Yellowstone Angler Alert

[yellvet]

I know that many of you are avid Yellowstone anglers. So, I wanted to give you a heads up that the Park has bumped its 2021 rates for fishing licenses:
A 3-day YNP license is now $40, a 7 day license is $55, and a season license is $75......almost double what it was last year ($40).

So ya still want to go to Yellowstone? Looks to me like the current administration has made it almost impossible for the public at large and/or a family to camp or fish in Yellowstone, unless, of course, they're rich or related to one of the Park's management elite! This is why I encourage all longtime Yellowstone supporters and enthusiasts to boycott the Park this year. It's time to take back Yellowstone. It used to be a very special place for thousands of outdoor enthusiasts. But not any more. Sadly, it now appears that our nation's number one crown jewel has been turned into a greedy commercial enterprise. While I appreciate the fact that it takes money to sustain and preserve Yellowstone, there's a limit to what people are willing to pay to rent a piece of dirt to camp or an outrageous amount to fish.

Hubby and I were so looking forward to bringing our grand kids to Yellowstone so we could let them experience its unique power and majesty, which had kept Grandma and Grandpa going back to the Park, year after year, for over 30 years. But the Park has changed and has now canceled the very people who have supported the Park for decades. To see what the current administration has done to the People's number one national Park is disgraceful. And it's certainly not something that I want to show to our grand children. This entire situation has been so depressing for me and my husband. But we also don't want to project our deep sadness about the Park, onto our family or onto our grand children. That being the case, hubby and I are going to boycott the Park until such time that the feds have come to their senses and have returned Yellowstone to the American people!

[Mike]

It's about the same amount to purchase a non resident Wyoming fishing license that is good for the whole state,is that good in the park ? (the parts of the park in Wyoming) or do you still have to have the NPS license ? and is the NPS license also good in Grand Teton or do I have to get a permit there too ? I thought permits were good at both parks but I can not remember if that is correct

Also the fees for boat permits has increased 3x to 4x and a fee now for AIS inspection,if your bringing the boat from the Idaho entrance you have already had to stop at a state inspection site when you entered the state.So now I'll have to unpack my inflatable kayak that is stored dry and fully inflate it at a inspection site then break it all down and back in the bag till I can launch it.In my home state of California they don't even make you go through a hassle like this and California is really strict on invasive species(and everything else for that matter).

I hope with the higher fees that they open more waters to boaters,they were looking in to that about two years ago,but for now Yellowstone Lake and Lewis/Shoshone Lake are the only ones allowing boaters

[yellvet]

Mike, Yellowstone has always had its own fishing permit. MT and WY also have their own state fishing licenses for residents and non-residents. In MT, resident seniors get a huge price break on their fishing licenses. You might like to read the following article that's in the Sheridan WY newspaper on all the federal price increases on recreation....here's the link: https://www.thesheridanpress.com/news/r ... 74c6c.html

All the price increases are going to devastate the economies of MT, WY and ID. It's gonna shut down outfitters, fishing and river guides, fly shops, rafting companies and all the small ma and pa businesses that depend on the summer tourist season so the owners can feed their families throughout the year. Sadly, I think that this is only the beginning, Guess I'm not surprised though. When my mother in law was alive, we used to bring her up the canyon on Mother's Day every year to see the wildflowers and the bighorn sheep. I'd pack a picnic lunch and we'd eat a picnic table at the local NFS campground. Three years ago, on Mother's Day, we were confronted by a man who said that he was the CG host. He said that we would have to pay $7.50 for the use of the picnic table or we'd have to leave. I was absolutely stunned, especially since I was a local, we were the only ones in the CG and my 92-yr old mother-in law needed to sit down. I told the host that as soon as we finished our sandwiches, we'd be on our way. But that wasn't good enough. He snarled back that we had 10 minutes. Is this how seniors are going to be treated by govt employees from here on out?

[BlackDragonsCaldron]

Frankly, in my opinion all of your anguish about the increased cost of fishing licenses is misplaced. It is trivial compared to the cost of sleeping and eating in the park if you are not a camper.

Look at the price of accommodations inside the park. For my fall trip I'm paying double what I paid for the exact same cabins in 2012. The NPS allowed Xanterra to go to "market rate pricing" so you can't even get a firm price for a room or cabin for advance trip planning. It all depends on the date of your stay, the day you make the reservation and the perceived demand used by their pricing algorithm. The reference "markets" are the gateway towns.

Spending $3,356 (which includes the taxes) for 15 nights in cabins with two double beds and a bathroom is what is obscene. These are not luxury accommodations, just simple cabins in four locations around the park. I had to take some pricier cabins (OF Lodge instead of OF Snow Lodge) because I didn't get the opening day head start that people with cancelled reservations got last spring. I know I can switch to shared bath cabins, like I have in the past, to save money. But the friend I am traveling with was not keen on that idea.

Record levels of visitation in several months last year created a bonanza for hotel, motel and restaurant owners. And 2021 looks to be the same. I don't think you need to worry about the small businesses around the park making it. If you don't go, others will take your place. The biggest problem is finding enough employees, given the Covid restrictions on travel for the foreign workers hired to clean rooms and wait tables.