# gratis tags



## Powder (Sep 9, 2003)

With all the recent discussion about buck tags and NR's, can someone enlighten me as to why NR's are allowed to get gratis buck tags? By not allowing NR's to get a gratis buck tag wouldn't that stop some out of staters from buying hunting land? Why not make them apply just like all of the others who have moved away?


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Yes....you are exactly right....they have to pay the $200 but are guaranteed a tag....plus it is subtracted from the 1% non-res. get.Doesn't seem fair does it?


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

How I understand also, not only do land owners get gratis tags, but also non-landowners who rent land. So, both a land owner and a renter can get a gratis tag? That doesn't seem right to me. I know of a renter that owns no farm land but does rent, that gets a gratis tag every year.


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## gunattic (Jan 9, 2005)

only 1 tag is available for the land.. either the renter or the land owner can get a gratis... not both, and the renter has to have rented the land for agricultural purposes and be actively farming or ranching. A family member who has lived with the land owner for the last 6mo. can also get the tag.. but still, only 1 tag for the land.


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## Whelen35 (Mar 9, 2004)

Well, I am not really thrilled with the concept, but these are people who are making a large investment in the area, and the taxes go to the county, and they spend the higher cost of a tag, and they likely spend some cash while here, and perhaps spend some more for some upkeep of the land, and maybe bring others here to do the same, ect.. Would you be willing to make such a large monitary commitment to hunt in another state if the same options were available to you? I may not really like the idea, but as I see it these people are making an investment in the state and local areas, and it is better than people leaving the area and tax bases going down, and, it has made some land that would have had a very hard time selling into something that people are willing to pay for. If we can't keep people liveing hre, the next best is to have someone invest cash here and only be here for a few weeks a year. It is better than not haveing anyone here and paying taxes. We may have to live with it.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

You know....when non-res. landowners have taken all 1% of the tags available....and people are unhappy that favorite sons can't come back....maybe the law needs to be changed.....like....have the non-res. landowner tag stamped ...."antlerless only" and be free instead of $200 and not count against the 1%.They could still apply during the regular draw for a buck tag just like resident landowners,who get a gratis stamped ..."Antlerless Only"

This would keep them from buying the land just to be guaranteed a buck tag.


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## Powder (Sep 9, 2003)

Whelan,
If that's the philosophy behind the deer tags why don't landowners, Res and NR, get gratis upland and waterfowl tags too? Or allow NR's who own land to hunt the entire upland season on their own land. By your reasoning they are paying taxes and deserve to be able to hunt it.

Why are gratis tags reserved for big game?

Just so everyone knows I'm not suggesting that upland game licenses be changed to allow gratis tags.


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## gunattic (Jan 9, 2005)

KEN W said:


> You know....when non-res. landowners have taken all 1% of the tags available....and people are unhappy that favorite sons can't come back...


Favorite sons can't come back and hunt a gratis tag... not unless they came back 6mo. earlier and lived with the land owner.


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

gunattic said:


> KEN W said:
> 
> 
> > You know....when non-res. landowners have taken all 1% of the tags available....and people are unhappy that favorite sons can't come back...
> ...


What he ment was,the non-resident gratis tags are taken from the non-resident pool of licenses which are 1 % of the total licenses available.The non-res landowners get there licenses,and in some instances,very few are left for the non-res non-landowner hunter.


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## Whelen35 (Mar 9, 2004)

Powder,
I did not make the rules. Fish and game as well as the state has given land ownere of 160/A or more of land this option I would think to reduce crop dammage claims. And no, I don't feel that they should get all kinds of game rights because they pay taxes. Why do so many people go into this I pay taxes thing when talking about hunting? I pay taxes just like you, should I be able to go and sit in your yard because it looks like a nice place to sit because I pay my taxes? No, it's your property. Why do people think they have a right to go into my property just because it looks like anice place to hunt? And, as stated before, you have the right to purchase land, get your tag, and do with as you please. Oh, and another thing, it would sound pretty foolish if I was to rant and rave about paying a tax that is a city tax like in fargo to pay for streets and water, when I can go elsewhere. It is a choice. If you thing a resident landowner getting a $20.00 tag for free or a NR paying $200.00 for a tag is really hurting things, you need to lear how to add and subtract.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Gratis tags are not allotted fairly. If it is for damage why do landowners in the badlands have to get bull elk licenses. Don't cows damage crops? I have talked with ranchers who have shot three and four large bull elk, and their sons have shot three or more large bull elk. This is trophy hunting pure and simple, and every year while it is once in a lifetime for everyone else.

Also, I would agree that a person who owns a 160 acre piece of land should get a deer license. How about animals who have a home range of two, three, or even 30 square miles. Perhaps if they own 20,000 acres they should get a gratis elk license. Perhaps if they own 40,000 acres they should get a gratis antelope license.

Gratis license have little to do with crop damage. It is done as a courtesy to landowners, because we all appreciate the landowner providing habitat that supports wildlife.

I would also like to say that I understand the people who don't like CRP posted. Our money supports agriculture in the grocery store, we have voted to exempt them from the products they buy for their operation, and we support them every April 15. Look at the records and the top farm in the US took in 26 million in federal ag support over a five year period. You can run any name you like on the internet and it will give you the federal dollars they receive. Don't forget to also look up the name of their wife and children. When you add them all up many families are pulling in triple and quadruple my annual salary.

Farmers don't feed the world, the land does, and land in Australia, Mexico, South America, and Canada will feed my family and keep them just as happy as land here around Jamestown.

I respect landowners, and I don't respect people who mistreat them, or disrespect no hunting signs. Respect needs to be a two way street, but each year I see both parties dumping on each other. I see many landowners complain on here, and rightly so, but people who complain about landowners are often chastised. One bad hunter creates ten angry landowners and each of those angry landowners create ten disgruntled hunters. Somehow we need to stop this snowball effect.


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

They must have changed the grattis tag somehow this year because the farmer that I hunted with said that his grattis tag said antlerless only this year, he said that they had never done this before. He didn't seem bothered because he had a buck tag in the lottery anyway but he said that in the years that he doesn't get a buck tag that that was nice because it seems that there is always a buck standing around when you don't have a tag for one.


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## Ranger_Compact (Nov 2, 2005)

I think if these non-resident hunters are dedicated enough to buy a house or rent land here and take time off of work to come hunt, they definatly deserve a gratis tag. Many landowners let other people fill their gratis tags if they don't hunt, at least these out of state guys really want to hunt. And in my opinion, I love having hunters from out of state around, it brings new cultures together and it is a learning experience. Anything more that can be done to keep non-resident hunters coming here is a good deal to me. And ^Springer^ I know what you mean about not having a buck tag with your group, we got screwed out of two beautiful bucks last weekend.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Springer said:


> They must have changed the grattis tag somehow this year because the farmer that I hunted with said that his grattis tag said antlerless only this year, he said that they had never done this before. He didn't seem bothered because he had a buck tag in the lottery anyway but he said that in the years that he doesn't get a buck tag that that was nice because it seems that there is always a buck standing around when you don't have a tag for one.


That's always been that way.You cannot have 2 rifle buck tags.So the gratis will be stamped antlerless only.


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