[3blade]

And we're off....

I think we need a hard look at WHERE outfitters should be operating, not a blanket 10% policy (nice try tork but I know what mulie zones you're probably after lol). For instance, there should not be outfitters operating in any of the 3 bow zones. The resident demand is sufficient that these areas should be off limits to non-res. Likewise for the zones immediately surrounding 212/248/reddeer.

On the other side, I would have no issue doubling the cougar allocations. Very low demand by residents due to logistics, healthy or over abundant populations, very few if any conflicts with other users. Black bears harvest by non-res could certainly be increased as well, for the same reasons, though I don't have those stats at the moment to recommend a specific change. Wolves: unlimited. Sell as many hunts/tags and shoot as many as possible.

there should be zero non-res tags for any species on resident draw. If cuts need to be made, non-res is first on the chopping block (suspended is fine) until such a time as populations recover. Totally agree with more frequent reviews and better harvest stats all around.

Perhaps the smu situation needs to be re-addressed. For instance if mulies go on draw in a wmu, the outfitter is notified that his allocations are no longer valid for that part of the smu but remain valid for the rest of it. Gives a few months of lead time to adjust.

How about a predator control based incentive for outfitters? Obviously won't work in all areas, but we'll use 510 as an example: shoot 3 wolves, get an extra moose tag for the next year. Fill all your bear tags, get a couple extra whitetail tags for that fall. Certainly the ungulates saved by this process could justify an extra tag or two.