8 different special apps pools!

[yelp]

So is this a done deal and we are past the public input stage?

The notice says this...

The department is proposing to put the new system into effect in time for the 2010 hunting seasons.  Wildlife staff first briefed the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission on the proposal during a public meeting in March 2009.  We have been working to modify the computerized drawing system in preparation for permit application sales in April 2010.  The commission is scheduled to take public comments in advance of their March 11-12 meeting and take action on the permit proposals at the April 9-10 meeting.  The specific proposals will be available for comment in early February.

[Lowedog]

Change often sucks, but I don't think this will be any more confusing than the current system and does have some potential advantages.  According to the 2nd or so post in this thread...WDFW freq asked questions...WDFW is adjusting the current structure to 8 new categories each for deer and elk.  Each category is drawn from separately; points are earned or deducted accordingly from only those categories applied/drawn in.  Current point balances are applied across all categories; their example, if you have 10 points now, you'll start with 10 points in each category if the change goes through.  

No packages...you simply apply for permits from each that you want to hunt in.  There will likely be some new hunts added, but essentially take the current permit hunts and reclassify them into the new categories.  If you look at the 2009 Deer Permit hunts for rifle hunters for example.  Under the special restrictions column  hunt 1000 is a white-tailed hunt from Nov 20-24, a whitetail hunt during the rut, this goes into the quality hunt category; permit hunt 1091, a blacktail hunt from Nov 1-24, the blacktail rut, goes into the quality hunt category;  many of the antlerless permits go to the 2nd tag category, the non-rut any buck permits in a different category, and so on.  So for me, I have 2 points now.  If the system is changed next year, I'll end up with 2 points in each category.  I'll buy a quality hunt permit and a 2nd tag permit; I likely won't get drawn for the quality and will accumulate another point in that category, while at the same time maybe I get drawn for a 2nd tag and kill a doe; I start over in this category with 0 points.

The devil is in the details, though and how this affects draw odds will depend upon how permit numbers are changed and how much the change attracts hunters to apply in multiple categories; where fewer people might have applied for the does, opting instead to apply for a buck rut hunt only, will likely now apply for both.

    

Sounds to me like the quality hunts will likely remain with about the same odds of drawing while depending on what applicants do the antlerless hunts may be tougher to draw.  

[Curly]

If an applicant doesn't lose points in the other categories, then the buck rut permits will get harder to draw too.

[WDFW-SUX]

The devil is in the details, though and how this affects draw odds will depend upon how permit numbers are changed and how much the change attracts hunters to apply in multiple categories; where fewer people might have applied for the does, opting instead to apply for a buck rut hunt only, will likely now apply for both

Please don't suggest that there is any possibility that this will increase our draw odds it's insulting.

[bobcat]

I don't think it sucks as bad as some make it out to be. It's just different, that's all. I do disagree with the part where one's accumulated points for deer and elk gets tranferred over into the antlerless pools. But, if I had more than just 1 deer point and 2 elk points I may feel differently about that part.  

I do like the idea of being able to draw a 2nd deer tag for antlerless deer. Although currently I don't see where there should be many doe permits issued anywhere in the state, except for possibly units that are predominantly private farmland.

My feelilng is that in general most of the really popular buck/bull permits will still have about the same odds of drawing as they've had previously.

[Wea300mag]

We have been working to modify the computerized drawing system in preparation for permit application sales in April 2010.

That's scary, I see re-draws for the next couple years.

[yelp]

I can't wait until February and for the explanations they provide.   Won't all of the deer/elk meat permits have terrible odds too.  Most guys draw these with 4-5 points, so anyone sitting with 10+ will make odd worse?  More choices with the same number of permits doesn't seem like you have better odds to me.

[whacker1]

The same # of people buying applications for two pools instead of one pool does not make things better.  The odds are worse for bull permits and worse for cow permits.  They are worse for buck and worse for doe. they are worse for quality and worse for meat hunts.

 How much worse will depend on how much money the masses are willing to spend on applications.  My guess is that they will be roughly 25%-50% worse drawing odds based on the additional folks applying in both sets of pools.

[boneaddict]

My feelilng is that in general most of the really popular buck/bull permits will still have about the same odds of drawing as they've had previously.  
 

I talked to a group of guys today that never put in for big bull permits becasue all they like to do is meat hunt and cow tags have much better odds.  They weren't too excited about the guys with high points coming in to draw their cow tags, but they were all STOKED about being able to put in for big bull now.    Thats 5 more guys that are going to be in the pool.  I have a gut feeling that is what is going to happen.  I don't see an equal amount of guys  dropping out of the big bull pool, but that is just me.  To me that makes the odds worse.

[bobcat]

Possibly it could be worse odds for buck/bull permits, and worse odds for antlerless permits, but overall, still the same odds for drawing ONE permit. Just think about it, a person can now be in two drawings for one species instead of just one. That gives you two chances of drawing a permit.

[boneaddict]

and we can wait twice as long to hunt bucks and bulls, but at least we get compensated and we can shoot a doe or a cow now.   I wonder if I'll be able to find one.    

[Curly]

WDFW must be using "Bobcat" logic..........(remind me to knock some sense into you this weekend Bobcat......

[huntnphool]

 

[Wea300mag]

I think my sausage making operation will get some more base material with this change, I have lots of points and that should help me with cow/doe (for the first one at least).

[boneaddict]

hit him once for me too, and ask Billy to do it next time you see him.  and if he shows up to any barbecues everyone hit him once for me. LOL