The issue with that IMO are the people buying points and not actually applying. It causes it to inflate at a higher rate. If you want to wait 20 years for a tag that’s your choice. But letting everyone and there mom buy points and inflate the point system doesn’t seem like the answer to me. That’s just my opinion tho.
Not all states have OTC tags or tags in the second draw/leftover.
It would fix the point creep because there wouldn’t be points. Do you not have an issue with the current point systems? What’s your ideas to improve it?
And that's the beauty of many different states that draw tags in many different ways. Easy enough to drive somewhere else if you don't like a particular system. The point is there are MANY opportunities to hunt, just maybe not the exact one that you're applying for. Sounds like a unit where demand outstrips supply, and that isn't going to get easier to draw under any system.
Agreed, and I do go out of state or across my state to find opportunities. I’ve only seriously paid attention to my states system for the past 10 years. And it’s become a choice between hunting where the hunters out number the game or go out of state. And states are now wanting to slash NR tags. There is ample opportunity to hunt if you are willing to work, I just don’t think the point system is helping provide opportunities for new hunters is all. 20 years from now, points systems could be ridiculous if it continues IMO.
That's not how it works.. you can't just allocate unlimited tags to a limited resource.
Not unlimited tags, a limited amount of tags randomly. And offer other hunting opportunities for people who don’t draw, ie general tags. Just my opinion and preference is all.
If a state is doing a draw system that inherently implies they cannot support a general season. The demand is far greater than the supply. I think everyone's preference would be a general season where you can just buy tags over the counter, but that isn't a realistic solution with the demand far far outpacing the resource.
You could have a system like Utah where you still have to apply for general season tags and some take 4 plus years to draw.
I don’t think there is a right answer, people will be upset no matter what they do. And a big part of the issue is the animal numbers decreasing (especially mule deer) and the hunter numbers increasing. I don’t like the current system and am worried for when my kids want to start hunting in 10+ years. The point creep could be outrageous at that point.
Look I'm not on here to defend point systems. I think almost everything should be random every year... there our cons to random drawing everything, but imo the pros far outweigh the cons. My point was to just state that moving everything to a general season is incredibly unrealistic.
This is a fact that not nearly enough anti-points advocates realize.
My point was more that the term "general season" is not universal across states.
I agree with your points, but I never said unlimited otc tags. Limit the tags in zones, similar to Idaho elk. Some people will be unlucky and not draw or get a general tag. I think tags need to be cut for mule deer across the west, but money talks and that won’t happen.
Wyoming is one of of the few places that can do this, but it doesn't work everywhere. It "works" in Wyoming because relatively speaking our state population hasn't changed that much for a very long time. On top of that our turn over is high enough with the energy industry base that those that pour in for a boom are often on to the next one before they can learn to hunt a general area well. We also have approximately 50% public land, with the largest swaths in the western half of the state with good access. The competition that is here can usually get spread out.
Great points, I hate the idea of buying points and not applying. And I am all for raising costs if the funds actually go back to improving big game habitat.
