Tpwd new draw system is a failure

[denowt]

Heres the #'s on permits offered over the last 10 years for archery deer, from 2010 to 2013 I did include the crossbow category, this category went away last year.

2005-979 permits, 21 areas
2006-?
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

Thats a 72% decline in archery draw permits since 2005...

I would bet the gun permits went down also, but at a smaller percentage.
The gun kill percentage would probably be about the same in 2005 as it is in 2015.
However, the archery kill percentage is probably a lot more in 2015 than it was in 2005.
The reason, archery equipment and hunters are much better now than they were in 2005.

The permits for each WMA is based on the biologist's recommended harvest for that particular area.
I'm pulling these numbers out of the air, but I think you should get the point.
In 2005, if a particular WMA issued 60 permits, the expected deer killed by archery was probably around 5 or less.
In 2015, same WMA, same 60 permits, the expected deer killed would be closer to 20 or even 30, so the available permits goes down because they don't need that many deer killed.
I have no idea if that has anything to do with it, but it seems plausible to me.

Even under the old system, I had 20 PP before I got drawn for the Chaparral. Hope I don't have to wait another 20 years to get drawn again.

This is the only downside to the way Texas handles PP.
We were drawn for Chaparral GDE with only 2 or 3 PP.
Then again this past year with only 6 PP.
We were drawn for Chaparral ADE with only about 6 or so.
Then drawn for Chaparral Xbow with only 2 PP.
PP really don't mean a whole lot in Texas.
Getting your name thrown in the hat 20 times really doesn't make much of a difference when there's 3000 other people with their name in the same hat, many of them also with a number of PPs.

Can't you buy a $40 permit and hunt over 1,000,000 acres? Why is erybody so hell bent on hunting in these parks?

Success rate, organized hunt, defined boundaries from other hunters, no one walking through your set up right at day break, etc.

[Texas Grown]

I'm kinda in a . And hope TP&W just made a mistake. All of my preference points are GONE! And I didn't get drawn for anything last year! My acct even said I didn't get drawn on each of the categories I put in for last year after each of the drawings . I even got the notes in the mail of not being drawn . And some of them I had had been putting in for many years! Some were group hunts.

So, I would suggest each of you go to your acct. and check to see how many preference points you have. I'd like to know now if I'm the only one who lost ALL my points in all categories before I start a correspondence with them.

[denowt]

I'm kinda in a . And hope TP&W just made a mistake. All of my preference points are GONE! And I didn't get drawn for anything last year! My acct even said I didn't get drawn on each of the categories I put in for last year after each of the drawings . I even got the notes in the mail of not being drawn . And some of them I had had been putting in for many years! Some were group hunts.

So, I would suggest each of you go to your acct. and check to see how many preference points you have. I'd like to know now if I'm the only one who lost ALL my points in all categories before I start a correspondence with them.

All of my PPs show up.
Good luck with getting yours back.

[grizzman]

This is the only downside to the way Texas handles PP.
We were drawn for Chaparral GDE with only 2 or 3 PP.
Then again this past year with only 6 PP.
We were drawn for Chaparral ADE with only about 6 or so.
Then drawn for Chaparral Xbow with only 2 PP.
PP really don't mean a whole lot in Texas.
Getting your name thrown in the hat 20 times really doesn't make much of a difference when there's 3000 other people with their name in the same hat, many of them also with a number of PPs.
.

I got drawn on Richland GDE the first time my BIL and i applied. I got drawn on Archery Mule Deer and Archery Exotic with very few points and those were hunts with few permits and lots of applicants. I got drawn on RC Archery last year with no PP because I was drawn for the same hunt the previous year.

I have a lot of PP in other categories including some that shouldn't be that hard to draw like Antlerless/spike. You just never know what you might draw.

[denowt]

I got drawn on Richland GDE the first time my BIL and i applied. I got drawn on Archery Mule Deer and Archery Exotic with very few points and those were hunts with few permits and lots of applicants. I got drawn on RC Archery last year with no PP because I was drawn for the same hunt the previous year.



I have a lot of PP in other categories including some that shouldn't be that hard to draw like Antlerless/spike. You just never know what you might draw.

Agreed, especially with your last paragraph.
I've been drawn for Chaparral 4 times in the last 14 years.
But I've got 14 PP for antlerless/spike. I've never drawn a tag for that category.

[bowhunter01]

I got drawn on Richland GDE the first time my BIL and i applied. I got drawn on Archery Mule Deer and Archery Exotic with very few points and those were hunts with few permits and lots of applicants. I got drawn on RC Archery last year with no PP because I was drawn for the same hunt the previous year.

I have a lot of PP in other categories including some that shouldn't be that hard to draw like Antlerless/spike. You just never know what you might draw.

Exactly!!! I'll keep applying every year. You never know.

[Lynn21]

I agree- More red tape from people who probly don't even hunt.

[bossbowman]

However, the archery kill percentage is probably a lot more in 2015 than it was in 2005.

Not really, in 2005 the average success rate for the archery deer category was 17.5%, last year it was 20%, and with such fewer permits thats alot less deer harvested. I'll have to run the %'s for the years in between later as well as the gun deer permit #'s.

[chazbow62]

i like the new system put in for one hunt and drew

[denowt]

Not really, in 2005 the average success rate for the archery deer category was 17.5%, last year it was 20%, and with such fewer permits thats alot less deer harvested. I'll have to run the %'s for the years in between later as well as the gun deer permit #'s.

I stand corrected sir.

I would've thought the success rates would have increased over the years with better equipment.
But I didn't take into account the number of "bow hunters" who picked up their bow at Cabelas/Academy on the way to the hunt.

Also, the archery deer category is only for "trophy" hunts, so the success rate is a little skewed. Most of these hunts allow the taking of does, but few people will shoot a doe when they're hunting for a trophy.
I've been to Chaparral on a archery hunt and a crossbow hunt.
I had multiple shot opportunities on does on both hunts. I chose not to shoot and came home with nothing.
I would bet there are a lot of hunters that do the same.
I believe the success rate would be much higher if there were archery antlerless/spike and/or management hunts available.

[BuckTrail]

Did you submit payment?
I got drawn for GDE at Chaparral last year.
My permit was emailed to me within minutes after payment.



That's strange, TPWD confirmed what I said also.
I'm not sure which one of us is correct, but it can't be both, lol.
Either way, I agree with you that the number applying has gone up, but not exponentially.
Chaparral is probably one of the most popular hunts and it only went up about 0.5%

no payment made, it was a doe tag for shnf which is free if you get drawn

[trophy8]

Nobody apply for the James Daughtrey draw!!!!!!!!

Too late

Im gonna have to hit you up when I draw it this year

[J-Bob]

Nobody apply for the James Daughtrey draw!!!!!!!!

Loved your live hunt there last year. Too bad there are no deer there.

[Parker1]

why can't I find Richland Creek WMA in the draw catalog???

[AJMag]

why can't I find Richland Creek WMA in the draw catalog???

Because it's not there. Main page of tpwd draw hunts tells you it's closed for flooding this year