TPWD draw booklet

[32drawlength]

^^^thats amazing info

I agree that customers will & are dropping...

I've spent an avg of $80/year & likely won't in the future

[topduarte]

I have been lucky the last few years. It is still cheaper than putting thousands of dollars on a lease.

Just my $0.02

[limbratgod333]

I also like sitting down with the booklet and studying. It's part of the fun.

[John316]

I'll continue to put in for it, but IMO it got ruined when it went to the online system

X2.
The odds of getting drawn were already tough, now they are needle in a haystack odds.

[DJM]

Yep,with the odds so low now,I'd recommend that nobody put in for any of the draw hunts.You should also convince everyone you know not to put in for them.


DJ

[flywise]

There are WAY fewer permits offered now vs. 10 yrs ago. Heres the #'s on permits offered over the last 10 years for archery deer, from 2010 to 2013 I did include the crossbow category, crossbow category has since gone away.

2005-979 permits, 21 areas
2007-666 permits, 18 areas
2008-641 permits, 20 areas
2009-667 permits, 21 areas
2010-805 permits, 21 areas
2011-712 permits, 20 areas
2012-559 permits, 15 areas
2013-476 permits, 16 areas
2014-363 permits, 16 areas
2015-275 permits, 16 areas
2016-304 permits, 17 areas

70% decline in draw permits since 2005...

Could some of the drop be attributed to the drought and an adjustment in management by tpwd? Is it possible that the numbers might climb back up over the next few years?

[James]

There are WAY fewer permits offered now vs. 10 yrs ago. Heres the #'s on permits offered over the last 10 years for archery deer, from 2010 to 2013 I did include the crossbow category, crossbow category has since gone away.

2005-979 permits, 21 areas
2007-666 permits, 18 areas
2008-641 permits, 20 areas
2009-667 permits, 21 areas
2010-805 permits, 21 areas
2011-712 permits, 20 areas
2012-559 permits, 15 areas
2013-476 permits, 16 areas
2014-363 permits, 16 areas
2015-275 permits, 16 areas
2016-304 permits, 17 areas

70% decline in draw permits since 2005...

When I questioned them about this they told me if you look at overall permits it is the same, they just took away from archery and added to rifle or youth supposedly. I did not check personally so do not know.

I like that everything is online but dislike you can apply for every single hunt in one category. I keep telling myself I will save my 100 dollars every year and give up but with 17 points in the popular ones how can I give up now? It is easier drawing a big horn, moose or mountain goat hunt out west over a little WT buck in Texas.

[grizzman]

Yep,with the odds so low now,I'd recommend that nobody put in for any of the draw hunts.You should also convince everyone you know not to put in for them.


DJ

Yup.

[bossbowman]

When I questioned them about this they told me if you look at overall permits it is the same, they just took away from archery and added to rifle or youth supposedly. I did not check personally so do not know.

I am not so sure about that, I will check and report back, I know there were also fewer deer gun permits, I believe in 2015 there were more youth permits than 10 years ago but not enough to offset the drop in all the other categories.

[JustinJ]

When I questioned them about this they told me if you look at overall permits it is the same, they just took away from archery and added to rifle or youth supposedly. I did not check personally so do not know.

I like that everything is online but dislike you can apply for every single hunt in one category. I keep telling myself I will save my 100 dollars every year and give up but with 17 points in the popular ones how can I give up now? It is easier drawing a big horn, moose or mountain goat hunt out west over a little WT buck in Texas.

Where can I draw a bighorn tag with better odds than any of the wt hunts?