years, not a ton of money. Most of the people that are complaining to me would just have to cut back ONE can a week of chewing tobacco and they could put three people in BWHAHAHA. Its all about priorities and planning ahead. I could see if you didn't save up the money and had to pull it out of your wallet the day of for 5 people, but everyone knows they will put in every year, make it easy on yourself and save a little money ahead of time. I'll probably take some crap for this but hey its what I think.

 

As for the hike in prices, its bound to happen. You can't run a business on 1960's prices. Everyone knows that. How they raise them, well, we are seeing what they want to do. I don't necessarily like the separation of the type of hunt but I don't really mind it. "Trophy" or "RUT" hunts are generally better. I would rather pay a little more to hunt rutting bulls, than get drawn for a november hunt. Thats just me though.

 

My main complaint, which is off topic from this is how the Game and Fish actually manages our wildlife with our money, or doesn't. I watched a presentation at a Mule Deer Banquet and the WM presenting was talking about mule deer after the Rodeo Fire. Mule Deer numbers were low and trending down but after the fire they were growing considerably. What I got from it was look how good we are doing at managing the deer herd. In reality what he said was, "our current management was failing, we needed a natural or should I say unnatural disaster in order to have good deer numbers." My general feeling is that G and F does not manage our animals. They simply delegate how many people get to go hunt and sit back and watch. Then don't spend very much the money we invest to manage our GAME animals, they blow it on wolves, chubs, and frogs. Not saying that we don't need to manage those other species as well but come on. The natural process of the world is extinction of old species and evolution of new ones. We have zoos for the ones that can't make it anymore. OOOOOH that sounded harsh but ohwell.

 

If they are charging us more to hunt the animals we want spend it on those animals!

+1

well said!

[bonecollector]

Anybody go to the meetings tonight?

[GJMauro12]

about to Watch it online! there is 28 viewers logged on so far

[CouesWhitetail]

You can watch the meetings online if you can't actually attend.

 

from AGFD:

Get involved in the process, or at a minimum, be informed about the process of simplifying the license types and costs. Watch online tonight, Monday, May 20, 2013 at 6 p.m.

 

www.azgfd.gov/webcast

[GJMauro12]

looks pretty empty down there