Promulgate rules governing licensing: Deer and elk tag outfitter allocation

This rulemaking balances outfitting industry and other economic and social interests in the Commission’s allocation of deer and elk tags for sale to outfitted hunters when the Commission sets tag limits for a zone, unit or hunt area with a history of outfitted hunter use. Under consideration are rule changes related to allocation of general hunt deer or elk tags for a zone/unit with tag limits for nonresidents but unlimited for resident tags: 

• Define an initial tag use number, based on verified outfitted hunter tag use history, which will remain the same for the zone/unit for subsequent consecutive years in which tag limits apply.
• Allocate, annually or for a two-year period, a number of deer or elk general hunt tags reserved for outfitted hunters in each zone/unit corresponding to the initial tag use number, before the Commission adopts annual or biennial tag nonresident tag limits for the zone/unit. 
• Subtract the initial tag use number from the nonresident tag limit set for the zone/unit, after which the Commission may allocate an additional portion (not to exceed 50%) of tags remaining in the nonresident limit for outfitted hunter use based on verified tag use history in the two years preceding allocation. 
• Make tags remaining after the allocation(s) for outfitted hunters available to nonresidents.