WDFW Sells Record Number of Special Hunt Applications in 2019

[bigtex]

From the WDFW Director's Report to the Commission:

This year, the Licensing Division set a new record for special hunt application sales. The Division sold over 300,000 applications and generated over $2.5 million for the agency. As you can see from the table below, previously 2016 was our best year with 285,092 applications sold.

Special Hunt Applications Sold
2019 vs. 2016
Species    2019     2016     % Difference
Deer        78,619  60,811   29%
Elk           98,588  99,132  -1%
Bear         5,805   4,236     37%
Moose      43,934  41,740    5%
Goat        13,945  16,078   -13%
Sheep      25,837   23,001  12%
Turkey     1,899    906        110%

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-06/Jun%202019%20Dir%20Report%20to%20FWC.pdf

[MarkTrail]

So you are telling me that all the people who said that they were boycotting the wdfw were just bluffing?

[92xj]

We sure did show wdfw!
With those numbers, we will for sure see an increase in cost soon. Why not!?

[bigtex]

So you are telling me that all the people who said that they were boycotting the wdfw were just bluffing?

Exactly.

For all those people saying their reducing the number of permits, licenses, etc. they buy, there are other people who are buying more.

[Bullkllr]

So much for getting the permit system fixed.

[JimmyHoffa]

I'd guess raffle tickets are probably going to be record numbers too.

[emac]

I cant believe that many people apply for turkey tags😂

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[bobcat]

Good for them. It's probably due to all the advertising they did. Plus people talking on social media and getting new hunters excited about it.

Interesting that elk applications are down slightly, while deer are up significantly.

For me I buy more applications for my daughter because they're cheap, and because I want to give her the best chance of drawing some good hunts before she turns 16. She had 11 applications while I only had 9. Or actually 10 I guess, if you count spring bear.

[Karl Blanchard]

I cant believe that many people apply for turkey tags😂

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😂😂😂😂😂 that was my thought as well!

[daddyelk]

Good for them. It's probably due to all the advertising they did. Plus people talking on social media and getting new hunters excited about it.

Interesting that elk applications are significantly down though.

For me I buy more applications for my daughter because they're cheap, and because I want to give her the best chance of drawing some good hunts before she turns 16. She had 11 applications while I only had 9. Or actually 10 I guess, if you count spring bear.

Same for me. My daughter just passed hunter safety this year and I plan on buying her cheap points for the next 8 years

[bigtex]

Interesting that elk applications are down slightly, while deer are up significantly.

I wouldn't call a 1% decrease of about 600 applications significant...

[elkchaser54]

I think the elk numbers are negative 1% because people with 20 plus points getting drawn won't jump back in. They understand it was an OIL tag so no reason to start up again at 0 points

[bobcat]

Interesting that elk applications are down slightly, while deer are up significantly.

I wouldn't call a 1% decrease of about 600 applications significant...

Yeah, not exactly what I meant to say. I changed my post.

[Big game archer]

I cant believe that many people apply for turkey tags😂

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😂😂😂😂😂 that was my thought as well!

  

[Bob33]

Wow. I had no idea that all those hunters boycotting Washington and hunting only out of state would work so well.

[hunterednate]

I cant believe that many people apply for turkey tags😂

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😂😂😂😂😂 that was my thought as well!

Ditto! That's the first thing that jumped out to me there. Over 1500 turkey apps? Wut??

[JBar]

I know I'm speaking for just one family but my daughter bought nothing this year, my son just points for moose and sheep, my wife only 5, moose-sheep-goat-quality deer/elk and myself the same 5. About a third of what we normally do as a family.

[ctwiggs1]

Lots of extra cash flowing around in this economy!

[Mudman]

Wow, really?  Well I spent $0 for the record so I have the right to complain about the system.  All those 20pt people getting draws!  Uh it does not work that way.  They have 20pt for a reason remember, cause they didn't get drawn for 20 years!  My Dad is one of em, and he is bout done with it.  I can see no changes will be coming to better the system based on these #'s.  I understand its too many people but man there has to be a better way that isn't about lining their pockets.

[ctwiggs1]

Get rid of points.  Then your dad has the same odds as everyone else... every year 😂

[Karl Blanchard]

Its added opportunity people not a guaranteed right. You've got general otc. Permits are extra.

[ctwiggs1]

Its added opportunity people not a guaranteed right. You've got general otc. Permits are extra.

And very good OTC at that. Our state may not have the highest trophy potential but if you’re a more meat-focused guy like me, it’s not hard to fill the freezer in WA.

[bobcat]

Its added opportunity people not a guaranteed right. You've got general otc. Permits are extra.

And very good OTC at that. Our state may not have the highest trophy potential but if you’re a more meat-focused guy like me, it’s not hard to fill the freezer in WA.

I certainly wouldn't call our general seasons "very good." Not even good. Now, killing a spike blacktail buck isn't too difficult, as long as you have a place to hunt, which for many people means paying $350 to $400 for a timber company access permit. And elk? General seasons with success rates of around 5% on average. I wouldn't call that very good either. Or look at mule deer, for example, in Yakima and Kittitas county. Many units have success rates under 5%.

I think perhaps the sales of special permits is increasing because of the poor hunting in this state during the general seasons. So people are more willing to spend money for a chance at a decent hunting opportunity.

[cem3434]

I cant believe that many people apply for turkey tags😂

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😂😂😂😂😂 that was my thought as well!

I heard rumor that with the record turkey apps, WDFW is considering making it a quality hunt and doubling the app fee next year.   

[Ridgerunner]

I honestly cant believe these numbers.  There must be a whole bunch of newbies getting into the game each year that don't realize the true odds on these drawings. 

[trophyhunt]

Special turkey apps!    yeah, that is funny!

[X-Force]

I honestly cant believe these numbers.  There must be a whole bunch of newbies getting into the game each year that don't realize the true odds on these drawings. 

I’m having a hard time believing it as well because this year was the first year non hunters ED people were excluded from oils. There was a small reduction of applicants right off the top removing those people from OILS, then there was a boom in applicants across the board?

GoHunt was also showing exaggerated application numbers from last year. They said they were working with WDFW to correct the exaggeration. 

[Wazntme]

I would buy an antlerless turkey tag!

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Considering the email congratulating multi-season winners, some who did not even apply, I would not be surprised if they might have some numbers a little off.

[TVHunts]

Considering the email congratulating multi-season winners, some who did not even apply, I would not be surprised if they might have some numbers a little off.

 

They must be paying someone some big bucks for all the new marketing emails this year.  I attributed the marketing to a lack of sales..... hard to believe those increased numbers.

[Skyvalhunter]

Don't believe everything you read. Proof with the numbers the Bio's put out.

[Timberstalker]

Don't believe everything you read. Proof with the numbers the Bio's put out.

Even if I read it on the internet? 

[Skyvalhunter]

 

[ctwiggs1]

Its added opportunity people not a guaranteed right. You've got general otc. Permits are extra.

And very good OTC at that. Our state may not have the highest trophy potential but if you’re a more meat-focused guy like me, it’s not hard to fill the freezer in WA.

I certainly wouldn't call our general seasons "very good." Not even good. Now, killing a spike blacktail buck isn't too difficult, as long as you have a place to hunt, which for many people means paying $350 to $400 for a timber company access permit. And elk? General seasons with success rates of around 5% on average. I wouldn't call that very good either. Or look at mule deer, for example, in Yakima and Kittitas county. Many units have success rates under 5%.

I think perhaps the sales of special permits is increasing because of the poor hunting in this state during the general seasons. So people are more willing to spend money for a chance at a decent hunting opportunity.

I kill a deer every year, and I don't hunt weeks at a time.  I'm hoping to bump that to 2/yr this year.  I haven't found my secret sauce for elk yet, but I am hoping to start saying in the next couple years I that I kill one of those every year as well

If you keep doing the same thing over and over, and only hunt one particular area that you know... Then yes, your odds may be diminishing.

But the truth is that we get to hunt deer, elk, cougar, and bear every year OTC with no quota.  Might not be the best success rates, but the potential is there. 

And like I said in my response - if you're going for points, WA OTC might not be for you.  But if you're looking to fill the freezer...........

[Bullkllr]

Don't believe everything you read. Proof with the numbers the Bio's put out.

It will come out in a year or so that the "counter" was faulty and numbers were less than half what they originally calculted.

[boneaddict]

Considering the email congratulating multi-season winners, some who did not even apply, I would not be surprised if they might have some numbers a little off.

SHAZAM!!!!    We have a winner.   
I wonder if these numbers come from the same people running Trumps polls

[JimmyHoffa]

same organization that can over count steelhead in a rearing pond by a few million