Arkansas non resident license big change

[deerhunt1988]

It's a scarce resource and a price increase like that will absolutely deter a significant number of OOS hunters from visiting.  I suspect the increase in license costs for those who choose to buy it will offset any revenue losses potentially incurred from reduced sales.

At the end of the day, states should be taking care of their residents and I firmly believe most residents are willing absorb cost increases incurred by the reduction of non-res opportunity. 

Hell, I'd have a party at my place if Virginia would start charging out of staters $400 bucks and only allow them to kill 1 bird.  It'll be a win for Arkansas hunters and I can only hope for their sake it helps them reclaim a quarter of the reputation that state formerly maintained as a wild turkey power house.

Really? Is that taking care of its residents? How many residents will loose income. From hotel fees & taxes? How many restaurants loose income, staff lost tips. Non-residents pay a lots taxes when they visit a state, sales & hotels tax on a room is 19% in Arkansas. Who's going to make up that lost income tax?

Wild game belongs to ALL residents of the state, not just hunters.

Just think, the same could be said for ALL the states where hunting opportunity has been lost thanks to social media and YouTube. Reckon how much more lost revenue there is to the residents than the money those few are making pimping out the resource? But doesn't matter, they get theirs.

[Shiloh]

I don't think the Arkansas economy ever saw a bump from OOS turkey hunting.  Ducks = different story

[3bailey3]

turkeyhunt, mr. billy?

[quavers59]

    Meanwhile- Arkansas  Traveling  Turkey Killers will continue  to bombard Mississippi  Public Lands and come out with more then their share. A whole Army of Them.

[GobbleNut]

That much of a change in license costs will probably be significant to a number of folks that may have regularly hunted Arkansas. The points made in the comments above, either pro or con, are valid.  The "proof in the pudding", one way or another, will be shown by the statistics we see next spring and beyond in the impact on nonresident hunter participation not only in Arkansas, but also in the surrounding states that will likely also be impacted.  We will see what ripple effects will be felt in that area region...

[Capt long beard]

A wild game resource isn't worth the risk of loosing over hotel and restaurant revenue.

[deerhunt1988]

I just hope we don't see "license wars" between states like we have in the past in the southeast. Some have been moreso with fishing than hunting, but it happens. Wouldn't doubt MO raising their turkey license cost again in the coming years as a result.

[Spurs]

Slippery slope IMO.  Like many have said, this could create a war between states and we could see increases across the board.  I am all for creating revenue that benefits the wildlife and hunting access, but my trust in Govt decision making is probably as low as many of us on this board.

[Greg Massey]

If you look back i made a generic post about something similar to the resident / out of state hunter taking over public land, and see it's coming true, with states starting to charge more for out of state hunters ... I agree this is just the start in my opinions other states will either change the way they let out of state hunters hunter or they will also charge more for licenses and a user fee for public land hunting .... They have to slow down the number of people traveling out of state to these public grounds .... IMO

[Dtrkyman]

We will be Europe before too long, the poor folk will be priced out of hunting, even on "public" lands!

[sasquatch1]

Arkansas changed its 2023/2024 fees big time. You can no longer buy the 1 day, 3 day, and 5 day for turkey. Non resident hunters must buy the license that is $410 plus a $100 turkey stamp fee. So $510 for a non resident to turkey hunt next year!

I'd choose that over a limited draw any given day of the week.


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[sasquatch1]

We will be Europe before too long, the poor folk will be priced out of hunting, even on "public" lands!

It sucks. But expensive sure beats forced loss of opportunity in reduced tags.

Once opportunity is gone, we'd be looking and begging for the chance to spend more money to go enjoy what we love.

The resource hurting for many reasons, whether we like it or not will result in more limited tags, or a cut back due to price increases. At least with the more expensive tags it's somewhat in our hands as a choice. Where as limited tags are not


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[arkrem870]

Just adapt......

[joey46]

Very true.  You could just whine about it to the politicians.  Can't wait to see the first $1000 non-res tag. Start a pool on which southern state makes that move.    You guys remember the old reciprocal days between two certain states? How'd that end up?  The serious non-res will simply buy a plane ticket or carpool with a few buddies and head to any of several states not playing this game.  I currently have 6 destinations in mind all north of the the Mason Dixie line or west of the Mississippi for any future safaris. Punishing the non-res won't solve your crisis. Shorter seasons and reduced limits for the resident's (that kill the vast majority of the birds) are the wave of the future.  Still see crying over a limit going from 3 to 2 in some state or another. If 3 bird limits anywhere aren't a memory they should be.  Adapt.

[sasquatch1]

Very true.  You could just whine about it to the politicians.  Can't wait to see the first $1000 non-res tag. Start a pool on which southern state makes that move.    You guys remember the old reciprocal days between two certain states? How'd that end up?  The serious non-res will simply buy a plane ticket or carpool with a few buddies and head to any of several states not playing this game.  I currently have 6 destinations in mind all north of the the Mason Dixie line or west of the Mississippi for any future safaris. Punishing the non-res won't solve your crisis. Shorter seasons and reduced limits for the resident's (that kill the vast majority of the birds) are the wave of the future.  Still see crying over a limit going from 3 to 2 in some state or another. If 3 bird limits anywhere aren't a memory they should be.  Adapt.

I don't think a lot of these rules are solely tied to populations. Many of them are tired to overcrowding ruining the experience. Which is fixed by limiting NR

They all affect me as I pretty much just hunt as a NR but, I'd rather be able to buy a tag than Wait and pray I draw

We only have so many seasons, and we will usually run out if time before money


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