Out of the points game

[WAcoueshunter]

Believe what you want, but if you ever want to draw that moose, elk, or deer tag your odds would drastically increase by not being permitted to apply for all of them every year. 

So, I guess the question is do you really want to draw those tags or are you happy simply applying?

 I'm done.  The insanity in this thread is draining.

Just because you get one choice doesn't mean that you will draw one of those tags. A doubling or tripling of your odds that are 1% or 2% is not a drastic increase in chance. You are still not likely to be drawn. Ya, some will have great odds but those are the ones with already better odds. With moose goat and sheep those are so few tags it's not going to guarantee anything.

It would be interesting to see how it shakes out here.  Obviously it depends on the particular system.  But take an extreme example - you only get one special tag application and there is no OTC deer or elk - how many people would fully sit on the sideline and not hunt WA big game at all waiting for their favorite goat tag (for example)?  Or a late archery Entiat tag?  Or an Observatory archery bull tag?  You could imagine the Observatory tag getting pretty easy to draw.  It would be interesting to see how many sit on the sidelines and wait for their dream OIL or quality tag versus choose to hunt more often. At some level it would favor the rich guy who could afford to not hunt at all in WA while he travels to other States to get his fix. 

[Karl Blanchard]

You don't have to be rich to hunt out of state, you just have to prioritize what's important.  I'm as far from rich as you can get and I hunt 4 states a year on average.

[buglebuster]

You don't have to be rich to hunt out of state, you just have to prioritize what's important.  I'm as far from rich as you can get and I hunt 4 states a year on average.

Thats a great point! Following your lead im hunting 3 this year... FAR from rich lol

[bobcat]

For those that hunt 3 to 4 other states for deer and/or elk every year, I can see why going to one choice only in the Washington draws would benefit you. If I could afford to do that I might not even bother applying for any deer or elk permits here. I'd just keep on applying for moose every year. So yeah, it would be great in that case if the draw system changed so the competition for moose tags would be drastically reduced. I wouldn't care that I wasn't allowed to apply for deer and elk permits. But my situation now i feel lucky to do one out of state hunt, and it's usually antelope in Wyoming. For a good deer or elk hunt all I can do is hope to draw a good permit here.

[Karl Blanchard]

If I waited until I pulled a tag in this state I would never hunt so I have to go out of state. I've been applying for mediocre Deer tags for 22 years and I have yet to draw. I'm even putting in for bottom-of-the-barrel Stuff just to burn my point so I can be done.

 If you drive to Wyoming for Antelope you can drive to Wyoming for deer or elk. The tag difference is only a few hundred dollars and if you can scrounge up a few hundred dollars in 12 months and I don't know what to tell you. I would work a second job or sell firewood or whatever I could do to get an extra tag but that's just me.

[bobcat]

Wyoming elk tag is $700, plus you've got to figure in at least $300 to $400 for preference points, so you're looking at over $1000 just for an elk tag.

And it's not just the money, it's time off work. I get quite a bit of paid vacation compared to lots of people but still not enough to go on four out of state hunts every year. Heck our antelope hunts in Wyoming take 4 days just driving there and back.

So whatever line of work you're in, I'd say your fortunate and definitely not typical. I know of lots of people who have a hard time taking off even just one week to go hunting.

But it does now make more sense to me why some would gladly let the WDFW limit us to only applying for one species per year.

[Karl Blanchard]

It's an irrelevant argument because we still have otc tags for everything but oils.  Drawing a tag in the permit system does not hinder your ability to hunt deer and elk every year.

You don't need preference points to hunt elk in the West.  One elk would yield more meat than a truck full of antelope.  Granted it's tougher to tag out on an elk than antelope. 

 You literally just buy a tag in CO, MT, ID, OR, and lots of other permits in various states that can be had basically otc.  I spend less on hunting every year than I'd bet 90% of guys pay on a truck payment a year.  I've made it a priority.  But I guess there's always an excuse for everything. 

Once again, out of state hunting has nothing to do with Washington's broken permit aystem.  We have Otc tags so LITERALLY anyone can hunt them regardless of draws.

[Karl Blanchard]

Oh and I deliver pop for a living.  I'm a CDL holding general laborer.  Far from "rich".  I'll never apologize for having sound financial practices that afford me to do what I love

[Bob33]

I never hunted out of state until I was in my early 40s, and probably haven’t missed a year since. That said, I think it’s a shame to conclude the only way a Washington hunter can have a quality hunt experience is to go out of state. If you’re looking for book trophies, it is pretty hard to do in Washington unless you are lucky or rich enough to buy a governor’s tag.

There is good OTC hunting for those willing to work at it. I have a good friend who averages close to 50% on bull elk in Western Washington, all on public land.

One of the best ways to acquire quality hunting opportunities is to develop relationships with private landowners. During the 40 year spell of waiting to draw a quality tag, meet some landowners and earn the privilege of accessing their land.

Finally, without a doubt many of the most memorable experiences I’ve had hunting in Washington didn’t result in any harvest.

[Karl Blanchard]

I never hunted out of state until I was in my early 40s, and probably haven’t missed a year since. That said, I think it’s a shame to conclude the only way a Washington hunter can have a quality hunt experience is to go out of state. If you’re looking for book trophies, it is pretty hard to do in Washington unless you are lucky or rich enough to buy a governor’s tag.

There is good OTC hunting for those willing to work at it. I have a good friend who averages close to 50% on bull elk in Western Washington, all on public land.

One of the best ways to acquire quality hunting opportunities is to develop relationships with private landowners. During the 40 year spell of waiting to draw a quality tag, meet some landowners and earn the privilege of accessing their land.

Finally, without a doubt many of the most memorable experiences I’ve had hunting in Washington didn’t result in any harvest.

  I completely agree.  Everyone has a different definition of what a quality hunt experience is.  Some want meat, some want bone, some want a scenic landscape.  Moat I feel would prefer all three.  One thing is certain, if you don't go seek it out you'll never find it.

[PlateauNDN]

  some of my most memorable hunts were with guys from here. multiple species and the icing on the cake was getting the animal.

[NOCK NOCK]

So really, this is mostly about trophy hunting, not just a quality hunting experience.
Everyone seems to want better odds at drawing their dream hunt/permit, I get that, but i'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of WA hunters idea of a dream hunt/permit is not for an antlerless critter.

Sure, like Karl's Dad, there are some who would be more than tickled to draw a cow/doe permit every couple of years, but that is not the majority. I am far from a trophy hunter, if its legal I'm killing it, but if I only had 1 choice to apply for it would definitely not be an antlerless permit.

PS: I am in no way trying to pick on those who are after trophys only, to each their own.