Residency tip

Well, I'm going to give you all a little tip to hopefully keep you sane if this situation ever comes up. When moving from Montana to Idaho, make sure you buy your hunting licenses PRIOR to changing your drivers license. Despite the six-month residency requirement (you would think it'd work backwards too) I am now a nonresident of any state. The other day I thought I'd try and sneak around the system and buy my Montana licenses online. When I got to the residency thing, I clicked "yes" since I still believed if I was not a resident of Idaho, then I'd officially be considered a resident of Montana right? No. It booted me and told me to talk to my nearest Fish and Game dude. So, I talked to the folks at Idaho Fish Wildlife and Parks the other day to see if I could buy a license there for Montana. They don't issue those, but told me that here in Idaho you ARE still considered a resident for six months after you leave the state. Jubilant, hopefull, the following day I called Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and asked the same question. "Since you are actively pursuing residency in another state, you are not considered a resident of Montana." However, if you buy your license prior to leaving, those are still valid.

So crap.

I had one gal sympathizing and she said, "So does that mean you don't have to pay taxes in either state for that six months?" I like the way she thinks!

The good news here is that I am now committed to buying a license and tag here in Idaho. That means I won't have to drive for over an hour, just to get to the state where I could hunt. Heck, now I can hunt my backyard if I want. I had pretty much counted out hunting elk this year after hearing that because I always thought the price was too high. But then I got curious and looked at nonresident tags and they're associated cost. A big game hunting license for nonresidents is $141.50...so then add that to these:

Elk tag: $372.50
Deer tag: $258.50
Turkey tag: $67.50

(Honestly, why all the $0.50? Will that half a dollar do anything useful? Just round up!)

So if you put all that together (I'm still wavering on the turkey just yet) it comes to $840. Just a deer would be something like $400 and just an elk would be $514. The way I figure it, if you are going to put down almost $150 in a license, why not get another tag? Anywho, it doesn't matter. Hunting keeps me sane and I'll do what it takes to make it work.

The other day I finally bought a small game license (a mere $85 to hunt little critters, ugh) and have been enjoying myself immensely driving around in the woods after work. Of course, most of the area is still new to me, so the only grouse I almost got was with the truck. See, I was gawking at the trees and mountains and whatnot and didn't notice it in the road. By the time I got out it was gone.

So that's the update. "No-state" Tom is what they will call me.