"Almost 65" under the new permitting system

[winshooter88]

I don't know where Bob33 gets his info, but I e-mailed Dave Ware at WDFW and he said that everyone's senior points would be there when they turned 65. So you are not going to lose your points because you are not eligible yet.

[Bob33]

That's good news. Thanks for confirming that.

[bobcat]

Yes that is good news. That means I will have 1 deer point and 2 elk points waiting for me in the senior category 23 years from now when I am eligible to apply in that category.    Many people will have 14. Boy that gives me a lot of hope for the future, NOT!  

Thanks WDFW.  

[Bob33]

Now let's see if they let me keep my YOUTH points. I'm going to find the fountain of youth one of these days...

[bobcat]

Some people may now have an incentive to become disabled, so they can make use of their 14 points in the disabled hunter category. Is anybody willing to cut off a foot so you can qualify? 

[Curly]

What happens if you get points for turning in a poacher?  Do you get 10 points placed in all categories?   Some guys that have turned in 3 or 4 poachers and have 30 or 40 points are sitting pretty in all categories now.....

[Bob33]

Didn't you read about the new POACHER subcategory?  You get ten points, but only after you pay $6.50.

[Curly]

  

[Curly]

Yes that is good news. That means I will have 1 deer point and 2 elk points waiting for me in the senior category 23 years from now when I am eligible to apply in that category.    Many people will have 14. Boy that gives me a lot of hope for the future, NOT!  

Thanks WDFW.  

When I'm eligible for using my senior points, I hope to be a resident of ID by then or maybe Oregon.  (At least ID has moose, but who knows in 23 years, the wolves may have eaten all of them by then). 

In this state there will be almost no chance of drawing in a senior category when most other seniors will be starting out with way more points.......not even worth applying when you're starting out with such low odds.  There will be 65 year old seniors drawing permits easier than the 75 year old senior that has been diligently applying since he was 65 years old.

[bobcat]

In 23 years the wolf hunting will be good in Idaho, if nothing else.

[steen]

Wow!  Alot of complaining.  Everyone will never be satisfied because we all have a different opinion.  I'm drawing for most categories.  I am up in the air about Ewe and nanny tags.  I don't need to shoot one for myself but I think it would give you a chance to scout the unit you may draw the male of the species and get a feel for the terrain, weather, conditioning, and what gear you may need to do that hunt.  To many choices, but it will be fun to see what I draw.  I'm a little bummed that cougar is not open during general deer this year in the unit I'm hunting cause that may be the only way I have an "oportunity" to have one on the wall.  Good luck drawing this year to all.

[steen]

Oh I forgot.  You won't lose your points for the other categories when you turn 65 you just gain a new category to draw from, is the way I see it.  Yeah! You will start at zero for the 65 yearold hunt but you are still eligable for the others with the points you already had.  Sounds awesome to me.

[Curly]

The complaining mostly stems from the fact that this system was basically done in secret with no public input.  And the main thing that I have been complaining about is that they didn't figure out a way to have an applicant choose which category their accumulated points should be placed instead of simply placing them in all categories for that species.  I've never really complained about WDFW until this year.

The issue about the points has really irritated me......especailly when WDFW said that it was done that way "to ensure fairness". 

I'm not sure that you will start at 0 in the 65 year old category.  I think whatever the points you have now in that species will be waiting for you when you turn 65.  And that is my complaint.

[Bob33]

Curly is right.  It is not just what was done, but how it was done and how it was presented.  It was initially presented as being done, in part, to improve draw odds.  It has always been presented as having "strong public input and support", and yet one that I know of (that's everyone on this forum, and lots of others) knew anything about this in any detail until late January.  It has basically been shoved down hunters' throats.

Does it improve odds?  You decide.  In 2009 there were 600 more elk permits available than there are in 2010.  Will there be (a) fewer applicants this year, (b) more this year, or (c) the same number of applicants this year?  If you answered (b) or (c), then explain how overall odds can improve.  Sure, some will draw this year because they are in more than one drawing, but that comes at the expense of someone else who may have drawn otherwise.

As for the 65 question: existing points were put into all subcategories at the beginning of this 2010 drawing period.  If you had 10 elk points, you will have 10 points in all the elk subcategories: Youth, Senior, Master Hunter, Quality, Antlerless, Disability, and Bull.  They will remain there indefinitely until used.  If you have 10 points in the Senior category they will be there for you to use when you turn 65.

[huntingfool7]

I'm surprised that you can't start putting in for ghost points in the senior or disabled categories regardless of your age or physical status.  Make it fair....just hand over your wallet, those points will be waiting for you.