How Much?

[GobbleNut]

The discussion about nonresident license fees got me to thinking about just how much each of us would be willing to pay for a license to hunt a turkey somewhere. What would be your limit?

Taking that concept a bit further, IF all the states eventually started setting their license fees in the neighborhood of $300+ for a single gobbler, would you pay that?  How about if the license went even higher than that...say, $400+?  If those fees were the only game in town, would you pay it...or would you just stop hunting out-of-state? 

For me personally, spring gobbler hunting is the ONLY hunting I pursue outside of my home state. It is important to me...and I generally only hunt a couple of other states each spring. Currently, I would guess the average license cost is around $225 +/- for most of the states I have hunted...some as much as $250-$300. (and the costs of all the extraneous stuff associated with going on those hunts is usually considerably more than that)

Bottom line for me...if push came to shove...is that I am pretty sure I would just grit my teeth and pay the extra money to go turkey hunting. I'm sure there is a limit to what I am willing to pay to pursue this passion...but I haven't reached it, and I'm not sure what it is...    

How about you?...

[Greg Massey]

In my opinion if it's a Bucket List Hunt of a lifetime or a special Hunt out of State with a friend / friends, cost wouldn't matter. I would spend that 300 + dollars just to drive to Unicoi Show and a lot more money inside the SHOW ... LOL.


But I do agree cost is getting out of hand for out of state hunts...IMO

[Tail Feathers]

I gotta play the game, no matter the price.  I would choose lower cost options if possible, but if the going rate is $500 per state, I will have to pay it.

[deerhunt1988]

Once states hit $300+ for a single turkey, I'm going to look at alternatives. But doesn't mean I won't pay it. Five years ago $300 was definitely pricing me out, but times have changed and I'm going to travel. I've hunted every state and the only time I've paid $300+ for a tag was Nevada. A $300 landowner tag plus associated license costs ran me $523. And that was a one and done deal. That same landowner tag is now $4,000 through an outfitter.

As many other non-residents start looking for alternatives and where they can get the best bang for their buck, more pressure will be put on cheaper states. This will cause those states to enact non-resident restrictions or jack their prices up as well. It is all just one big chain reaction that some of us have been warning about for years.

I just hope the increased prices and new non-resident restrictions will eventually cause a few to give it up, although there is no indication that is happening. If a few would give it up and we could have a higher quality hunt with less hunter interference, the increased tag costs could be more justifiable. But the past few years I've just been paying more to experience more hunter interference as the number of turkey hunters (both resident and non-resident) on public land have saw such a significant increase all across the country.

Remember when the ones who helped contribute the most to this tried blaming it all on COVID? hahaha.

[GobbleNut]

Once states hit $300+ for a single turkey, I'm going to look at alternatives. But doesn't mean I won't pay it. Five years ago $300 was definitely pricing me out, but times have changed and I'm going to travel. I've hunted every state and the only time I've paid $300+ for a tag was Nevada. A $300 landowner tag plus associated license costs ran me $523. And that was a one and done deal. That same landowner tag is now $4,000 through an outfitter.

As many other non-residents start looking for alternatives and where they can get the best bang for their buck, more pressure will be put on cheaper states. This will cause those states to enact non-resident restrictions or jack their prices up as well. It is all just one big chain reaction that some of us have been warning about for years.

I just hope the increased prices and new non-resident restrictions will eventually cause a few to give it up, although there is no indication that is happening. If a few would give it up and we could have a higher quality hunt with less hunter interference, the increased tag costs could be more justifiable. But the past few years I've just been paying more to experience more hunter interference as the number of turkey hunters (both resident and non-resident) on public land have saw such a significant increase all across the country.

Remember when the ones who helped contribute the most to this tried blaming it all on COVID? hahaha.

Yep, all of the above.  Let's just hope the Law of Diminishing Returns kicks in at some point (and sooner rather than later). Add to that the axioms that license fees are going up, private lands that could be accessed on a handshake are now leased or require a three-figure (or more) access payment, and the quality of the hunting in a lot of instances has plummeted in terms of bird numbers and competition.
......and here we be...   

[zelmo1]

$300 for a single bird will be ok when I retire, but right now it's not my thing. Time is precious and for a single bird I would have to scout, get permission and then pinpoint birds before the season started so it would be a big time investment. Z

[Swampmonkey]

Considering what we pay for everything else when traveling ( reliable trucks, airline tickets, rental houses, gas, food, equipment, etc) I would imagine most people that travel don't give the license price too much of a thought.

[Chickenlips]

I'm with you guys.  I don't really hunt anything else but turkey.  I'd have to pay the extra money. Maybe it's wrong of me but I don't watch YouTube videos that these "hunting groups" like the hunting public and others put out anymore.  Probably doesn't mean anything to them but makes me feel better that I'm not supporting them. 

[eggshell]

Pricing has definitely made a difference to me, but I have paid really cheap prices in the past and I guess this levels it out some. Heck I used to buy a tag in NY for $72.00. Way back in the dark ages I hunted turkeys in Montana on an upland game bird license, the same tag as you bought for pheasants. Back then about any ranch would let you turkey hunt, but don't dare ask about hunting pheasants or grouse. I have spent thousands on gas, lodging and food. The cheap part has always been the tag. Heck if the Mrs. and I decide to go visit the daughter in South Dakota (from Ohio) we will spend around $3,000.00 and just run around. My answer is, I'd like to keep it cheap, but the tag is still the cheap part of a hunt unless your just jumping across  a state line. I live an hour from Ky and I can drive down and hunt and back home the same day, but still burn $30.00 in gas and another $25.00 in food. I pay a little over $300.00 for all those tags, but hunt around 12 to 15 days a year there. If the mood strikes me I'll go shoot some doves there too. So my short answer is If I want to go the tag cost won't stop me, but generally I would flinch at anything over $350.00 for a single bird. As I get older my age is more of a restraint

[Gooserbat]

It does make you budget the trip a little more sometimes.  I was talking to a friend today and he was talking about one state that he's never hunted because of the tag cost but he drives 400 miles farther to hunt another state than is now higher than the initial state.  My wife calls it being hyper fixated.  I personally don't let the license cost deter me from hunting any given state but if it's stupid high it will deter me from making a return trip.

[Dtrkyman]

I will pay to play so to speak, it may alter my travels some, Missouri really stings as I have great friends there and guide before and after I hunt my second bird, so I was spending 10 days sometimes two weeks there.

I paid over 300 for a single bird once, haven't been back as it's out of my way as far as travel, but would definitely hit it again!


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[Neill_Prater]

Cost is a factor. Unfortunately, I was blessed with the good looks rather than the silver spoon, so I've always been cost conscious. That said, I consider the price as it  relates to other things. I hunt Alabama yearly. Nonresident license is, I think, about $240 for a 10 day trip license. I hunted 8 days, so, $30 a day. Many wouldn't bat an eye dropping that on supper.

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[sasquatch1]

If you think higher cost sucks, wait until they choose tag limits and draws.

It's one thing to have to earn/spend more, it's a whole different ballgame when priceless reasons hold you out.

I can control my income WAY more than my odds of drawing a tag to be able to go hunt! I wish more people understood that.

Tags could be free, but if that makes it a once in a lifetime opportunity due to the increase in demand, is that really a win??

Let me spin it into another example thats outside of hunting. We all hate $3-4 a gallon gas right? Well, ask those from the gas shortage of the 70s  how bad it was when they couldn't buy it no matter how much money they had.

When you CANT purchase something because it isn't "your turn" only then will you wish you just had to spend another $100

I'll pay what the states charge all day long to pursue what I enjoy because in the end I'll make sure I have the money one way or another.


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[Gooserbat]

If you think higher cost sucks, wait until they choose tag limits and draws.

It's one thing to have to earn/spend more, it's a whole different ballgame when priceless reasons hold you out.

I can control my income WAY more than my odds of drawing a tag to be able to go hunt! I wish more people understood that.

Tags could be free, but if that makes it a once in a lifetime opportunity due to the increase in demand, is that really a win??

Let me spin it into another example thats outside of hunting. We all hate $3-4 a gallon gas right? Well, ask those from the gas shortage of the 70s  how bad it was when they couldn't buy it no matter how much money they had.

When you CANT purchase something because it isn't "your turn" only then will you wish you just had to spend another $100

I'll pay what the states charge all day long to pursue what I enjoy because in the end I'll make sure I have the money one way or another.


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Truth right here.