Tpwd new draw system is a failure

[Limbwalker]

One other thing about in-person registration for doe permits...

It increases the quality of the hunt, and the chances that those permits will find their way onto an actual deer. How? Because at a minimum, you have a person who has actually set foot on the forest at least once, and had a chance to talk to a live person about the rules, places to go, etc. It also means that the typical permit holder will be more experienced and therefore more likely to be successful at harvesting a doe. If someone has spent time in the forest and had success before, they will be more likely to make the effort to pick up their permit in person. Those who can't figure out the forest, don't feel like making a long drive, or just don't feel comfortable there won't come back for a permit the following year.

An anonymous on-line system is just too random if you are trying to achieve a real biological outcome.

[Limbwalker]

I did not mean to imply that you were in that same category as the guys who think Granger is their own personal lease.

I live about 1.5 hours from Granger and would also utilize a permit if I was drawn.
The locals don't seem to want anyone else "trespassing on their hunting grounds" and will apparently do almost anything to keep others out.
I had posted on a Granger thread before the online system and said something to the effect of locals seemed to receive preferential treatment with the issuance of permits since it seemed anyone not from that area did not receive permits and that the permits were drawn by the Granger employees.
I was quickly scolded for even implying such a thing, and that nothing could be further from the truth.
The next year, the online system was implemented and the permits were drawn by a computer in Austin.
Very few of the locals were drawn and they were furious that the state gave away their permits to out of towners.

Coincidence? I think not.

I've learned through this forum that Granger is it's own animal. Just post anything on the Public Hunting forum about leaving stands at Granger and see what I mean.

[denowt]

One other thing about in-person registration for doe permits...

It increases the quality of the hunt, and the chances that those permits will find their way onto an actual deer. How? Because at a minimum, you have a person who has actually set foot on the forest at least once, and had a chance to talk to a live person about the rules, places to go, etc. It also means that the typical permit holder will be more experienced and therefore more likely to be successful at harvesting a doe. If someone has spent time in the forest and had success before, they will be more likely to make the effort to pick up their permit in person. Those who can't figure out the forest, don't feel like making a long drive, or just don't feel comfortable there won't come back for a permit the following year.

An anonymous on-line system is just too random if you are trying to achieve a real biological outcome.

I think a good compromise would be to have the online system as is for the postcard hunts, but require that the winners pick up their permits on/by a certain date.
Any permits not picked up, would go into a standby pile, where the serious hunters could show up and have a reasonable chance of getting a permit.

I've learned through this forum that Granger is it's own animal. Just post anything on the Public Hunting forum about leaving stands at Granger and see what I mean.

I've learned to simply avoid posting on any thread about Granger.
I'll probably get enough people complaining about this post once the "regular" Granger hunters read it.

[Limbwalker]

I've learned to simply avoid posting on any thread about Granger.
I'll probably get enough people complaining about this post once the "regular" Granger hunters read it.

Yes. LOL.

[Limbwalker]

I think a good compromise would be to have the online system as is for the postcard hunts, but require that the winners pick up their permits on/by a certain date.
Any permits not picked up, would go into a standby pile, where the serious hunters could show up and have a reasonable chance of getting a permit.

That could work, but the most successful systems mimimize the staff time required to deliver them. I'm sure the FS staff were happy to be rid of the mail-in cards, however, they still need to ensure a reasonable harvest if they are going to call themselves a WMA.

[bossbowman]

Don't hunt sam but do granger, I would like to see both gone out of the online system. The doe permits for sam could go back to the way it was in the past, granger should have the draw in august onsite and you have to be present to get your permit. Lots of unused permits for both places last year.

[BlacktailSlayer]

I actually like the new system. Last year I was able to draw for the inks lake hunt, but i did notice that over 1400 people applied for only 10 spots! I think it would be better if it would limit one hunt per category - just to increase the odds and get people to focus on the areas they really want to hunt. Now I find myself applying for more hunts to increase my odds, but am appreciative when my name gets called. Can't beat the cost if you are selected.

[James]

I posted this on the other thread but will post it here.

Ok I called TPWD and talked to a nice woman name Kristen for a long time about everything. There are many factors that go into it every year. Here are some reasons for decreased hunts.....

- About 5 years ago TPWD layed off a lot of employees and to this day they haven't replaced those positions... Meaning they have less people employed to run hunts. Each WMA area has a set amount of people working there. Some more than others but with limited employees they can do limited hunts.

- many factors have decreased areas like flood at Richland, the burn at chap a few years back, panhandle and other droughts decreasing the harvest quote. Basically they had a much higher deer quote to take some years than this year

- they switch hunts around like bow to rifle when a hunt is unseccesful in bow the previous year. To reach the harvest quote next year they figure they need more rifle hunts rather than bow hunts for example. They also will do a big ecard hunt at places like garner which causes them to decrease the number of drawn hunts at that WMA. Some years people get upset but they don't realize places like garner offer the ecard which takes up a majority of the spots that were drawn in previous years

As far as applying for multiple hunts within a unit. They did a survey prior to that being introduced and that's what the majority of the people wanted. After the first year they got very positive feedback from it so they continued it this year. It was not to make a big profit margin like most people thought. It is basically just helping replace all the resources they lost a few years back when TPWD layed off a large portion of employees.

A brought to her attention why I do not like the new system having 15 points and it decreasing my odds drastically for the hunts I've been trying to get for years and she said she understands. That was a chance they had to take to try and make the majority of people happy with the new system, you can't make everyone happy it's just impossible.

They are going to try and introduce a multiple system in the future but have not come up with the exact formula yet. Something like 1-4 pref points x2 goes in (for example if you had 4 pref points you would be entered 8 times... To try and please the people that do not like the system and highly increase their odds of being drawn. They even had a large portion of people in the survey that wanted to eliminate all pref points (liberal America BS)

Anyways hope this helps.

[jkelbe]

Thanks for the info James

[sqiggy]

- About 5 years ago TPWD layed off a lot of employees and to this day they haven't replaced those positions... Meaning they have less people employed to run hunts. Each WMA area has a set amount of people working there. Some more than others but with limited employees they can do limited hunts.

- many factors have decreased areas like flood at Richland, the burn at chap a few years back, panhandle and other droughts decreasing the harvest quote. Basically they had a much higher deer quote to take some years than this year

- they switch hunts around like bow to rifle when a hunt is unseccesful in bow the previous year. To reach the harvest quote next year they figure they need more rifle hunts rather than bow hunts .

Some makes sense. Like the reduced number of employees.
I'm not buying into the flood thing. Last time I drove across the Trinity River, which is just south of the Big Lake Bottom WMA, the river was well within it's bank, and that was over 3 weeks ago and there is still a good 2 1/2 months left before RC and Big Lake would had their first hunt.
I also don't buy into the switching hunts around. Like I said before, I had always applied for Kerr WMA for my archery hunt. They took it out of the archery line up a few years back and it hasn't been back since.

[huntinfool]

I did not mean to imply that you were in that same category as the guys who think Granger is their own personal lease.

I live about 1.5 hours from Granger and would also utilize a permit if I was drawn.
The locals don't seem to want anyone else "trespassing on their hunting grounds" and will apparently do almost anything to keep others out.
I had posted on a Granger thread before the online system and said something to the effect of locals seemed to receive preferential treatment with the issuance of permits since it seemed anyone not from that area did not receive permits and that the permits were drawn by the Granger employees.
I was quickly scolded for even implying such a thing, and that nothing could be further from the truth.
The next year, the online system was implemented and the permits were drawn by a computer in Austin.
Very few of the locals were drawn and they were furious that the state gave away their permits to out of towners.

Coincidence? I think not.

I thought your comments were directed at me, so please accept my apology.

[HR3]

yep

Sounds like a win for the financial people at tpwd, $3 per application adds up.

They likely tripled their application revenue.

this

[panhandlehunter]

I donated them a little money today. I've never been drawn, been applying for 3-4 years.

[hooligan]

I drew last year

[sqiggy]

I donated them a little money today. I've never been drawn, been applying for 3-4 years.

I drew last year

I drew the 2nd year I put in. Last time I drew was 2 years ago. Been drawn a whole bunch inbetween.
Afraid it will be a while before I get drawn again, if ever.
Just wished TPWD would have put a cap on the number of times you could apply for one category.