Quote:
Originally Posted by NCC
The non-resident Canadian draw system seems to work. Non resident draw
systems work in other jurisdictions such as New Mexico elk hunting or Wyoming pronghorn hunting. The outfitters wouldn't have all of their cash tied up in allocations which may prove to be worth 25% of what they were ten years ago (like the whitetail tags around my place). If a population crashes (antelope a few years ago, Peace Country winter kill of mule deer in ~2008, CWD cull, moose getting exterminated by subsistence hunters) then SRD simply cuts back the resident, non-resident, and non-resident alien tags back by the same ratio without having to consult or compensate one specific group. I can't think of one reason, other than keeping APOS afloat, why the current system is better than a draw system for non residents and non resident aliens. I'd even be okay with the NR's and the NRA's going in the same draw pool. Good outfitters would rise to the top when all they have to offer a potential client is great service and a great hunt.
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The big thing about the US states you mentioned and many other states that have outfitters are there are landowners tags and Indian reservation tags available to them. This guarantees their business can continue to operate year after year, even if the people who draw the non resident tags decide not to hunt, or decide to bring in their own guide of choice.
So say we did that for mule deer in Alberta. 8 tags in one WMU are drawn by non resident hunters. 3 guys don't hunt because they didn't think they were going to get the tag, 2 guys know a buddy that will guide them and 3 guys book with the local outfitter. Now for farmland mule deer maybe the outfitters a farmer or rancher and says "well that sucks, down to 3 hunters this year"
But What about the moose outfitter that owns and maintains wall tents, quads, river boats, and all other equipment for conducting remote hunts ? What does he do when he loses half or 3/4 of his hunters ? Or splits them with 5 other guys like what's happening in Alaska ?
Or what about the sheep outfitter that runs 40 head of horses year round to conduct his hunts ? You think he's just going to keep doing it at a loss for the heck of it ?
Or are you saying the outfitters would have exclusive guiding rights to the specific WMUs ? And any non resident had to use the outfitter currently operating in that WMU ? If so, what's the difference from the way it is now, other then having the non resident draw a tag, instead of purchasing the tag ?
Like I said earlier, who cares if they draw 4 tags or buy 4 tags, there's still 4 tags out there now.