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Unsold non-resident deer and elk tags now
available to anyone as second tag |
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July 19, 2014 |
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission reduced the
price of unsold nonresident deer and elk tags
will sell them as second tags. Any hunter who
has already purchased a deer or elk tag at the
regular resident or nonresident price can now
purchase a second tag for the same species.
The following discounts will be available to
resident and non-resident hunters purchasing
second tags in 2014:
Second elk tags will
be discounted from $415 to $299
Second deer tags will
be discounted from $300 to $199
The price does not include the $1.75 vendor
fees.
Since 2000, the Commission has offered any
unsold tags to resident and nonresident hunters
as a second tag at the full nonresident price.
In 2013, the release date for second tags was
moved forward one month from September 1 to
August 1. The commission feels discounting those
tags will give hunters additional field
opportunity by making a second tag more
affordable.
Fish and Game Wildlife Chief Jeff Gould reminds
hunters that second tags have been factored into
big game season settings since these tags became
available for purchase as a second tag 15 years
ago.
“We restrict the number of tags available in elk
zones that are performing below desired
population levels,” Gould said. “Hunting
opportunity is based on biological as well as
social considerations. The decision to discount
the second tag price is biologically sustainable
and will make it more affordable for hunters to
increase their hunting options this fall.”
Second tags will mainly be used in general hunts
where there are currently no restrictions on the
number of deer or elk tags sold to Idaho
residents in any given year. Second tags cannot
be used in areas where deer or elk harvest is
managed with controlled hunts and the use of
second tags must fall under currently
established nonresident elk zone tag limits.
For 30 years, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission
has maintained a statewide annual quota of
12,815 nonresident elk tags and 15,500
nonresident deer tags. Idaho hunters purchase
about 143,000 deer and 86,000 elk tags annually.
Hunters purchased 964 second deer tags and 430
second elk tags in 2013. That left 5,773 deer
and 4,960 nonresident elk tags unsold at the end
of the year.
The discounted second tags will be available to
resident and nonresident hunters August 1. The
actual number of second tags available won’t be
known until August 1, when unclaimed and
returned nonresident tags are added to the
second tag pool. Second tags will be sold on a
first come first served basis at all Fish and
Game license vendors.
The Commission stresses this will be a trial
program, and will closely analyze the 2014
season to determine how hunters respond to the
discounts before deciding whether to apply
discounts in future seasons.
For a list of Frequently Asked Questions, and
their answers, on this second tag program, go to
this site on the internet:
https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/content/tagdiscount |
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