The majority of western states that require a license to apply also have millions of acres of public land (BLM or FS) to hunt, and there are OTC tags available, to use if you don't draw. There basically is no way to utilize a hunting license in Texas, unless you go outfitted, or go to East Texas and hunt a swamp! When I talked to the Director of Public Hunting in Texas, he told me that NR's only make up about 3% of the total applicants of the Public Drawn Hunts, do not get a disproportionate numbers of tags, and have not been a problem so far.

Wyoming charges a small application fee and a point fee if you want a point.

The licenses are for all practical purposes useless without a tag. The vast majority of the NR licenses go unused. I have a drawer full of them. Even if I could use the licenses, it’s not like I’m going to hunt 10 states every year for big game. I would say very few end up using them except on occasion.

A TX license comes with tags to use, but you need somewhere to use them. The reason we are really talking past each other is because a private land state like Texas has very little in common with public land states out West. Which is why the systems are completely different. The draws in TX are for specific hunts, not tags (except for a very limited few like sheep, alligator, etc.). They are a minuscule part of the total hunting that takes place in Texas.

ST and I have butted heads on this, every year on every post about it. If you want to increase the application fees to 3X the resident fees, similar to Idaho, we would all be OK with that too. It would make the TPWD more money, but not change the draw odds at all for anyone. I would love it if they went back to only one application per category myself, that would satisfy a lot of people. Buying a $315 license you can't use, however, is not justified!!

The vast, vast majority of hunts in TX are on private land. This includes all nonresidents who hunt in TX. They don’t have to apply, but they must buy licenses to hunt. So it’s not like TX is giving nonresidents a free pass.

Texas sold 75,000 plus NR licenses in 2017. That year CO sold just over 100,000 and MT sold 144,000
NR licenses. Keep in mind most of those were unused, while all of the ones sold in TX were used.

There are a lot of drawn hunts available to both resident and non residents on public land in Texas.

The problem is that 3% average of all hunts if the true number, is deceiving. Non resident applicants are focused mostly the primo hunts targeting Chap trophy deer, Powderhorn sambar, aoudad hunts, etc. The percentage of non residents applying for those hunts is way way more than 3%. Sure non residents don't effect your draw if your applying for Pat Mayse because there is like 0% of non residents applying for it. But the chap; you really think only 3% of non residents apply there?

Just going by what Justin told me, NR's make up 3% of applicants. Even if 500 NR's apply with 5000 Residents, they don't impact permits awarded

Well, to break up the monotony of everybody arguing about NR costs, here is my pseudo plan for the year:
Early October: Utah Muzzleloader Mule Deer
Late October: New Mexico Muzzleloader Mule Deer
Early November: Colorado 2nd rifle mule deer
December: Utah Cow Elk (burning my points to take my cousin on his first western hunt)
January: Maine sea ducks with a buddy

Could trade CO for South Dakota Black Hills whitetail or Montana deer, etc. And trade Utah with Wyoming Pronghorn pretty easy. But I should be able to hunt mule deer and cow elk in October and return with my cousin and possibly only have to try and kill one cow elk in December.

That’s a good plan right there.

Lots of other applications (about 50) go in to get those hunts. Being very careful on buying points vs applications. But all of those except New Mexico are guaranteed because CO and Utah are preference point states.

The only other swing for the fences type hunts I’ll have in there will be sheep, etc and Antelope seasons that happen in August (NM and NV).

FW?: That's a good plan right there. Hope it all works out for you.

no one said Western Draw hunts were better or who wants to kill elk or goats.

Slow your roll holmes

Texas is 98% private land therefore our state is set up for both residents and non-residents to hunt private land as their primary option. A non-resident pays his $315 for a license it comes with 5 WT tags and 2 MD tags, plus gives him license for hogs and exotics plus upland and migratory game with property stamps and certifications, which he can utilize on private lands or the Nat. Forest lands in east texas and a few other areas around the state.

a state like Colorado for instance, to enter a draw I have to buy a license ( normally a small game license which comes with a fishing license as well plus a few small dollar habitat stamps/donations ) that is non-refundable. Then I apply for a tag for species like Mule Deer or Elk, which is around $320 and $660 respectivley. If i fail to draw i only pay the nominal amount to enter the draw. If i do draw i pay the full fee at that time. The License fee is non-refundable.

Some states like new mexico i have to pay for the license and tag upfront, and they refund the tag fee if I fail to draw.


These states are set up like that because all big game is thru a tag allotment, be it private or public land.

My most like likely
Aug Bear NM
Sept NM ELK or Co Elk and bear
Sept or oct -Okla pronghorn
Oct/Nov may be CO Mule deer, waiting to hear on another hunt
Nov/Dec-TX Mule deer
Jan NM Mule deer, AZ backup
Feb NM Aoudad

Could have some changes on lottery and raffle hunts but that's core.

No body refunds licenses(basically small game) now so that the state can max out Pittman Roberston Tax money.

Although we already max out R& P tax money, I do fell Texas needs to require at minimum a small game license to enter the draw. Oklahoma raises a significant amount of money on NR applications license requirements.

You look at our exotic/Aoudad and Mule deer hunts and their is getting to be stiff NR competition. Even Application service companies have added Texas to their list of application states.

I agree that everyone applying for TPWD draws should have a license. It would be revenue positive for TPWD. In addition non-resident permit fees for public hunts, should be higher than residents. Other states charge ridiculous high prices to nonresidents, for a very small percentage of the tags. TPWD is missing out on a lot of revenue on this one.

I'm applying for Wyoming Antelope where I have 5 points. I hope this is the year as I haven't hunted antelope since 2011.
I'm thinking of trying for Mule Deer there too.

Sad how bad NM has become. I grew up there and hated how hard it was draw but I don't agree with what they are doing.