So you want to hunt Grizz in Alberta?

[JIMMY 808]

  Recently I was talking with a bio that was doing bear trapping and collaring.  Before you get your hopes up its not looking to good in some areas according to him. Personally I don’t much give a rat’s ass if the hunt ever happens again. 
 
But if the hunt was ever going to be held again the guys that want it to happen the most will likely never ever get a tag.  With 3$ draws and publicity of the hunt it would be easier to get struck buy lighting. 
 
 Something has got to give with current draw costs and the cost of tags and at a minimum I would like to see trophy fees placed on all bagged big game. 

[Weste]

Something has got to give with current draw costs and the cost of tags and at a minimum I would like to see trophy fees placed on all bagged big game.

What do you mean??  Hunting is too cheap and too many people are getting involved??

[JIMMY 808]

What do you mean??  Hunting is too cheap and too many people are getting involved??

  Cheap is a tricky word your cheap could be my out of this world forget it price.  But being able to drop three whitetails out the window of a truck for 56.10$ is cheap.  A trophy fee is a good way have some stop and think before they take take take.       

  At the current price to apply for draws guys simply throw in for everything because in the end what does it matter?

  Technology has changed the way we hunt we are better hunters then we were 20 years ago by leaps and bounds and the price of hunting should increase with our success rate.

   I have no prof on the stats but from what I see yes hunting is growing in this province and so is shooting sports.       

[walleyes]

There is merit in what you say jimmy for sure the only problem is it could be a slippery slope. We certainly don't want this to turn into a rich mans only game.. With that said if raising the price a few dollars would keep a few more goof balls out of the fields I would be all for it,, but if they can afford the 10" lift on the F-350 they can afford a few more dollars for a tag as well,, yah know what I mean..

PS no shot at F-350 owners,, you guys know what I mean..

[220swifty]

Raise prices, get more poachers, not more game.

[sheepguide]

For a once in a lifetime Grizz hunt in Alberta...

$50 to apply.
$250 up front 1/2 tag cost refundable if not drawn
$250 remainding tag cost by 2 months prior to hunt
$250 trophy fee after harvest

If second half of tag isn't purchased by a set day it's redrawn and you forfit your $250.

Flame away but to me Grizz tags are worth something and in reality probably more than what I put!!!! And yes sorry something's not everyone can afford, that's life so get used to it!!

[Weste]

For a once in a lifetime Grizz hunt in Alberta...

$50 to apply.
$250 up front 1/2 tag cost refundable if not drawn
$250 remainding tag cost by 2 months prior to hunt
$250 trophy fee after harvest

If second half of tag isn't purchased by a set day it's redrawn and you forfit your $250.

Flame away but to me Grizz tags are worth something and in reality probably more than what I put!!!! And yes sorry something's not everyone can afford, that's life so get used to it!!

I can agree to something like this for animals that have VERY limited harvest but to increase cost on the average whitetail der seems a little ridiculous to me.  Populations of deer in Alberta Ebb and Flow on a yearly basis but the populations have been steadily increasing over the last 100 years.  If anything, the reason they give us so many tags to help get these populations back in check for the carrying capacity of the land.  Not sure why SRD would want to implement a pricing structure that would impede the goals of the SRD.

[BigBears]

The fact of the matter is that a Grizzly hunt is a trophy hunt which is a luxury. I would be all for a HUGE price increase relating to Grizzly tags. Hell make it a $5000 tag.

[JIMMY 808]

Raise prices, get more poachers, not more game.

Guys willing to poach probably do it anyways but I get what you are saying.

[JIMMY 808]

I can agree to something like this for animals that have VERY limited harvest but to increase cost on the average whitetail der seems a little ridiculous to me.  Populations of deer in Alberta Ebb and Flow on a yearly basis but the populations have been steadily increasing over the last 100 years.  If anything, the reason they give us so many tags to help get these populations back in check for the carrying capacity of the land.  Not sure why SRD would want to implement a pricing structure that would impede the goals of the SRD.

Good post Weste.

[JIMMY 808]

For a once in a lifetime Grizz hunt in Alberta...

$50 to apply.
$250 up front 1/2 tag cost refundable if not drawn
$250 remainding tag cost by 2 months prior to hunt
$250 trophy fee after harvest

If second half of tag isn't purchased by a set day it's redrawn and you forfit your $250.

Flame away but to me Grizz tags are worth something and in reality probably more than what I put!!!! And yes sorry something's not everyone can afford, that's life so get used to it!!

  50$ applications would certainly wash out a few.  I have never hunted grizzly before but the logistics of the possible hunt areas is not something the avarge outdoorsman has capabilities of.  The cape of a mature grizzly would weigh 150 pounds I am sure. 

[sheepguide]

I can agree to something like this for animals that have VERY limited harvest but to increase cost on the average whitetail der seems a little ridiculous to me.  Populations of deer in Alberta Ebb and Flow on a yearly basis but the populations have been steadily increasing over the last 100 years.  If anything, the reason they give us so many tags to help get these populations back in check for the carrying capacity of the land.  Not sure why SRD would want to implement a pricing structure that would impede the goals of the SRD.

Strictly talking about Grizz just as the topic stated. Never mentioned deer at all.

[Weste]

Strictly talking about Grizz just as the topic stated. Never mentioned deer at all.

I was referring to Jimmy's comment about dropping 3 deer out of the window of a truck but I may have misinterpreted what he was referring to.  I think we are on the same page. 

They definitely need to do something to reduce the number of people that apply for draws.  I know of a person who got drawn for goats but never made it out once, they threw their name in the hat because it was only $3.  It would be interesting to see how many draws never get purchased on an annual basis as well.  I would suspect it is fairly high on some species (doe draws for example).

[deerman]

FOR ALL DRAWS

In the "old days" you sent in a check with your application and if not drawn it was sent back to you.  Then for awhile you could indicate if you wanted to donate your $ to the "Buck For Wildlife Fund" if you were not drawn.

How about if applications had to be done with the full amount of the licence included (online or at a vender or over the phone).

Then if you were not drawn the $ went into a special fund to pay for additional wildlife enforcement activities.

Or to a fund that F&W management could access for wildlife habitat activities. (NOT to ACA)


FOR GRIZZLY DRAW

Making a grizzly licence somewhat more expensive would make some who are not really serious about hunting them think twice before applying.

[Weste]

FOR ALL DRAWS

In the "old days" you sent in a check with your application and if not drawn it was sent back to you.  Then for awhile you could indicate if you wanted to donate your $ to the "Buck For Wildlife Fund" if you were not drawn.

How about if applications had to be done with the full amount of the licence included (online or at a vender or over the phone).

Then if you were not drawn the $ went into a special fund to pay for additional wildlife enforcement activities.

Or to a fund that F&W management could access for wildlife habitat activities. (NOT to ACA)


FOR GRIZZLY DRAW

Making a grizzly licence somewhat more expensive would make some who are not really serious about hunting them think twice before applying.

I definitely think a person should have to pay for every tag they get drawn for.  I would prefer an automatic charge to a credit card as an option to the cheque route (just cause I never have cheques).  It would make people think about their draws before putting them in if they were risking more than the $3.65 for the draw application.

[Ron1221]

So your saying that new hunters are a bad thing?? Sorry to say but this province isn't just for you and your friends to enjoy.

[deerman]

So your saying that new hunters are a bad thing?? Sorry to say but this province isn't just for you and your friends to enjoy.

What post above are you commenting on?

I don't think anyone here is saying "new hunters are a bad thing" but people applying for all kinds of special draws just because they can and often not buying the permits if they do get drawn isn't such a good thing.

[Ron1221]

I wouldn't think people would purposely do that as it is waste of time and money, I can understand things happen that change plans. Maybe there should be something with tag purchases that they can be counted unsuccessful or successful so there is no confusion of 20000 tags bought so there must be 20000 less of that species. Now I admit I'm a new hunter but every opportunity I can get, I'm taking.

[Weste]

I wouldn't think people would purposely do that as it is waste of time and money, I can understand things happen that change plans. Maybe there should be something with tag purchases that they can be counted unsuccessful or successful so there is no confusion of 20000 tags bought so there must be 20000 less of that species. Now I admit I'm a new hunter but every opportunity I can get, I'm taking.

Licence purchases and harvest rates are quite different.  Unfortunately, I think you are incorrect on the number of tags that are not purchased after the draw.  I do not have access to the numbers but I know of a few incidents where guys have gotten drawn for more tags than they want and only buy a couple of them.  I know there can be circumstances where it may be not possible to hunt after a person gets drawn.  Having a system where a person is required to buy a tag if drawn would keep people aware of the number of tags they are applying for and, also, get them to use the draw statistics to properly forecast their success rates.

[BruceW]

Everythings computorized;  should be simple to add something like if you are drawn and don't purchase the corresponding tag you can't apply for that draw for 2 years?

I'd be careful about wanting to make hunting more expensive.  Trophy hunters may not care, but a young person with a young family looking to fill the freezer does not need more expense.  All you'd do is chase such people out of hunting, and quite frankly IMO those are Exactly the people you want to encourage to hunt.

Plus, look at europe.