california pig tag price increase

[pappy]

Is anyone besides me a little ticked off at the 900% increase in the cost of wild pig tags here in California...Yes, they were cheap and yes they should be increased from what they were, but, 900% increase in one year.last year they were approx. $8.50 for five and now it is $15.75 for one tag....wonder what the state would do if no one bought wild pig tags and just let the pigs increase through out the state...bet the farmers would be mad.....let me know if I am out of line....thanks in advance....Pappy

 

[easymoney]

Pappy,
See the above post and get an idea of how whiney liberals can be. There should be NO cost at all and NO tags required for hunters to eradicate a non-native, invasive species that is displacing the local native animals. But, until we as voters stand up and let these liberals (who seem to be the majority in power now in kalifornia), know what we as tax paying, law abiding voters want and expect from our paid DFG and legislators, we will just be reacting to these issues in a knee jerk fashion.

 

[Speckmisser]

Pappy,

Do a search on pig tags price increase and you'll find several fairly hot discussions. I will try not to go off on it again now, but like you, many of us are extremely angry. Fact is, though, the screw was turned and unless EVERY hog hunter in CA boycotts tags (an extremely unlikely event) we're not going to see a change.

 

[bigtusker]

This one's been hashed many times already, do a search and see that it was a hot topic when we first heard about it. I disagree completely, they could have raised it say, by a buck or so per tag, but not like they did. I used to go to DFG in Monterey every year and buy my license, 2 deer tag apps, a book of pig tags, upland game stamp, yada, yada, yada, blah, blah, blah, ......etc........
I will probably never buy a pig tag again, *&%%$ 'em!

California is going to price itself out of existence. When they tried to tax ammo by .10 cents per munition, I wrote my legislators and told 'em go ahead, but don't expect any more of me or my friends money, we'll just go out of state and buy ammo. I'm thoroughly disgusted with this state and ready to move out of here.
I'll quit before by BP gets too high!

 

[superduty]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

I'm thoroughly disgusted with this state and ready to move out of here.[/b]

bigtusker, I will help fund your move. Just let me know how much you need for that beautifull piece of heaven I always see pictures of and we will close the deal.

J/K

Seriously though, I agreed with you guys in the old threads and still haven't changed my mind on the outragious increase. There playing with fire if you ask me.

Could become a HUGE problem if the California hunter stops hunting them. They will end up spending money instead of making it.

 

[Shot]

I won't get to much into this again, since I have had heated discussions with DFG officers over the price increase. Well, here is something to think about, where is the money for the pig tags gonna go?......I ask this to one DFG officer and his reply was to hire more officers....thats when I got a little mad. If the money was to go towards pig hunting I would pay much more than it originaly cost. Just an other agency in california trying to make money, thats all.

Like Speck said, do a search and you will find much more about this.

As of moving out of California, I have already applied to do my residency in another state

 

[nofear25]

Right now the main 2 things in my life in hunting and school.... Pig tags have gotten way to expensive and school fees got raised from $18 per unit to $26 per unit.... Arnold said he would tax california, then why the hell am i paying so much more money for school and huntin?!?!

nofear

 

[Shot]

nofear, not to get political, but you can thank Mr. Davis for that.

To make you feel a little better, I pay $140 a unit. Hand in there and in the end it would be worth the money.

 

[Rookies]

I think we should elect Jesse to become our next governer.

Or any JHO member who wants to volenteer.

 

[abbydog301]

I guess what pisses me of is not the total cost of tag, but the dramtic increase it took in just one year. It wasn't to long ago when you didn't need a tag for pigs. When tags where first required it cost somewhere around $6 for a book of five. The price was not an issue it was kind of a formality just to carry them around. In the next couple of years they book when up the usual $1.00 a year and everyone was ok with it. But this year thats out of control. I only buy one at a time. One good thing is you can purchase it over the counter immediatly and dont have to send away for it. No-body will stop hunting pigs, especially when you got guys spending over $400 for a pig guide and as much as $800 for a trophy hog. Every little bit adds up, but in the whole scheme of things the $15 dollars for the tag is a small portion of your hunting expense. What would be nice, if the state would disclose where the extra money is going.

 

[gwhunter69]

Money grab pure and simple...I insulated myself from most of this crappola when I got a Lifetime License. I would recommend it for any one.

And it is a 927% increase...

 

[MikenSoCo]

Once again I stand alone in my dissenting opinion, and I'm only sharing it again because I know many of you need to vent

Snivel me timbers! 15 bucks for a big game tag while they're laying off wardens left and right? I don't know about you, but while I was paying 8 bucks for a book of 5 I knew I was cutting a fat hog, and for several years at that. It is a steep increase, yes. But answer me this, and be honest.... Ask your self how many hogs you killed last year? OK, now let me have it!!!!!

 

[Speckmisser]

Mike,

My reply to you is no different than last time... the point isn't the cost of the tag. I fork over a lot more than that for a deer tag, and it's a heck of a lot harder to kill a deer in this state than it is to kill a hog.

The point is the way this was played... they hit the hunters because they know that the hunters can't/won't scream loud enough to be heard. Nobody out there cares if we gripe and mumble about the increase. There aren't enough of us to make a difference politically... not to mention that the political alternative would be to replace a Republican with a Democrat, and there aren't many hunters who would stomach that. There's no CDA or CWA for hog hunters. It's the second most popular big game animal in the state, and I'd be willing to bet that it's getting close to being the most widespread population. The politicians saw an opening and, sharks that they are, they dove in and took a big bite.

So basically, they did this because they KNOW we are going to take it and suck on it... sour milk and all.

Is hog hunting worth $15 a tag? I'd probably still buy one. Like I said, I pay more for a deer tag. But is it right to come out of the blue and jack the price up like they did? No. Hell no. They reamed us good, and didn't even have the decency to give us a kiss when they were done.

And here's the kicker, OK? I have a lifetime license. I still get my five tags for the same price I paid the first time. So the increase doesn't even impact me directly. But it STILL PISSES ME OFF.

It's a sign, in blazing, flashing neon... that the politicians have found a cash cow in the hunting population. And they're willing to milk it until nothing but bloody pus comes out of the bruised and calloused teats.

 

[pappy]

MikenSoCo I bought my pig tags last year and the year befor and the year befor and so on....In the last 25 years, I have only gotten less than 5 pigs....like the others have said, it is not the price increase, it is the substantial price increase without informing us of where the money is going....I wrote to the DFG person incharge of pig hunting in Ca. and he said, HE WAS NOT ASKED HIS INPUT ON THE INCREASE AND IF HE HAD BEEN, HE WOULD HAVE GONE AGAINST THE INCREASE AS IT STANDS.......FYI....Pappy

 

[Schoettgen]

Originally posted by easymoney@Sep 2 2004, 04:28 AM
Pappy,
See the above post and get an idea of how whiney liberals can be. There should be NO cost at all and NO tags required for hunters to eradicate a non-native, invasive species that is displacing the local native animals. But, until we as voters stand up and let these liberals (who seem to be the majority in power now in kalifornia), know what we as tax paying, law abiding voters want and expect from our paid DFG and legislators, we will just be reacting to these issues in a knee jerk fashion.

You nailed it !!!! They are a non native invasive species. They are predatory and they are hard on both flora and fauna. They are a scourage and they should be treated as such. Little ones may be good to eat, and they may be fun to hunt but considering the damage they do to this states agriculture, property and environment, there should be no season, no limit, and no tags required.

 

[easymoney]

Not to drag this out too far, but I agree with specmisser.
This issue is one that is only the tip of the ice berg. The mismangement of our public resources and wanton waste in Sacramento, with all of us taxpyers footing the bill is OBSCENE. Since there are fewer of us hunters to protest, we will continue to take the brunt of the politicans poorly thought out fee increases. If this were an issue of only needing funds to run the DFG or add more wardens, it could be done in other ways. Such as cutting back on wasteful spending by refuge management and putting those funds toward the wardens or improving the habitat, charging birders or enviro/hikers to use the public refuges, hitting poachers with very heavy fines and last but not least hold State and Federal employees accountable for their pay increases to be based on work actually done.
As for the pigs themselves, to charge for the privilige of hunting a feral, non-native, destructive animal and raise fees solely on the basis of tag sales is ridiculous. That's as bad as charging more sales tax for a particular pair of boots based on the fact that there are more of that brand sold than any other.
Just my 2 cents...

 

[Norcalihunter]

I went down to the dfg I think 2 weeks ago to buy my stuff. Forgot about the increase when she told me I was taken back for second and I said wow thats a big increase from last year and she replied.

''everybodys angry about this and i'm sick of it you find me one hunter that has used his whole 5 tags from years past and i'll buy them the $15 tag it just doesnt happen their few and far between no reason to complain.''

I said lady. Me and my brother filled all 5 of our tags in a 2 week time peroid. I understand thats not that norm for the average pig hunter but I will say $15 to a flipping pig. Thats a wee bit much.

She didnt buy my tag.

 

[Coondog]

I just thought I would give you guys a little excerpt from the Texas Hunting Regulation Manual.. I feel for you boys on the West Coast...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Exotic animal refers to grass-eating or plant-eating, single-hoofed or cloven-hoofed mammals that are not indigenous or native to Texas and are known as ungulates, including animals from the deer and antelope families that landowners have introduced into this state. Includes, but is not limited to feral hog, Aoudad sheep, Axis deer, Elk, Sika deer, Fallow deer, Blackbuck antelope, Nilgai antelope, and Russian boar.  There are no state bag or possession limits or closed seasons on exotic animals or fowl on private property. [/b]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

It is against the law to:

Hunt an exotic without a valid hunting license.
Hunt an exotic on a public road or right-of-way.
Hunt an exotic without the landowner's permission.
Possess an exotic or the carcass of an exotic without the owner's consent.[/b]

All you need is a license, no pig tag.. You boys come on out, we will have a good time!!

 

[MikenSoCo]

Hey I agree it's a huge increase. I agree you'll never really know where the money goes. And I agree the numbers of hunters are too low to be heard. But I still say when I talked to a warden with two kids and a house payment who just lost his job, take my stinkin' 15 bucks!!!!!

 

[bayedsolid]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

But I still say when I talked to a warden with two kids and a house payment who just lost his job, take my stinkin' 15 bucks!!!!![/b]

What happens when they take your 15 bucks and the warden with two kids and a house payment still doesn't have a job? I wouldn't mind the increase nearly as much if they said the money was all going to stay in the DFG but I doubt if any of it will stay at all. I asked about it when I bought my licence and tags this year and nobody down there at the DFG knew where the money was going and they were all against the raise. I think all of the funds from hunting licences and tags should stay completely in the Fish and Game. Think how nice of a management job they could do for the wildlife if they got to keep more than a few percent of the monies that us hunters give them. I think the whole state needs a big overhaul.