Should Quality Buck & Bull tags go OIL?

[Stein]

screw it lets copy AK and everyone puts and and only random non residents get drawn to pay for the states budget crisis.

More than one state plays that game.  Look at the cost of nonresident elk tags a couple hours east of Spokane.  WA has the double whammy of too many people and not many nonresident applicants.

We are already on a random draw, we just have points to keep people interested.

[blackveltbowhunter]

No. As was mentioned I think overall, the OIL hunts truly offer real chances at trophy size animals, lots of them and very liberal season lengths, with low pressure. Sure exceptions exist but thats the basis. I will use archery as an example simply for the seasons sake. Lets assume you draw a top bull unit in the blues, first you are not dealing with a really high animal density, like most OIL. Especially mature trophy animals. Then you are limited to 12 days of season. If you see a bull at 100 yards you dont have the option of reaching over and grabbing your scoped magnum. And most importantly you will be hunting concurrent with a general season.

[Bobvernon2]

screw it lets copy AK and everyone puts and and only random non residents get drawn to pay for the states budget crisis.

More than one state plays that game.  Look at the cost of nonresident elk tags a couple hours east of Spokane.  WA has the double whammy of too many people and not many nonresident applicants.

We are already on a random draw, we just have points to keep people interested.

not gonna lie not seeing what you're saying here. non residents don't have a limit on how many tags they can purchase in WA for elk, deer, cougar, or bear. nor do they have special rates its the same for every GMU. Am I missing something?

[huntnnw]

Should be like ID... Pick 1 oil category and you do not get to apply for bucks and bulls or you can apply for bucks and Bulls and not oil tags. Plus when you draw buck or bull there's a waiting period. There's nothing here! It's really a joke! UT is 5 year wait once you draw a bull tag and 2 years for deer.

[Jharristealth]

I think the 65 and older category should have some quality tags available. Allow participants in that category to roll existing quality points to the "65 year and older quality deer/elk" catagory.

[Stein]

No. As was mentioned I think overall, the OIL hunts truly offer real chances at trophy size animals, lots of them and very liberal season lengths, with low pressure.

That's a great definition, but unfortunately not reality.  There are two ways to look at the problem, WA either has too few animals or too many people - or both I guess.  Even for a good but not great hunt, there are too many people in line such that you mathematically can't expect to draw it 2, 3 or 4 times in your life.

It isn't just WA, I put in for an out of state hunt that went from 1/3 the first year to 1/10 the second and 1/33 this year.  Next year, it will effectively be an OIL tag.

[buglebrush]

There's not a single buck or bull tag in WA worth that designation . Some states do have tags like this such as Henry mts Utah. There are LOTS of options in this state to increase draw odds and they have done absolutely nothing about it EVER! If it means less money they don't wanna hear it.

Exactly

[mkcj]

How about certain tags/areas go oil?

[Mfowl]

What about the discrepancies between user groups. There are far more rifle hunters than either of the other user groups. It is much harder to draw the coveted rifle tags simply because of that. 2k or more applicants for maybe 1-5 rifle rut bull tags in a given gmu vs as much as 100 bull tags for 8-900 archery applicants. I don't think this question factors in the difference between the user groups. I voted no.

[Miles]

I hear lots of crying.  That's all, carry on

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

The good tags are oil. Even the tags you can draw are 8 years. With point creep that's oil.

[ctwiggs1]

I don't see why.  Even if it takes 10-15 years, that's still 4-5 quality hunts for EACH category in a lifetime minimum.  That's 8-10 quality hunts across the board.  That doesn't include OTC or out of state.  That makes for a pretty solid hunting career!  Pretty cool!   

[Miles]

The good tags are oil. Even the tags you can draw are 8 years. With point creep that's oil.

Point creep in WA?   It's not a true preference point state...   Move somewhere that has a true preference point system, then you will understand the meaning of point creep.

[pianoman9701]

I voted no but believe the department will have no choice after another 5 years of wolves without management. 

[buglebrush]

The very best way would be to make it so you can only draw for one special permit.  You would have to choose a specific species in a specific category.  WDFW will never do it because of the lost revenue, but it would definitely fix the problem