Free: Contests & Raffles.
Curly, do you want to know what is really screwed??? I have my points breakdown, and i have 11, 65 and over points. So now when i turn 65 i already have points because that is how many i had when they went to the new system.
I believe that if we want a change we need to raise non resident OIL fees to 10X ($3320 vs $1652) our cost ($332) get some of the non residents out. Plus if we made all oil up front money it would make those who really want it stay in, get the guys out putting in their 90 year old dad and wives who don't hunt and the rest can buy the raffle tag for their $6 per ticket. I also don't get why no one thinks we should manage like Colorado. They are unit by unit. Units can be managed more selectively as to what the population can handle. You draw your tag by purchasing it with your points. Its fair in that you could draw a early tag every year for deer or a late tag every 15 years. It allows each hunter to make a choice. For ex. If we had 200 archery hunters, 75 muzzleloader hunters, 800 general rifle hunters in a unit right now, 50 late rifle tags, 25 late archery, and 15 late muzzleloader. It would be 0 points early archery (200 tags), 0 pts early muzzleloader(75 tags), 0 point Oct 5-12 rifle( 150 tags), 2 points oct 13-20 (250 tags), 3 points oct 21-28(175 tags), 6 points oct 29-Nov 4(50 tags), 12 points Nov 4-15 (30 tags), 10 points late archery (20 tags), 10 points late muzzleloader (15 tags). These are just rough numbers to pose an example but as you see a person could choose to hunt the unit early rifle, muzzleloader, or archery every year or wait over 10 years for the best season. It allows each person to make their choice. When people talk of point creep its because most of these systems are between less than 10 years and 20 years old. It takes time for them to level our. In Colorado they instituted it and the lower point units are leveling out and not creeping but the high points will continue as the demand will ALWAYS outlast supply. Some units will also always fluctuate due to trophy potential, disease, winter kill, drought, etc. Just like now as when someone hears of a big animal killed where do you think all the general season hunters are going? In a points game it just fluctuates the points but will lower them in a different unit.
Skywalker, you just made me think of another point about the point distribution that WDFW did to all categories. The seniors got screwed over with that deal. Lets say your dad 65 a couple years ago and when the category system was created and say he had already drawn an elk permit the year before. He would be starting in the senior category with 0 points. Now its 3 years into the category system, your dad is 68 and has 3 points built up now, but there is a whole pool of 65 year olds with points they were gifted by WDFW (possibly 15 or 16 points). What are the chances of a 65 year old guy drawing in the category when there are so many other guys that have several points? (and it's not like the guys with 10 points in the category are 75 years old).
pretty complex conversation for the time I have.....Distribution would be a fair way to describe why they do it. If you think the draw odds are bad now, could you imagine if all the westside folks applied as well. I am sure the folks living in Dayton and such places would have a nice take on it. You really want to sacrifice and help draw odds, make it so you can either put in for OIL or deer and elk, NOT BOTH like Idaho does.
I like the Oregon system. Why not give 90% of the tags w/ the guys with the most points? You know going in if you have a realistic chance of drawing and you can plan accordingly. If it takes to many points (years) to draw then you put in for a easier tag. There should be no complaints if you know it is going to take 17 years (I have 17 points) to draw. I don't like the fact that I have been putting in for that many years (for all species) and every year I get a Dear John letter. Just doesn't seem to be fair when you wait that long and someone has drawn the same permit 2 or 3 times. Washington easily has the worst system.
what about the 13yr old kid that decides to start applying for a OR Wenaha elk tag? whats it going to be when he can draw? 40 years?
