Tpwd new draw system is a failure

[Felix40]

Hate it. I don't have the money to apply for 20 different hunts every year. Also, I wish they would get their crap together and get the applications done earlier in the year. I drew a hunt two years ago that I couldn't go on because I only had two weeks notice to take off an entire week. The whole thing is pretty much useless to me now.

[bossbowman]

My son and I got drawn last years PLUS he got drawn for Youth hunt.....BOTH on the SAME weekend. Lost our points!! Hunedt three days in the pouring rain for one doe! All those points....shot to hell!

Bastrop?

[Slick8]

Look more closesly, that # is 1300 APPLICATIONS , you can put up to 4 applicants on an application, most of these hunts now have less than a 1% chance of drawing,

Thanks, I feel better now....

Complain as I may, I'll still apply and still look forward to the results...someone has to win each of them.

[denowt]

Guess I don't understand what people are crying about....

Is it because there are more applying online?

Yes, and they don't like the competition.

I agree I'm prolly gonna end up not even applying. Another example of government finding a way to screw ppl out of more money!

I agree. It's become a real PITA and success rate is a joke now. If I didn't have 10-12 points in like 6 cat's I'd probably quit trying Lol

Awesome!!!
I hope a lot of others have this same opinion and don't apply.
It'll make my chances that much better.

I have the same question. Are there a bunch more applications now simply because applying online is easier than applying by mail?

Yes, but starting last year, you could apply for multiple hunts in the same category. In the past you could only apply for 1 hunt per category.

I think the way the preference points work is, if you have 14 points, then your name would be put in 14 times ( I think).

So if before you had 500 people putting in and now you have 1000 people putting in, and your name still only goes in 14 times, your odds would be about half as "good" as they were before.

They should look at a real preference point system where the people with the most points get drawn first, what tags are left go to the people with the next most and so on till all tags are distributed.

This is my only complaint about the Texas draw system.
They need to make it a true "preference" point system where the ones with the most points actually get more preference than the other applicants.

lol... before you had a 99% chance of NOT winning, and now people are mad that it is 99.5% chance of NOT winning.

Agreed.

Wrong, your odds of drawing have gone down exponentially. I think alot dont realize how many more hunts and permits they used to award as well. The archery category is a shadow of its former self, there are a whole lot less # of permits up for grabs than their used to be. I will do some digging tonite on some old draw hunt booklets and give an idea of how may permits their "used" to be a decade ago and earlier, its almost like they are trying to phase out the draw hunts slowly.

Maybe on some areas, but it's definitely not "exponentially" worse than before.
For example, for the Gun Deer Either Sex(trophy hunt) at the Chaparral, in 2013/2014 season, there were 2609 applicants for 40 permits for a success rate of 1.53%
In the 2014/2015 season, there were 4118 applicants for 40 permits for a success rate of 0.97%
That's just a hair over 0.5% difference. I wouldn't call half a percent to be an exponential number.
I will concede that the hunts that are typical low trophy quality "meat" hunts may have a greater increase though.
My group only put in for Chaparral last year for GDE because we had several PPs and didn't want to waste them on the lower quality hunts. We were drawn last year, so now we have 0 PPs. This year, we will probably enter a few extra hunts in this category.

I like the new system a LOT better. Easier to use and I can choose multiple places in the category or categories I care about rather than having to put in only one in each category hoping to win a hunt. The other piece they added that I like a lot is the secondary drawing when someone doesn't pay. I won a couple last year on that secondary drawing.

It is ironic that people complained for years to TPWD about only being able to choose one hunt per category. And now that they changed it people are complaining about the change.

People are going to complain about any change.
If Texas was still requiring postage stamp entries, people would be complaining about that as well.

My son and I got drawn last years PLUS he got drawn for Youth hunt.....BOTH on the SAME weekend. Lost our points!! Hunedt three days in the pouring rain for one doe! All those points....shot to hell!

I don't understand how that is the TPWD's fault.
There are only so many dates available. It is impossible for some hunts to not overlap.
You made the choice to enter both hunts.
You should've been ready for the possibility of getting drawn for both.

Hate it. I don't have the money to apply for 20 different hunts every year. Also, I wish they would get their crap together and get the applications done earlier in the year. I drew a hunt two years ago that I couldn't go on because I only had two weeks notice to take off an entire week. The whole thing is pretty much useless to me now.

No one is forcing you to apply for 20 different hunts.

We've always gotten a minimum of a month's notice when drawn in the past.
I usually request time off before the hunts are drawn, just in case.
If we're not drawn, then I either hunt at home, or reschedule my vacation.
How much advanced notice does your company require?

There has always been a phone number to call to check on your status.
It takes a while to get through on the draw date because EVERYONE is calling in on that day.
Then you got a postcard a few days later.
The new system has a much faster notification since they email you immediately after you are drawn.
Last year, I received an email about my successful draw before I was able to get through on the phone line.

[Slick8]

Dennis, post up you buck on this thread. I remember seeing it soaking at Mikes shop last year.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=536697

[denowt]

Look more closesly, that # is 1300 APPLICATIONS , you can put up to 4 applicants on an application, most of these hunts now have less than a 1% chance of drawing,

Each person is an applicant.
You have up to 4 applicant/applications on each card.
If they say 1300 applications were submitted, that means 1300 people applied.
It would make no difference if there were 425 cards submitted with 4 people on each or if there were 1300 cards submitted with only 1 person on each.
1300 is 1300 is 1300. It doesn't matter how it was divided up.

The confusion may come from the way some of the areas handle standby cards.
At the Chaparral for example, he usually will draw a certain amount of cards dependent on how many open pastures are available.
It doesn't matter if the cards have 1 or 4 people on them, he is only drawing a set amount of cards.
If he decides to draw 7 cards, that could mean 7 hunters or that could mean 28 hunters, or any number in between.

The regular draw goes by total number of hunters.
They will continue drawing cards until that number is reached.
When the hunter number is reached, that's it.

[graesz]

With any new system being implemented there are obviously pros and cons. I enjoyed the mail system, however we live in the 21st century. This previous season I drew five hunts.

Gene Howe - bow
Mason Mountain - bow
Pedernales Annex - rifle, but was a muzzleloader hunt
Seminole Canyon - rifle, but was a muzzleloader hunt
James Daughtry - hook and line alligator hunt.

I could not make the Gene Howe and Mason Mountain hunt due to a last minute elk hunt in Colorado. I entered those hunts without prior plans, with full intentions in the event that if I was drawn that I could make it. My buddy that submits on the same ticket made the Gene Howe hunt and saw the parks largest buck, a 3.5 year old 8 point at 98", confirmed by the biologist who conducted the survey.

That being said, I was successful at Pedernales. I believe it is 700 acres on the other side of the river for three hunters for three days, whitetail and exotics (Spanish goats with the occansional Sitka or axis) with muzzledloader. In total we killed 4 Spanish goats. I did see two different bucks in the 120-130" range, but could not seal the deal.

I was also successful on the Seminole Canyon hunt - muzzleloader - which lasted two days. My buddy and I hunted the south unit along the Rio. I killed a 5.5 year old 7 point that was broken on every tine. We did see two different bucks in the 130" range, again couldn't make it happen.

We both were unsuccessful on the alligator hunt.

With all that said, when the new system launched I did what some do. Apply for multiple hunt areas within each hunt code. I would have to say that this is a bad decision. For example, yes the Pedernales was a great hunt. The staff were great, the accommodations were great (an old cabin on the east side of the river only available to staff or hunters), and the geography was great, but I would not put in for a rifle hunt there. Sure you could kill a big deer, but I would rather save my points for the Chap or another similar area = 4 points burned.

Same with Gene Howe, although I could not go, my buddy said it was brutal - sure big deer come from that area but I would rather save points for a change of trophy animal on another property = 4 points burned.

[denowt]

Dennis, post up you buck on this thread. I remember seeing it soaking at Mikes shop last year.



http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...d.php?t=536697

Done

[Buck Slayer]

Could somebody break this down for a beginner, I was looking at putting in for some hunts this year. But now with all this hooplah I have no clue how this system works or what would be the best hunts/strategy for me to enter with.

[Shane]

Could somebody break this down for a beginner, I was looking at putting in for some hunts this year. But now with all this hooplah I have no clue how this system works or what would be the best hunts/strategy for me to enter with.

Go here and scroll down to where it says Getting Started....

https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/

Everything anybody here could type is already there, and the TPWD site will be correct information for sure.

[Buck Slayer]

Go here and scroll down to where it says Getting Started....

https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/

Everything anybody here could type is already there, and the TPWD site will be correct information for sure.

Ok thanks Sorry I guess my end of the work day laziness kicked in

[SCREAMINREELS]

Not a fan of the new system either in comparison to the old mail in but its generating alot of money for the department. Last year even though it was an option to put in for multiple in each category i did my norm of only applying for one of each.

I was drawn in the second drawing for the chap archery hunt and the only one for that hunt. was told i was the first one ever for the chap which was pretty cool. So as small as the second hunt chance is of being drawn it happend to me.

I honestly wish it cost more to apply. people look at $3 as nothing to just throw away and will apply for everything without true intention to even go/ take off work make arrangements etc. theyyl get lucky and get drawn and the guy applying forever will be passed by again.

I know some states you pay the whole fee then get refunded if not drawn. doubt wed ever go that route but i think it would tell you who was serious about it and decrease the number of apps and the number of no shows including the free ones like SHNF doe tags...i wonder how many people got them just because its easy to apply now and free and never even hunted and took it from a seasoned hunter that loves/uses the shnf every year as his only source of meat

[JustinJ]

With any new system being implemented there are obviously pros and cons. I enjoyed the mail system, however we live in the 21st century. This previous season I drew five hunts.

Gene Howe - bow
Mason Mountain - bow
Pedernales Annex - rifle, but was a muzzleloader hunt
Seminole Canyon - rifle, but was a muzzleloader hunt
James Daughtry - hook and line alligator hunt.

I could not make the Gene Howe and Mason Mountain hunt due to a last minute elk hunt in Colorado. I entered those hunts without prior plans, with full intentions in the event that if I was drawn that I could make it. My buddy that submits on the same ticket made the Gene Howe hunt and saw the parks largest buck, a 3.5 year old 8 point at 98", confirmed by the biologist who conducted the survey.

That being said, I was successful at Pedernales. I believe it is 700 acres on the other side of the river for three hunters for three days, whitetail and exotics (Spanish goats with the occansional Sitka or axis) with muzzledloader. In total we killed 4 Spanish goats. I did see two different bucks in the 120-130" range, but could not seal the deal.

I was also successful on the Seminole Canyon hunt - muzzleloader - which lasted two days. My buddy and I hunted the south unit along the Rio. I killed a 5.5 year old 7 point that was broken on every tine. We did see two different bucks in the 130" range, again couldn't make it happen.

We both were unsuccessful on the alligator hunt.

With all that said, when the new system launched I did what some do. Apply for multiple hunt areas within each hunt code. I would have to say that this is a bad decision. For example, yes the Pedernales was a great hunt. The staff were great, the accommodations were great (an old cabin on the east side of the river only available to staff or hunters), and the geography was great, but I would not put in for a rifle hunt there. Sure you could kill a big deer, but I would rather save my points for the Chap or another similar area = 4 points burned.

Same with Gene Howe, although I could not go, my buddy said it was brutal - sure big deer come from that area but I would rather save points for a change of trophy animal on another property = 4 points burned.

Good grief you're lucky

[LeanMachine]

Situation may not be as ideal as it was but i will still apply for a few. Its too cheap not to. Dont like your odds? Dont apply. Call after the permit fees are due and see how many standby spots they will have. Show up and put your name in the standby drawing. Doesn't cost a dime unless you draw. It got me a spike last year.

[Kdog]

I put in for a couple of hunts this year. Hope I can draw, but not betting on it.