Special Permit Cost increase = less applicants?

[asl20bball]

The past few years the cost for special permit applications for quality deer/elk, and OIL tags double in price while the other special permit apps remained level. Anyone know if that has resulted in a decrease in applications for those categories?

[plugger]

I would say no, To many years invested by most to quit now. They got us all to buy in, they own us now

[Ccortez]

I would say no, To many years invested by most to quit now. They got us all to buy in, they own us now

sadly

[vandeman17]

I would say no, To many years invested by most to quit now. They got us all to buy in, they own us now

Sad but 100% true. Only reason I am still applying is to use my points. Its a vicious cycle.

[billythekidrock]

I am sure there is a drop in applicants but I don't know if it is significant or if it is 100% replaced by new hunters. I doubt it will help the odds of drawing.

I know that the 5 or 6 people that I advise or put in for are purchasing less.
Some have been putting in for all OIL points since the beginning, but are now only putting in for one. Some used to put in for all categories for elk but are now only putting in for one, sometimes two.

[Wea300mag]

I can tell you there will be one less goat and sheep applicant starting this year. The odds are soooo low, I'm not wasting my money anymore.

[teanawayslayer]

I don't think less applicants would make any difference.  They know people are going to pay regardless.  Like this year I'm in 564 bucks and that's just for big game and permits. don't have a fishing license yet.  Or any raffle tickets. Now with all the tree farms charging an arm and a leg to get in.  Between the wdfw and private timber companies they are going to price the average joe outta hunting.

[CamoDup]

I can tell you there will be one less goat and sheep applicant starting this year. The odds are soooo low, I'm not wasting my money anymore.

Ya I stopped putting in for the goat tag last year. I have too many points not to stay in the draw for sheep though.  It sucks because I feel like the state has me by the balls. Hopefully I'll use all my points in Washington one day  and use the extra money to hunt other states. I hate giving the WDFW money... 

[bowhiker]

One of the advantages,  I thought, about moving out here was all the big game animals I could hunt with a resident tag. Ten years later, I'm still trying to draw for a moose, sheep, or goat tag. I know a lot of you have been at it longer, which is depressing. But I keep saying maybe next year. I can't muster up enough money for out of state, so the state definitely has me right now. I'm yet to draw a special permit for elk. At least I can hunt them with an otc.

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[Watimberghost]

No one putting in for moose, sheep or goat tags should ever expect to draw, no matter how many points you have. The odds are you will never draw in your lifetime. Its like the lottery, I continue to put in for the dream of hunting one of these awesome animals in Washington state. I'm sure the wdfw has run all their cost analysis and will continue to raise prices until their revenue starts to drop. Like most have stated, we are so invested in building points that we just keep on paying. I still feel like the chance to hunt some of these special permits are worth the $. That may change someday...

[autodink13]

My dad and I dropped out of the oil race when the price increased.

[spikehunter]

No more Goat or Sheep 4 me either  chances 2 low & I have the unluckiest wild I.D. I will save my money and some day do a guided hunt w/ my boys. Sooooooo long 15 points the state can kiss me good 

[kevinlisa06]

Not buying any special permits again this year


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[emac]

With all you guys dropping out of the OIL tags i want to thank you. You are increasing my odds by0.0000000000000001%

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[RB]

I will put in for all OIL tags just because I can. Plus I still have several years of good hunting left, so might as well keep trying. I have been putting in for all of them since before points. Actually maybe I should just take the money put it on the craps table and see what happens, then I could buy an out of state guided hunt 

[RB]

With all you guys dropping out of the OIL tags i want to thank you. You are increasing my odds by0.0000000000000001%

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Thats funny right there! 

[deltaops]

Keep giving them money an they will keep taking it while raising the price. They know they got you and they will take that advantage. If everyone stopped buying them, then what? I will continue to not give them more than what I have too until I leave this State. So now your odds just went up by another .00000000000000000000000000000000000001%

[huntnnw]

They increased it just enough that  people will continue to apply, but not enough to see a drop on apps. I wish it was $50 for OIL apps to get the guys who just apply cause they can versus the guys that are serious about it. Or front the tag fee, but refundable minus app fee. SOmething needs to be done here the odds are horrendous!!

[billythekidrock]

I wouldn't want the app fee to go up, but would be fine if they wanted the license/tag fee up front like they used to do.

[rtspring]

When YOU see SELECTED, the thought of the cost of applying goes away!

Or so I am told.

[Greg Mullins]

I keep getting all of them. I've hunted in alot of places but would love to have the chance to hunt in an area with with 100s of elk for each hunter.The sad thing is I have 18 quality elk 14 quality deer 17 moose and goat but I only have 3 antler less elk because I drew a Margaret tag and it was the most fun I've ever had.I guess as long as you put in there's a chance and thats what hunting is all about.The system needs help for sure. I think they need big multipliers after 5 points and every point after that. Something like 1 is 2.  2 is 4 . 4 is 8 and 5 is 50 6 is 70. and so on that way after 5 years you gotta good shot at something and still may draw at 1 or 2 points sound fair to me.

[206]

How much are the apps this year?

[biggfish]

I paid 6.60 for an antlerless app

[Band]

I stopped putting in for deer permits and I anticipate the next time I am drawn for elk will be the last special permit I put in for.  This has become a lottery with little chance of drawing the good opportunities and with increasing prices to play.  I don't like playing their pricing games.

[206]

Thanks.  I thought I was missing something since I haven't bought my permits yet.  Not.

[kevinlisa06]

Drew a cow tag 2 seasons ago in Cowiche and never saw a cow during cow season. They have got enuff of my money just buy tags n license now.


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[bobcat]

Just got done doing mine. I'm $70 poorer.


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[ridgefire]

Once I draw my elk and deer tags I am done. I gave up on moose and goat but will probably keep trying for sheep. I'm sick of giving the state my money.

[sakoshooter]

I would say no, To many years invested by most to quit now. They got us all to buy in, they own us now

Sad but 100% true. Only reason I am still applying is to use my points. Its a vicious cycle.

Agreed 100%   

[Eli346]

 I'm in too deep not to buy the apps anymore. I just drew quality deer and elk last year with 12 pts each so I'm not sure if I'm going to re-apply for them. Knowing me, I probably will and my hunting partner will be cussing me because he always follows suit. I'm thinking that the prices might keep some of the newcomers from applying and we might lose a few like me that are on the fence about the money spent. I'm about to the point where I'm just going to go shoot a trophy and send in the money as to what I think it's worth! I know, bad idea but you can't blame me for these silly thoughts. I'm just crazy about it.

[Birdguy]

I only apply for quality deer anymore and when I draw I may be done all together. I put the kids in for whatever they want as those prices are far better and the odds are too. My daughter turns 15 this year so I am done buying apps. for her this year but the boy has 3 more years yet. He has 5 pts this year for moose, sheep and all the deer categories (except antlerless) so he has a good chance at drawing something yet. Money is certainly the main driver but the look on his face when successful is PRICELESS  . Good luck to all who continue to put out their hard earned money, I love reading about the hunts at the end.

[snowpack]

There is also the case where the more the points cost, the more valuable it is to stay in the game.  Maybe for some it is easier to walk away from points when there is little invested in them.
I was looking at one of the reports by WDFW that had last years breakdown of applicants, and it looked like since the price increase that about 50% more applicants are getting in the game. 

[seriousconstruct]

Every year many of our hunting group members put in for all of the special permits. Now we're finally starting to draw some of them as we're getting into the double digits on points, though out of the 6-8 members we have, nearly every year we draw at least 1-2 cow tags. Year before last we drew 6 cow tags. But I fully expect that when I start to get into my second round of double digit points, I'm gonna need to prepare for a year when I draw all of them at once.

[gun-dog]

Washington's rules and regs just make me laugh.