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2003 General Session
HB 217 would have set aside a number of nonresident hunting licenses for elk, deer, antelope, moose, mountain goat and big horn sheep for a competitive bid process. Twenty five percent (25%) of nonresident licenses for each species in each hunt area would have been reserved for this competitive bid selection process.
Licenses available for competitive bid would have been available to both resident and nonresident hunters.
A nonrefundable application fee of $100 would have been required from all bidders, in addition to all other applicable license fees.
The additional money raised by license sales under this program would have been dedicated to habitat improvement projects, hunter access programs, wildlife disease research projects or other wildlife needs.
Supporters of HB 217 noted that it would raise more money for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and they believed that some number of hunters would be willing and able to pay much more for big game hunting licenses than is currently charged.
Opponents argued against HB 217 as unfair to the average hunter who is not financially able to pay huge amounts for a hunting license. They noted the shrinking number of licenses available to non-wealthy hunters, reminding legislators that 40% of nonresident elk, deer and antelope licenses are already set aside for a special higher fee drawing.
Opponents also argued that distributing hunting licenses on the basis of who can pay the most would greatly increase the chance of a legal challenge to the state's entire method of allocating nonresident hunting licenses.
HB 217 was introduced and referred to the House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee, where it died without a recorded vote.