The Cost of a Tag

Over on KentuckyHunting.com's forums, SCSIMS was commenting on the increases in tag prices.

I completely agree. Increasing tag prices:

1) Encourages folks to not buy tags and not report kills. This is the last thing you want. Once that begins snowballing, the herd dwindles back to nothing.
2) Discourages new hunters and old hunters. If hunting will remain the Commonwealth's main choice in controlling deer herds, that is a problem.
3) Turns deer hunting into an elitist activity. One of the big draws of deer hunting is that you do not need to be a rich guy to do it-- John Kerry crawling around on the cold Massachusetts ground with his double-barrel aside.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but now that deer need no real help in maintaining their numbers, would it not be a good idea to drop tag prices? Zone 1 has an over-abundance, and other areas are well on their way.

I had other thoughts on this subject earlier last month:

http://blackholecoffeehouse.blogspot.com/2004/09/more-thoughts-on-opener.html

It just seems to me that folks in Frankfurt need to start thinking about the big picture. The Commonwealth's deer herd can be marketed the same way as Texas, if things are done right.

I look for a time where Kentucky can replace tobacco and other areas dwindling agriculture with cervids. It would be a marriage made in heaven-- Oak forests, deer, and turkey. Given the right men with the right vision, the Kaintuck could once again the hunters heaven it was in Boone's time.