[bowgy]

One more thing, my legislator is interested in the opinions of people on this forum and is joining today to keep up and learn what we all have to say.

 

[G00SE]

Snizzledick Snyder strikes again! That clown needs to go! So does CoxSucker!

 

[colorcountrygunner]

Be mad at me if you want.

Hopefully nothing in my tone conveyed that, because I’m not mad at anybody. Nobody on this forum anyway. 🤣
All in all, this is a fun conversation on a not so fun topic.
When it comes to johnnycake snapping and trying to burn down our Alaskan nonresident hunting prospects in retaliation for something we seem to all actually be against, I’m not so much mad…just disappointed. 😞

 

[colorcountrygunner]

One more thing, my legislator is interested in the opinions of people on this forum and is joining today to keep up and learn what we all have to say.

Good stuff! Thanks, Bowgy. Tell him CCG wants to discuss it with him. He’ll know who you mean!

 

[caddis8]

One more thing, my legislator is interested in the opinions of people on this forum and is joining today to keep up and learn what we all have to say.

Well that's fantastic. I'm more than happy to discuss with him on the phone or other ways. I've got a few bones to pick. Snider, if I remember correctly is responsible for the game camera restrictions. He's from Cache Valley. He got rid of baiting, added game camera restrictions, and a few other things.

 

[Vanilla]

Fourth, writing Cox will not probably help as I said. It would be better to write to the new DWR Director Riley Peck and the Big Game Coordinator Dax Mangus.

Joel Ferry is Riley Peck's direct boss. Governor Cox is Joel Ferry's boss. The one person that is accountable to the people in the whole darn wildlife system tht we have set up is Governor Cox. Nobody at the DWR and nobody on the Wildlife Board is accountable to the people, but Governor Cox is. Which makes it hard to influence as he is removed from the process, and the WB can completely disregard the people all they want with no repercussions.

However, make no mistake, if Governor Cox gives a directive applicable to the executive agency, it will be followed by the DWR. Will he give a directive? Probably not...unless he knows he might be accountable to the people if he doesn't.

 

[MrShane]

Anyone bittching about this better not have attended the hunt expo. Ever. The whole thing is centered around monetization of public wildlife and natural resources. Can’t support one but be against the other!

anyone look at the prices of wyoming special pronghorn these days for a non resident? Utah isn’t the first one to charge insane prices for tags. Or impose certain regulations and restrictions on non residents. Look what they did with the shed hunting. And their wilderness areas requiring a guide for non residents, ON FEDERAL PUBLIC LAND, is absolutely restarted as well. I can go hiking in that area by myself any time I want, but when I pack a gun, something magically changes 🙄

The more I think about this, the more I hope we start charging tag fees upfront for residents and non residents. You want to really address point creep, this is one of the few ways I think it would work.

AMEN to upfront fees, for R’s and NR’s!

 

[johnnycake]

Hopefully nothing in my tone conveyed that, because I’m not mad at anybody. Nobody on this forum anyway. 🤣
All in all, this is a fun conversation on a not so fun topic.
When it comes to johnnycake snapping and trying to burn down our Alaskan nonresident hunting prospects in retaliation for something we seem to all actually be against, I’m not so much mad…just disappointed. 😞

Just for that I'm now pushing for +800% increases to NR AK hunting and fishing licenses.

 

[MWScott72]

This is interesting, while reading this I called my legislator to inform him that there are some upset hunters.
I learned a few things.
First, Cox will probably not veto this because it is a small part of a very large bill.
Second, the legislator that put this in the bill, Casey Snyder, did not run it through committee first and there are members of the committee that are not happy about that.
Third, as has been said the increases are a may do not a have to. It's up to the DWR.
Fourth, writing Cox will not probably help as I said. It would be better to write to the new DWR Director Riley Peck and the Big Game Coordinator Dax Mangus.

So here here is the change fee request document.

https://le.utah.gov/interim/2025/pdf/00000230.pdf

The part I am intrigued about is:

“Agencies proposing a new fee or proposing to change a fee must hold a public hearing, submit the fee schedule to the Legislature as part of the agency's annual appropriations request; and modify the fee schedule as necessary to implement the Legislature's actions.”

How in the world did this not go through committee AND when was the required public hearing held?? With reaction here and other places on the internet, there are plenty of informed individuals that would have made some noise on this but it was crickets until hot off the press. I used to think Snyder was for sportsman…due to this, I am starting to doubt that. Those of you up in Cache, vote this guy OUT!!

 

[Vanilla]

Those public meetings are likely coming in the future. They just have to happen before the change takes place. The legislative approval for these fees doesn’t change the fee until the agency adopts it.

But I think putting this on Snider is a mistake. There are a butt load of state agencies in this bill, it’s not a DWR bill. It’s the bill the legislature passes every single year for state agency fees, and it’s always a big conglomerate together based upon what the agencies are asking for.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: this happened simply because the DWR asked for it. It’s time for them to be accountable for the decision.

 

[Catherder]

But I think putting this on Snider is a mistake. There are a butt load of state agencies in this bill, it’s not a DWR bill. It’s the bill the legislature passes every single year for state agency fees, and it’s always a big conglomerate together based upon what the agencies are asking for.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: this happened simply because the DWR asked for it. It’s time for them to be accountable for the decision.

I agree. I know nobody pays attention to the annual "Legislative thread" we have every year, but what is apparent in tracking bills is that Snyder is more or less the "wildlife" guy in the legislature. Many of the things he has seen through have been excellent for sportsmen and a few have left some folks "butt hurt", but either way, he has been the point man for most wildlife issues happening on the hill, and has a close relationship with the DWR. I am willing to bet that his DWR contact(s) asked him to get this through and he did so.

The DWR does not get off saying it wasn't their doing.

 

[colorcountrygunner]

 

[Vanilla]

I agree. I know nobody pays attention to the annual "Legislative thread" we have every year, but what is apparent in tracking bills is that Snyder is more or less the "wildlife" guy in the legislature. Many of the things he has seen through have been excellent for sportsmen and a few have left some folks "butt hurt", but either way, he has been the point man for most wildlife issues happening on the hill, and has a close relationship with the DWR. I am willing to bet that his DWR contact(s) asked him to get this through and he did so.

The DWR does not get off saying it wasn't their doing.

Also is in leadership in the house. So running an omnibus state agency fees bill tracks.

 

[MrShane]

One more thing, my legislator is interested in the opinions of people on this forum and is joining today to keep up and learn what we all have to say.

What is his user name?

 

[hossblur]

This ride started for residents in 22 when they took out trail cams and salt. And every year it’s gotten progressively worse. Can’t wait to see what chit they shove down our throats next year

Not even close.

This chit started the day we decided to let Don Peay run our wildlife agency.

The second Karl Malone, at Peays prodding publically stated he paid 6 figures to hunt deer on AI, the camel got it's nose under the tent.

500+ "conservation" tags a year profiting off of wildlife eventually was going to get noticed by the legislature.

Hard to squeal now after nearly $20 million was sucked up by $fw, and the expo and banquets selling tags in the 5and 6 figures, that hunting is a rich man's sport.

And frankly, every dude that could t wait to run to SLC and fork over their cash in support of the lobbyists for the rich men, really don't have much room to complain.

When you sleep with dogs......

 

[MrShane]

Not even close.

This chit started the day we decided to let Don Peay run our wildlife agency.

The second Karl Malone, at Peays prodding publically stated he paid 6 figures to hunt deer on AI, the camel got it's nose under the tent.

500+ "conservation" tags a year profiting off of wildlife eventually was going to get noticed by the legislature.

Hard to squeal now after nearly $20 million was sucked up by $fw, and the expo and banquets selling tags in the 5and 6 figures, that hunting is a rich man's sport.

And frankly, every dude that could t wait to run to SLC and fork over their cash in support of the lobbyists for the rich men, really don't have much room to complain.

When you sleep with dogs......

No worries.
I’m sure every R and NR that does not like these possible tag price increases will absolutely refuse to support the giving away of the 500 welfare tags at next years expo, and boycott the show.

 

[Vanilla]

No worries.
I’m sure every R and NR that does not like these possible tag price increases will absolutely refuse to support the giving away of the 500 welfare tags at next years expo, and boycott the show.

To be accurate, the expo doesn't get 500+ welfare tags. The expo gets 200 welfare tags. The 300+ other welfare tags are for "conservation" organizations to auction/raffle/etc. at their own conventions/dinners/mini expos/etc. While they are all part of the same problem, the expo and "conservation" tag programs are different. They do fuel the same negative issues, however.

And, maybe a bit ironically and slightly off topic, but you all took this off topic already, do you remember when the expo first started and the 200 tags were all great big game tags? Now we have a bunch of turkey and cow elk tags mixed in, but they didn't increase the amount of tags from 200. Where did those LE and OIL tags that are no longer at the expo go? Not back to the public draw! They went to welfare programs for the "conservation" organizations.

I don't have any issue with the DWR raising the cost of NR licenses and permits. It's a long time coming and we are still well below what other states have done. If they go the full amount authorized, they are crazy. Their worksheet shows that they will have the exact same amount of applicants and therefore will double their revenue, which is certainly not an honest or accurate report to the legislature on that. I don't know how you account for attrition, but we know there will be some, especially at those prices. So back to the topic at hand, it would be a bad thing if they did the full increase.

 

[bowgy]

What is his user name?

His name is Rex Shipp, I think he will register as RShipp.
He is a big game hunter, he shot his OIL moose on the North Slope last year, but that is his story to tell if he wants to. I hunted the first few days of the hunt with him and it was a good experience, first time hunting moose for me.

 

[MrShane]

To be accurate, the expo doesn't get 500+ welfare tags. The expo gets 200 welfare tags. The 300+ other welfare tags are for "conservation" organizations to auction/raffle/etc. at their own conventions/dinners/mini expos/etc. While they are all part of the same problem, the expo and "conservation" tag programs are different. They do fuel the same negative issues, however.

And, maybe a bit ironically and slightly off topic, but you all took this off topic already, do you remember when the expo first started and the 200 tags were all great big game tags? Now we have a bunch of turkey and cow elk tags mixed in, but they didn't increase the amount of tags from 200. Where did those LE and OIL tags that are no longer at the expo go? Not back to the public draw! They went to welfare programs for the "conservation" organizations.

I don't have any issue with the DWR raising the cost of NR licenses and permits. It's a long time coming and we are still well below what other states have done. If they go the full amount authorized, they are crazy. Their worksheet shows that they will have the exact same amount of applicants and therefore will double their revenue, which is certainly not an honest or accurate report to the legislature on that. I don't know how you account for attrition, but we know there will be some, especially at those prices. So back to the topic at hand, it would be a bad thing if they did the full increase.

Thank you for correction, but I’m sure you know what I meant.
Did you see Idaho requires any NR to now buy a NR big game license to pick up a shed.

 

[MWScott72]

Just a quick heads up. If you guys haven’t contacted Riley Peck (DWR head) or whoever it is that runs the big game program (Mangus? I can’t remember), make sure you contact these individuals with input. I emailed Peck and he responded two days later. Here is the response:


“Mike,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We are striving to keep your opinion, as well as the input from others, in mind as we work to meet the legislative directive regarding the non-resident fee change. We appreciate your valuable perspective as we navigate this process.”

Very bland on detail, BUT at least they’re reading emails/evaluating feedback. If the pitchforks come out, it may…just may make some sort of difference in the end.