Post Drawn Hunt Season Convo

[DUKFVR]

Tpwd doesn't give a ratz azz about anyone. Just $$$$$
f tpwd

[Yakinthebox]

Tpwd doesn't give a ratz azz about anyone. Just $$$$$
f tpwd

You're not wrong! Lol

[brokeno]

Make out of state hunter buy a non resident hunting license in order to enter the draw system
cut back on youth hunts. Youth have the rest of their life to draw a permit.
I’ve put in for 49 years for Chap and never drawn. 40 preference points and 9 yrs before they started counting points.
charge a trophy fee on premier hunts to keep hunters from harvesting immature deer. $250 for mature buck $750 for immature deer or something like this.
Quit shooting spikes on antherless hunts.
And last ADD A Senior division for old folks like me.

[Yakinthebox]

Brokeno, genuinely curious here. Why are you so dead set on Chap? Is that the only Either Sex Rifle hunt you apply for? Judging by the past few years, I truly hope you don't draw it and then be disappointed because honestly the bucks have predominantly looked average.

I don't mean I hope you don't draw it but rather I hope you're not disappointed once you draw it.

I do believe you'll draw it soon though.

[bigdaddy590]

I wish some of you were as right as you were passionate

[WinslowBoy]

I talked to staff at a NWR one day about it and was told that because most of the NWR units were purchased with waterfowl federal funds and one of the stipulations was about feed so I don’t think it can ever be changed if that was the purchase stipulation. But honestly, I’m against it anyway. Takes away from the true hunt experience and difficulty that makes these hunts so much fun. (Just like I’m against e-bikes, but I’ll get flamed for that opinion lol)

I also don’t understand why people want to limit us to 3 choices between categories. I don’t like the idea of being limited to what I can chose as a resident. Maybe it’ll increase your odds a little? But if you’re just an unlucky person, you’re still not gonna draw anyway

Focus should be on non-resident changes. Heck, Utah just stuck it to non-res , so why can’t we start making them buy a license first. We are saying, you can’t come hunt here, but you gotta pay first to come hunt our state like we do yours.

As far as the NWR not allowing baiting, it is codified in Federal Regulations that baiting is not allowed (see below). So even if a NWR Manager wanted to allow baiting, he (or she in most cases now) wouldn't be allowed to under Federal law. Stupid in my opinion since the entire rest of the state allows it and somehow Alaska got an exemption. Since Trump is hammering all the current environmental rules/laws, I think we should petition him to change this one too

And I'm one of those in favor of unlimited applications per category. It's my money and I feel like it's Christmas on drawing day. Not knowing if OR WHERE I might get drawn. Anyway, I think since they started cubing preference points, we will see most high point winners in the future. Everybody except for BrokenO apparently..... We are pulling for you again this year.


50 CFR § 32.2 - What are the requirements for hunting on areas of the National Wildlife Refuge System


§ 32.2 What are the requirements for hunting on areas of the National Wildlife Refuge System?

The following provisions shall apply to each person while engaged in public hunting on areas of the National Wildlife Refuge System:

(a) Each person shall secure and possess the required State license.

(b) Each person 16 years of age and older shall secure and possess a Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp while hunting migratory waterfowl.

(c) Each person shall comply with the applicable provisions of Federal law and regulations including this subchapter and the current Federal Migratory Bird Regulations.

(d) Each person shall comply with the applicable provisions of the laws and regulations of the State wherein any area is located unless further restricted by Federal law or regulation.

(e) Each person shall comply with the terms and conditions authorizing access or use of wildlife refuges, including the terms and conditions under which hunting permits are issued.

(f) Each person must comply with the provisions of any refuge-specific regulations governing hunting on the wildlife refuge area. Regulations, special conditions, and maps of the hunting areas for a particular wildlife refuge are available at that area's headquarters. In addition, refuge-specific hunting regulations for migratory game bird, upland game, and big game hunting appear in §§ 32.20 through 32.72.

(g) The use of any drug on any arrow for bow hunting on national wildlife refuges is prohibited. Archers may not have arrows employing such drugs in their possession on any national wildlife refuge.

(h) The unauthorized distribution of bait and the hunting over bait is prohibited on wildlife refuge areas. (Baiting is authorized in accordance with State regulations on national wildlife refuges in Alaska).

(i) The use of nails, wire, screws or bolts to attach a stand to a tree, or hunting from a tree into which a metal object has been driven to support a hunter is prohibited on wildlife refuge areas.

(j) The use or possession of alcoholic beverages while hunting is prohibited.

(k) You may possess only approved nontoxic shot while in the field, which we identify in 50 CFR 20.21(j), while on Waterfowl Production Areas, or on certain other areas of the National Wildlife Refuge System as delineated on maps, leaflets and/or signs, available at each refuge headquarters or posted at each refuge, or as stated in refuge-specific regulations. Where we allow turkey and deer hunting, you may use slugs and shot containing lead to hunt these species unless prohibited by refuge-specific regulations and/or State law.

(l) The refuge-specific regulations (§ 32.20 through § 32.72) may include the items discussed in § 32.3(b). Refuge permits and brochures should also include those items and any special conditions allowed by paragraph (f) of this section.

[solocam_aggie]

Most of my sentiments towards the draw have already been mentioned. Being a western hunter applying to a multitude of states, it just chaps my rear to see us not require non-res to purchase a non-res hunting license to apply.

This may not be a popular opinion, but we need increase the cost of apps. Doesn't need to be much, but I think this will help with everyone shotgun applying to every hunt. And I'm not knocking those who do this as I do it as well, but at $3 an app why the heck not.

[MooseontheLoose]

Lots of good stuff here already.

My top ask for a few years has been a points-only option. No reason anyone with schedule conflicts or that can’t do a hunt that year should be in the pool with everyone else that is hoping to draw the hunt. Further dilutes the already over-saturated pool. No way you can’t not apply though and miss out on the point.

Next would be a lot of hunts themselves. Most are 2-3 days hunts and lots are assigned blind only. Be great if we got a week or two, or even in some cases a full archery season to hunt a tag. More hunter opportunity. Some places have multiple hunts where you couldn’t do that, but a lot don’t. Have to dodge the general public in some areas, but you have to do that out west too. Most of the general public aren’t around in early morning or evening hunting hours anyways, especially during the week. Just have a check-in program at the park headquarters or app when you kill something. They already have your vehicle and tag info. If you kill, call it in or log it like other states, then you don’t need a babysitter for the whole hunt. Staff have been great almost every hunt I’ve been on, no slight to them there. Probably save them labor hours and OT for the staff that run the hunts as well.

As someone with points in 8 other states for different species, I'm 100% onboard with having nonresidents purchase some kind of license or permit to be able to apply for the hunts. Every other state requires a license or something similar to apply. I don't think the drawn hunts get overly flooded with nonresidents (but I could be wrong). It would at least be consistent with everywhere else.

IMO, sheep, muley, and pronghorn hunts are in such limited quantity they shouldn't be available for non-residents. Every other state has ratios for tag numbers before non-residents can get a sheep tag (have to have 10 tags before 1 can go to NR, etc.). Again, not sure how many actually apply here, but the sheep tag is advertised in the Western hunting mags, so I'm sure it's more than a few. At $3 to apply and no license to buy ahead of time, I bet there’s a lot of NR chasing a desert that throw their name in. It’s too cheap not to.

Raffle or not, I also think the Texas Grand Slam Big Time Hunt should be available for residents only. Anything involving the few sheep hunts available here should be residents only. Let the NRs go on the hog hunt. They get more excited about those things anyways

I'm good with a cost increase and/or limiting apps per category also, just to prevent shotgun applications.

[SwampBuck]

Agreed on the points only option.
non residence having to have a license to apply. Hell anyone for that matter.
Also would like to see some of the hunts structured a little better. Especially the archery hunts where you have a whole unit/area and the animals aren’t baited regularly or ahead of time. Had a great hunt this past year but by the time orientation was done Monday and then having to leave by noon Friday it was pretty rough to get on the animals in such a short time frame, especially given the early season and the heat. Ultimately I should have tagged something and that’s on me… but man it’s a crunch to make it happen in that amount of time on a place you don’t know with a bow. I was really having to get it. And from the sounds of that hunt afterwards a lot of people had way less luck, saw less than what I ultimately did. Very few animals harvested. If maintaining the numbers is really their goal, we all fell short on that hunt.

[Grndchecker]

My son and I finally got drawn together on one. He enters a lot more than I do on his own and has had some luck. I was disappointed on the one I drew that was listed as Gun deer management and during orientation we were told it would be doe and spike. With having points in both categories it's wrong to take my points from management and not doe/spike, but I'm not going to complain much as I was happy to be drawn for a change.

[brokeno]

I use to put in for other hunts like Daughtrey, matador and chap etc. When I hit 30 plus preference points I have just put in for Chap only. If you had 41 preference points where would you pick. I know there are probably better WMA s out there but I know what Chap can grow with the right rainfall at the right time of year. I could put in for some other less popular units and get drawn and kill a deer but I want a chance at a trophy. Maybe I’m wasting my time and points on the chap but one of these days I’m going to get drawn unless I die first.

[justletmein]

I would like to see detailed statistics of each of the drawn hunts. Total applicants, and breakdown of how many points drew how many tags, etc. I suspect they won't and I suspect first time applicants are weighted. Either way I'm curious and overanalyzing stats is kinda fun. It'd be easy to publish a drawn out report after the draw.

We haven't drawn much of anything for quite some time but drew a few nice hunts this year and was almost too busy with it. We don't draw anywhere close to often enough to want a points only option but I don't see why they wouldn't add it anyway as easy as it would be.

[nhk001]

For out of state hunters to pay more for the draws, like at least triple. I know TPWD wants money but you got to give your own residents an advantage. Big Time Texas hunts is a little different, but there's always one person that wins from out of state. For me, I just don't think they should pay the same us residents do.

[diamond10x]

My two that have been on my list for a long time:

1. NR should be required to purchase a license before applying to ANY draw hunt whether it be the NWR's, GMA's, or Big Time Hunts drawings.

2. Point only option.

[Yakinthebox]

My two that have been on my list for a long time:

1. NR should be required to purchase a license before applying to ANY draw hunt whether it be the NWR's, GMA's, or Big Time Hunts drawings.

2. Point only option.

This certainly seems like the most common wants. And I'm 10000000% on board!