Who has the most pts built up for OIL tags?

[Bob33]

Based on those numbers the system is working as designed the problem is too much demand and not enough tags.  The question is how supportive would people be of increasing tag numbers knowing trophy quality would go down?

That is exactly the problem, and there is no easy solution.

Last year there were 22,333 applicants for 78 "any moose" permits.  If you gave permits only to those with maximum points, it would work for a couple years but then it collapses.   Using moose as an example, there were 449 applicants with 16 or more points.  If you gave 78 permits per year to just those applicants, it would take five years to fill the demand.  During those five years, applicants with less than 16 points would have no chance to draw.  The process would continue.  There were 4,500 applicants with ten or more points.  It would take 57 years to fill that demand, during which applicants with less than ten points have no chance of drawing.  Who would want to start out with a system like that?  The answer is no one, so applications would drop off, which would reduce revenues significantly, which probably would mean even higher application fees for those who wanted to continue playing for 57 years.

You could double the number of permits.  That doubles draw odds but they would still be well under 5% for even those with maximum points.  If harvest is too high and herd strength is impacted, the long term result will be even fewer permits.

Simply put: there are very few quality animals in Washington for a very large number of applicants.

The best thing that WDFW can do, in my opinion, is increase predation management efforts.

Washington hunters should recognize that they will most likely not get drawn for an OIL tag in their lifetimes.  If you really want to hunt a moose, goat, or sheep - consider saving your money and applying / hunting elsewhere. 

[huntnphool]

  I think the system is one of the better ones out there, at least you have a chance every year.

[JLS]

Based on those numbers the system is working as designed the problem is too much demand and not enough tags.  The question is how supportive would people be of increasing tag numbers knowing trophy quality would go down?

I would be supportive of some decrease in trophy quality. 

[7mag.]

I think the system is one of the better ones out there, at least you have a chance every year.

I agree. People seem to get frustrated and angry when they don't draw, but in reality, you can hunt deer and elk successfully every year in the this state without ever drawing a quality tag. I like knowing that every year I have a chance at a quality tag, and if I don't draw, I can still hunt every thing except Moose, Goat, and Sheep.

[Ridgerunner]

I think they should break up the moose seasons like Idaho does as well as give out more permits based on what I saw on my hunt they could probably double the number of moose tags given

[JLS]

Here's a reality check though guys, name a state where you can legitimately EXPECT to draw a OIL tag?  Even MT and WY you cannot expect it as a resident.

If you guys want better odds at drawing, ID has the best thing going IMHO where you have to pick your poison.  When we want it all, i.e. getting to apply for bull, quality bull, antlerless, moose, sheep, goat, yada yada yada, well then your odds are realistically going to go $hit.

[Bob33]

Here's a reality check though guys, name a state where you can legitimately EXPECT to draw a OIL tag?  Even MT and WY you cannot expect it as a resident.

If you guys want better odds at drawing, ID has the best thing going IMHO where you have to pick your poison.  When we want it all, i.e. getting to apply for bull, quality bull, antlerless, moose, sheep, goat, yada yada yada, well then your odds are realistically going to go $hit.

For moose, Idaho comes close.  The problem with Idaho is that you will actually draw within a few years: you need to fork over some big bills when you do.

[coachcw]

plain and simple numbers game . I don't like the late deadline on the raffle tags seems that they sell a bunch of tickets after people realize they didn't draw a quality tag . how about if you harvest a deer or elk you loose a point or two , that may make us pass up some dinks ?

[huntnphool]

. how about if you harvest a deer or elk you loose a point or two , that may make us pass up some dinks ?

 All that would do is scew the reporting numbers even worse. There were already a lot of guys on this site that admitted to false reporting even without penalty, do you think they are going to be more likely to report honestly if they are penalized for being successful?

[MtnMuley]

I say give a guaranteed percentage (say 50% where there are more that 1 tag) of the OIL tags to those in the maximum point pool.  

[Chesapeake]

I would be on board with making the OIL tags so that you only get to draw 1 OIL tag in a lifetime.  If you draw a hunt your done for life for all 3 species.

 

[bobcat]

I would be on board with making the OIL tags so that you only get to draw 1 OIL tag in a lifetime.  If you draw a hunt your done for life for all 3 species.

I would be fine with that but it wouldn't help draw odds much, if at all.

What they need to do is to allow a person to only apply for one, instead of all three.

[JLS]

I say give a guaranteed percentage (say 50% where there are more that 1 tag) of the OIL tags to those in the maximum point pool.

Can you spell massive point creep?

[huntnphool]

I would be on board with making the OIL tags so that you only get to draw 1 OIL tag in a lifetime.  If you draw a hunt your done for life for all 3 species.

[Chesapeake]

I say give a guaranteed percentage (say 50% where there are more that 1 tag) of the OIL tags to those in the maximum point pool.

The problem with going to such a system at this point is that there are soo many people in the top points brackets there would be massive points creep. The guys with 17 points would take the next 10 years to draw out all three species. Meanwhile those with less than 17 would have almost no chance of drawing. Then at about 10 years from now you would start into the guys that have 16 points now, but they would have 26 or so by then.

What we need is a system that reduces the number of applicants. There isnt enough tags to keep up with the current demand at this point. We need to reduce demand.