Poll: Shortening the time to apply for special permits?

[trophyhunt]

I am 100% in agreement that licenses should be paid for before applying, and that goes w OIL’s as well for me.  I’ve had that convo w WDFW a few times, they’ll lose out on app fee’s because less peeps will apply, they really don’t care about odds.  As far as setting the dates, I also agree, but, they need it to start on a work day. That’s why I was thinking the first Monday in May, at least that’s easy to remember.

[wags]

Of course shortening the application time would increase the chances of being drawn since fewer people would apply. However, that is not the purpose of the program, the purpose is to increase revenue for the WDFW. I'm surprised the application period isn't six months.

Rolf Johnson (former big game program manager) once told me that if it were his choice, hunters would have to apply and draw for everything.  He said it with a bit of contempt in his voice; never did like that guy (I could use a stronger term).

[M_ray]

I’m fine with it either way but have any of you considered any reasons other than people are simply f’ups or procrastinators? There are give or take roughly 33 different draws in 12 states that run before WA. Some of us put in for several states and most of these results are coming out before the Wa deadline to submit.

This way I have  to arrange Wa and two other states after knowing what Ive drawn elsewhere. If  every state aligns around the same time getting vacation days may become even harder if you draw multiple special permits. The way it is can be hard enough but gives a little more time to choose how you want to arrange your fall or even if you want to turn a tag back.

I kinda like Having them spread out but I get it if Wa is the only state you put in for then you may not consider these other factors.

[M_ray]

Of course shortening the application time would increase the chances of being drawn since fewer people would apply. However, that is not the purpose of the program, the purpose is to increase revenue for the WDFW. I'm surprised the application period isn't six months.

Rolf Johnson (former big game program manager) once told me that if it were his choice, hunters would have to apply and draw for everything.  He said it with a bit of contempt in his voice; never did like that guy (I could use a stronger term).

I agree with Rolf and have suggested it before on other threads. Guys in Wa loose their minds when you tell them that all their choices would be going away but what they don’t get is that if you had to also choose between species it takes numbers out of each draw increasing your chance of drawing. How nice would it be to get a branch bull tag every 3-5 years instead of 18-20. This is why some of us put in other states and hunt them prob even more than our home state because we get drawn more often. But in WA we are our own worst enemy and guys cried for more opportunity and the state gave us three choices per category just like we wanted but it severely diminishes our odds to do so.

[buglebuster]

I’d love a shorter application period and make it earlier in the year. Sucks trying to plan out of state hunts not knowing if we draw here, with only so much vacation time. I do however think if you shortened the application period to only 2 weeks the wdfw would lose out in a ton of application money. There was a time in my younger life where money was an issue and it’s the same with alot of people out there. Only having 2 weeks to buy complete license and applications would have been a struggle for me back then. I know, I know, save up before hand but sometimes that is really hard to do.