Why It Matters: Sportsmen and women carry the bulk of the load as it relates to conservation funding through the “user pays – public benefits” American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). While the sporting-conservation community bears this financial responsibility with honor, what is less discussed and appreciated is the role that non-resident hunters and anglers play in many states given the wide disparity between resident and non-resident license prices. Further, non-resident hunters and anglers are often more reliant on local businesses while traveling for their outdoor adventures, providing important implications for the recreational economy in many states.
Highlights:
- As competition for hunting and angling access continues to garner increased attention, many states are receiving pressure from residents to limit out-of-state participation in hunting and fishing. While this pressure grows, there are many important factors that decision makers must consider.
- In most states, non-resident hunting and fishing licenses cost considerably more than the equivalent residents licenses, contributing more to the ASCF on a per license basis.
- Non-resident hunters and anglers are often more heavily reliant on local businesses while traveling to hunt and fish, adding value to rural recreational economies.
Sportsmen and women, particularly in the western half of the United States, are in an interesting position. On one hand, participation trends in the outdoors continue to suggest that we are losing hunters and anglers. On the other hand, competition for opportunities on quality public lands and waters seems to be increasing, as do instances of point creep among western big game hunters. While the exact source of this conundrum is multi-faceted and still relatively poorly understood, that hasn’t stopped the growing chorus of complaints from resident hunters and anglers about non-residents that are prompting decision makers in the West to act.
For example, Colorado, arguably the best-known elk hunting state in the Union, recently adopted rules that will now require non-resident archery bull elk hunters to apply for limited tags through a lottery system. While many other methods, and all cow hunting licenses, for non-residents have long been issued via a lottery, this move for archery bull tags came as a surprise to many. Elsewhere, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) worked closely with partners in Oklahoma to help pass widely praised legislation that created the first license fee increase that the state has seen in over two decades. While this was ultimately a win for conservation funding, increasing pressure from resident hunters and anglers (and voters) caused much of this increase to be placed on the shoulders of non-residents.
While many hunters are often witnessing an increase in vehicles sporting out-of-state license plates at the best trail heads and boat ramps, there are important considerations that must be taken into account before we take steps to limit non-resident participation. First, through the American System of Conservation Funding, license and permit sales provide a key source of revenue while also serving as the matching funds needed to fully utilize federal apportionments through the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts. With non-resident licenses and permits often being sold at prices that are considerably higher than their resident counterparts, there is an argument to be made about who provides more for conservation funding. In fact – based on information available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through Partner with a Payer – in the 13 states that comprise CSF’s Western Region, non-resident hunting license and permit sales represent approximately 56% of hunting license revenue generated across the region (~51% across all states west of the Mississippi River). Further, six of CSF’s western states (AK, CO, ID, MT, NM, and WY) receive more than 60% of their overall hunting license and permit revenue from non-residents. In some cases, more importantly, non-resident hunters and anglers are also often the primary customers for local outdoor recreation-focused businesses. Guides, hotels, restaurants, and many other businesses rely on non-residents flocking to the fields, forests, mountains, and waters away from home for business.
None of this information is designed to minimize the experiences of hunters (resident and non-resident) who are experiencing increased competition afield. However, it does highlight that the solution is not necessarily as simple as limiting opportunities for those coming from out-of-state. With all of this in mind, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation looks forward to working with our partners, state fish and wildlife agencies, and our nation’s elected officials to better understand these challenges and find solutions that works for all of our nation’s sportsmen and women.
