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Missouri Survey on Non-Resident Hunting

Primosguy said:
In my opinion NR tags should be reciprocal of the tag prices and draw/point process as the surrounding states but that will never happen. I would settle for doubling tag prices, reducing NR tags by 50% (same annual revenue), and making the NR apply for either a bow tag OR a gun tag, not both. Maybe try building in a point system based on harvesting antlerless deer similar to an earn buck that incentivized NRs to participate in the population control efforts and not just buck hunting.

The pressure from out of state hunters and limiting access opportunities to residents is a real issue. While I don't have anything against NR hunters coming to Missouri to spend their money, they are going to effectively turn Missouri into the states that they left to come here to hunt. I think serving the residents interest should be at the top of the agenda, and doing so would benefit everyone when they have the opportunity to come hunt Missouri.

Limiting access to public land does seem like a slippery slope, however there are currently no restrictions on where the NR can hunt with their OTC tag. Hypothetically every single NR with an OTC tag could hunt Macon county or the same 3 CA which clearly is insane. Why not restrict and divide the eligible NR tags into zones or counties to help spread out the pressure and open some opportunities in those areas for MO residents. JMTC
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You make a great point on the zones or hunt units. There should certainly be a limit to each zone or area with the NR tag.
 
I voted strongly opposed to all of it. IMO the only two things that would improve the quality of mature bucks would be moving the gun season back and limiting NR. Moving the gun season will never happen and I bought farms in MO rather than Iowa because I could hunt every year. Selfishly, I don't want to wait for tags. And the fact that crossbows are legal and bucks still run crazy with guns blazing won't materially improve the quality of bucks even with fewer NR hunters.

I may be an outlier, but in my experience there isn't a shortage of 4-5 year old bucks in MO, it's just that most are average to below average horn wise due to high grading. 99% of guys won't pass a high potential 3 or 4 year old.

I forgot, there is one more thing that would improve buck quality: no more hunters from down south, haha! Kidding......sort of.
 
Muskrat24 said:
So with your statement and the chart numbers this would just be to get ahead of a current trend but limited change to resource or hunter satisfaction from today? Makes some sense but is MODoC going to chase the boogie man? I think limiting NR tags makes sense but I also play the western game and am used to it. Do I think it truly fixes anything today based on the charts, not really other than maybe some overcrowding on public but unless the NR tag numbers allowed issued in draw drop significantly from the actual number crowding not likely fixed and MODoc may want the additional harvests.
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NR truck plates are by far the majority of people hunting MO public areas. Trust me its already a problem. Leases by 10-12 guys from LA or MI on 200 acres (or even less) is happening at an alarming rate as well.
MDC will have more harvests (does) if more residents are not run out of the public and private they formerly had access to. Skips graphic from IDNR study shows that pretty clearly. Northern half a MO is overrun by NR's.
 
MN Slick said:
I may be an outlier, but in my experience there isn't a shortage of 4-5 year old bucks in MO, it's just that most are average to below average horn wise due to high grading. 99% of guys won't pass a high potential 3 or 4 year old.

I forgot, there is one more thing that would improve buck quality: no more hunters from down south, haha! Kidding......sort of.
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That's exactly what it is.
 
JBAGS said:
You make a great point on the zones or hunt units. There should certainly be a limit to each zone or area with the NR tag.
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All NR tags are currently state wide, but the NR hunters aren't hunting state wide. They are hunting 6-8 counties primarily in Northern Missouri and the farms in those areas are all leased out to NR hunters who have way too many hunters hunting them for the size they are. 6-8 hunters on a 160 acre tract is too many in my opinion. There has to be some restrictions on the number of tags allocated to a designated area otherwise it's the Wild West and pressure is through the roof in those areas.
 
Primosguy said:
All NR tags are currently state wide, but the NR hunters aren't hunting state wide. They are hunting 6-8 counties primarily in Northern Missouri and the farms in those areas are all leased out to NR hunters who have way too many hunters hunting them for the size they are. 6-8 hunters on a 160 acre tract is too many in my opinion. There has to be some restrictions on the number of tags allocated to a designated area otherwise it's the Wild West and pressure is through the roof in those areas.
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Will MO significantly reduce the NR tags? If not a draw system will not help in the short run until NR aren’t able to draw every year or two.
 
deep woods goat hunter said:
NR truck plates are by far the majority of people hunting MO public areas. Trust me its already a problem. Leases by 10-12 guys from LA or MI on 200 acres (or even less) is happening at an alarming rate as well.
MDC will have more harvests (does) if more residents are not run out of the public and private they formerly had access to. Skips graphic from IDNR study shows that pretty clearly. Northern half a MO is overrun by NR's.
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I’d agree that public gets hit hard in MO by NR especially with the new Hunting Public push. Unfortunately I’d guess that the NR tags would have to greatly reduced from current levels for those public areas to see much relief and access is going to be a problem everywhere because of the rec ground craze and locking up acres. Private is getting locked down either from rec purchases or leases and no new public areas so that will continue. Issuing NR based on zones in MO would probably help as much as anything.
 
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  • Reason: Duplicate post
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States like North Dakota & South Dakota have a draw for gun hunters. It looks like Missouri has a lot of gun hunters. Maybe they take steps and cut back to 50 % of the current numbers ?

I’m not sure how excited the government employees will be about losing their jobs ? This would be a huge revenue drop !

Look at Musk, he’s getting nothing but Shi# from all angles for cutting government employment… through DOGE . I just don’t see them saying “yeah let’s cut millions from our budget”? Maybe I’m wrong …
 
Hardwood11 said:
States like North Dakota & South Dakota have a draw for gun hunters. It looks like Missouri has a lot of gun hunters. Maybe they take steps and cut back to 50 % of the current numbers ?

I’m not sure how excited the government employees will be about losing their jobs ? This would be a huge revenue drop !

Look at Musk, he’s getting nothing but Shi# from all angles for cutting government employment… through DOGE . I just don’t see them saying “yeah let’s cut millions from our budget”? Maybe I’m wrong …
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Agreed and the are they willing to drop the harvest also as the resident harvest has been relatively flat.

Good suggestion tho!
 
There should be data available as to where the NR harvests are reported as the county is required along with public or private land when you telecheck in MO. Be good info to build off of. I still think residents will continue to feel the squeeze of access with or without a draw on private land.
 
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