Commission opts to not issue more big-game auction tags
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission on Thursday decided against adding more big-game tags for auction.
The statewide proposal to offer five additional hunting tags for auction, including one each for elk, mule deer, pronghorn, mountain goat and moose died for the lack of a motion when commissioners met in Boise.
Brad Corkill, North Idaho's member on the commission, said he was pleased with the commission's action.
"I've attended a few public hearings about this in Coeur d'Alene and again (Wednesday night) in Boise," Corkill said. "I've spoken to a lot of people and I haven't heard any support for the public auction tags."
The Idaho Legislature in 2012 gave authority to the commission to auction up to 12 "Governor's Wildlife Partnership" big-game tags, which could include three each for deer, elk and pronghorn; and one each for bighorn sheep, moose and mountain goat.
Since that legislation passed, the commission has regularly discussed governor’s tags but never offered any.
Fish and Game has auctioned a single bighorn sheep tag annually since 1988. That tag sold for $90,000 in January and as much as $200,000 in some previous years.
Commissioners had a lengthy discussion about auction tags on Thursday, noting that during meetings they held in recent weeks in their regions, sportsmen and women overwhelmingly opposed expanding auction tags.
At last week's public hearing in Coeur d'Alene, the 15 attendees were overwhelmingly against the proposal.
Opponents believe the proposal could lead to a slippery slope of allowing non-residents and big money to change the face of hunting as it has done in Utah. They said it would allow big money to step to the front of the line when some Idaho hunters have been waiting for tags for years and may never get one.
Attendees also spoke against Senate Bill 1236, which would mandate the commission to offer more big-game tags for auction rather than make it an option.
At the commission’s hearing in Boise, 14 commenters unanimously opposed issuing more auction tags.
Proponents believed funding from the tags would be another way to support wildlife management programs.
A recent questionnaire about expanding auction tags on Fish and Game’s website received 591 responses with 80 percent opposing them, 15 percent supporting and 5 percent neutral.
However, in the 2015 Idaho Hunter Opinion Survey, a scientific random survey, 55 percent of respondents said it was acceptable to auction tags to generate funds for wildlife management. Another 37 percent disagreed and 8 percent were neutral. When asked if up to 12 more auction tags should be released to help fund wildlife management and hunter access programs, 51 percent agreed, 38 percent disagreed and 11 percent were neutral.