Idaho Bonus point system

[awcopeland]

The NRs complaining about the current NR otc tag system may just be what leads to points across the board in Idaho. NRs aren’t going to accept buying licenses and/or apps without anything in return on unsuccessful apps. Also, IDFG only allows a max of 4 hunters on a group application. With coordination, a group of 6-10+ NRs can all get the same otc tags with the current system.

My personal opinion is that the current system, as is, is great.

I don’t agree that NRs won’t accept “buying licenses and not apps without anything return”. Look at NM for example: no points, totally random, pay everything up front, ability to apply as a party for most species, no refunds if you do draw, and we have plenty of NRs trying to draw down here. Listen to just about any Instagram/YouTube personality and NM is in their application strategy. But maybe we’re saying the same thing different ways and I’m misinterpreting you??

Also, this scenario where 6-10 NRs can hunt OTC tags, I’m assuming that’s for non antlered critters, or are that many off based with Idaho’s current system? I frankly don’t pay too much attention to it personally due to logistics.

 

[BRTreedogs]

We fill hanging trees every year in our elk camps. When we’re serious about it, we fill 50% (sometimes more) of our elk tags and everyone who hunts has an opportunity over a week.


We all help on oil or great tags, but otc or otc adjacent tags only the tag holders go typically.

You can’t compare the success of a few to the average.
If you look at the stats of the average that means you’re camp was the success and nobody else shot anything.

Most people eat tag soup, most don’t make it to day 4 and maybe a tenth of a percent will go back in after the first elk is packed out.

 

[IdahoBeav]

They'll keep doing it too. Demand will never go down regardless if a few thousand quit applying.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be change. The current NR OTC system is viewed unfavorably by what seems to be the majority, but it still sells out, and it appears it will be changing due to complaints.

 

[IdahoBeav]

I don’t agree that NRs won’t accept “buying licenses and not apps without anything return”. Look at NM for example: no points, totally random, pay everything up front, ability to apply as a party for most species, no refunds if you do draw, and we have plenty of NRs trying to draw down here. Listen to just about any Instagram/YouTube personality and NM is in their application strategy. But maybe we’re saying the same thing different ways and I’m misinterpreting you??

Also, this scenario where 6-10 NRs can hunt OTC tags, I’m assuming that’s for non antlered critters, or are that many off based with Idaho’s current system? I frankly don’t pay too much attention to it personally due to logistics.

How many allocated NR deer and elk tags does NM offer each year? Were these recently OTC? I’m not very familiar with NM.

I’ll reiterate that I don’t want a points system in Idaho, and with a new NR “OTC” draw and no points, I believe the tags will still sell out. However, there will be a very loud group claiming that it isn’t fair that year-after-year they apply and get nothing. There have been some significant changes in recent years as a result of people screeching at IDFG.

The 6-10+ NR group hunts with the current system would be antlered, but it takes homework, coordination, and effort to get the tags. I wouldn’t say that those griping about the NR system are off base, but they do only wish to put in minimal effort in obtaining tags.

 

[idahodave]

Or, hear me out, are smart enough to actually figure it out and learn how to play the game.

If you think I don’t understand the game…you’re sorely mistaken. I worked for IDFG for a period of time and had a front row seat to some REALLY detailed discussions about this.

Another poster said it best…point systems only benefit those on the ground floor (minimally) and those seeking mediocre tags. Statistically speaking, most will draw that mediocre tag over time anyway.

I’m not interested in mortgaging my son’s future hunting opportunities so you can be “guaranteed” a mediocre tag in the next 5-10 years. Nor am I interested in spending a bunch of money unnecessarily in the hopes I can keep up with your desire to do the same.

Hard pass friend…and thankfully almost everyone interested in this topic agrees with me…or do you think we all just need to “learn to play the game” that you think you have figured out?

Dave

 

[Idahohillboy]

Instead of a bonus point system just increase draw prices to 200.00 a person on like 15 premium units per species. This would stop everyone from putting their whole family in at 5.00 a pop. Then make people who draw sit out 3 years instead of just 1. Speaking as a guy who has drawn one elk tag as rez then non rez n back to rez in 25 years of applying. People would still have other draw units and the general tags when they have to sit out.

 

[WRO]

If you think I don’t understand the game…you’re sorely mistaken. I worked for IDFG for a period of time and had a front row seat to some REALLY detailed discussions about this.

Another poster said it best…point systems only benefit those on the ground floor (minimally) and those seeking mediocre tags. Statistically speaking, most will draw that mediocre tag over time anyway.

I’m not interested in mortgaging my son’s future hunting opportunities so you can be “guaranteed” a mediocre tag in the next 5-10 years. Nor am I interested in spending a bunch of money unnecessarily in the hopes I can keep up with your desire to do the same.

Hard pass friend…and thankfully almost everyone interested in this topic agrees with me…or do you think we all just need to “learn to play the game” that you think you have figured out?

Dave

I draw tags in a couple states a year on average, I think I have a pretty good idea how each system works and use them successfully.

Idfg has a very interesting management system which basically is every excess animal not harvested is a waste of the resource.

 

[idelkslayer]

Instead of a bonus point system just increase draw prices to 200.00 a person on like 15 premium units per species. This would stop everyone from putting their whole family in at 5.00 a pop. Then make people who draw sit out 3 years instead of just 1. Speaking as a guy who has drawn one elk tag as rez then non rez n back to rez in 25 years of applying. People would still have other draw units and the general tags when they have to sit out.

Wyoming basically does that with the "Special" draw. It doesn't seem to reduce demand. And even if it did, it would push more applicants tot he remaining controlled hunt units and drive down drawing odds there. Increased wait times could give drawing odds a bump but it's hard to say how much. In a hunt with 20% drawing odds a three year wait time could theoretically increase the drawing odds by up to 13% (Just eliminate two years of successful applicants or 40% of applicants and check the odds again). In a hunt with 10% drawing odds it would only increase drawing odds by 3%. Is that enough to matter? I'm a firm maybe.

What baffles me is the amount of hunters who draw a controlled hunt tag and then don't even go on the hunt. It would be nearly impossible to enforce any kind of penalty on those tag wasters because they could just go online on their hunter report and say they hunted to avoid the penalty.