2018 TPWD Draw Hunts - let the fun begin

[OldRiverRat]

The old system the odds were better thats a fact, everyone was limited to 1 application per category there were a whole lot less applications not only because of this but also because it wasn't online, now if you wanted to you can apply for 20+ hunts in a category.

The odds may have been better for certain hunts but that doesn’t mean the current system isn’t fair.





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[marshman]

Dang!!!
I spend around 9 bucks!! Haven't drawn a hunt since the "new" system started.
In the old system, I spent $3, but would draw a hunt every so often. Drew 2 years back to back.
If that is what is going to take to draw a hunt now, I might as well bow out. No way I'm going to spend that much for lottery hunts. Guess I'll just hunt more at my place!!

I agree. I’ll spend around $30 or so but I am not forking out $100-200.

[Mr. Public]

Many folks aren't as negative to this new system as others are here. The system has changed. It's done. Doubtful that any comment here will amount to any change. Some folks may disagree. That's fine. Some folks may choose to spend what they want on drawn hunts as that is their best chance on spending money on hunting. Some folks may not be able to afford it. It's all in what it's worth to you. Yeah, it's a money game, but what isn't now in life. To each their own. It's time to put this subject to rest. Good luck to the selected individuals, and good luck to ALL in the future draws this year and in the future. Luck is the draw. Success is in the preparation and execution. May the odds be ever in your favor.

[topduarte]

That is why I can spend about $100 on trying to get drawn on 1 or 2 hunts a year.

I cannot afford those thousands of dollar leases. Overall, I spend about $1000 a year on fees to get drawn/paid permit fees if I get picked/corn/gas/hotel/food/etc.

It makes me and the wife happy.

[Deers & Beers]

I don’t understand how I have “crappier” odds?? Your math doesn’t add up. It’s a random draw. In theory everyone could apply for every hunt in every category which means we all have the same odds not considering preference points. Your odds go up by spending more and applying more, it’s simple stats. Unless the system is rigged, which none of us know or can prove, your odds of drawing a hunt for any one category are as good as anyone else’s. Some years you draw, some you don’t.
I spend about $200 each year and each year I draw a hunt or two.




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There's a difference between "fair" and "odds"

If the average number of places people put in for is over 3 then the odds are automatically worse. Lets say the average is 8 places for Gun Either sex and 5,000 people put in. Well right there there will be 40,000 apps as compared to 15,000 if it was limited to 3, so your odds are about 3x worse. Not to mention they are extra bad for the best hunts (say Chaparral), because everyone will put in for there and then probably pick a few easier ones.

The "is the system fair" topic is a whole different debate. Not having a max point % and only getting 1 name in the hat per point is a pretty poor system for everyone. If you don't have a max draw then you need a way to have people that have been putting in longer win. I don't know of any other draw system in the USA that you get 1 name in the hat per point with no max draw. There may be one, I can't think of it though.. California? Most states square points (like NV, MT, SD, etc.) or give a bonus once you have been putting in for a certain amount of time (ME) if they don't have a max point draw.

[justletmein]

The odds of "drawing a hunt" are the same if you apply for everything like some others do, the odds of drawing a specific hunt are now significantly less. TPWD wants it this way because it's a huge financial boost, so no sense in complaining every year in these threads it is not going away. All the "fixes" we have all suggested will reduce funds to TPWD and that's the bottom line.

[Shane]

The odds are basically the same if you put in for more hunts per category. If you only put in for 1 while everybody else puts in for more hunts, then your odds are worse. But you are free to put in for every hunt, just like all the other guys. It's still fair, whether the odds are better, worse, or the same as before. If someone else had an opportunity to enter multiple drawings and you couldn't, for some reason, then that would be unfair. But we all have the same opportunity to enter multiple drawings in one category. That's fair.

I'd love to see some kind of multiplier for points too, but it's not unfair without it. You still get more free entries for your points. I don't feel like they "owe me" because I sent in my $3 for X number of years. A lot of other guys have too. If they square the points, I won't be the only guy with my name in the hat more times. That will put a whole lot of other names in the hat along with mine. It may not increase my odds of being drawn much at all. I still put in for the Big Time hunts (the $10 ones), and they don't have preference points. You can buy as many $10 entries as you want. Nobody complains about those drawings being unfair every year.

It's a lottery. A few people are gonna be drawn. Most people won't. It's just $3 per entry. TPWD raises some much-needed funds through the drawings. They get to use hunting as a management tool on their parks and WMDs. They could just shoot the excess animals themselves and donate the meat, but they let regular folks hunt instead. Every now and then I get to be one of the hunters. Most of the time it's somebody else. That's why I have a lease. Nobody owes me a place to hunt.

I do think they need to charge more for some out of state hunters to enter (higher entry fee and/or require a license) and limit the number of permits available to hunters from states that charge us more to enter their drawings and/or limit the number of tags available to out of state hunters. Any other state that doesn't penalize out of state hunters shouldn't be penalized here.

[KactusKiller]

The odds are basically the same if you put in for more hunts per category. If you only put in for 1 while everybody else puts in for more hunts, then your odds are worse. But you are free to put in for every hunt, just like all the other guys. It's still fair, whether the odds are better, worse, or the same as before. If someone else had an opportunity to enter multiple drawings and you couldn't, for some reason, then that would be unfair. But we all have the same opportunity to enter multiple drawings in one category. That's fair.

I'd love to see some kind of multiplier for points too, but it's not unfair without it. You still get more free entries for your points. I don't feel like they "owe me" because I sent in my $3 for X number of years. A lot of other guys have too. If they square the points, I won't be the only guy with my name in the hat more times. That will put a whole lot of other names in the hat along with mine. It may not increase my odds of being drawn much at all. I still put in for the Big Time hunts (the $10 ones), and they don't have preference points. You can buy as many $10 entries as you want. Nobody complains about those drawings being unfair every year.

It's a lottery. A few people are gonna be drawn. Most people won't. It's just $3 per entry. TPWD raises some much-needed funds through the drawings. They get to use hunting as a management tool on their parks and WMDs. They could just shoot the excess animals themselves and donate the meat, but they let regular folks hunt instead. Every now and then I get to be one of the hunters. Most of the time it's somebody else. That's why I have a lease. Nobody owes me a place to hunt.

I do think they need to charge more for some out of state hunters to enter (higher entry fee and/or require a license) and limit the number of permits available to hunters from states that charge us more to enter their drawings and/or limit the number of tags available to out of state hunters. Any other state that doesn't penalize out of state hunters shouldn't be penalized here.

Man I’ve typed and deleted several times because it’s like arguing with fence posts but you put it exactly the way it needs to be said.

[Palehorse]

The only "fixes" I would suggest is to allow a points only option on all of the categories. This year, I have been very fortunate to draw 3 hunts so far. That is more time than I have vacation for. The remaining draws, I will likely apply for the hunt that has the worst odds of getting drawn hoping to NOT get drawn so I can collect the point. I'm not the only one who does this either. That drives down the odds for folks that would really like to get drawn for that hunt. With a points only option, draw odds get a little better with no decrease in revenue for TPWD.

Another that might be nice is to require anyone applying to have a current hunting licence. Other states require us to do so and several states don't refund the licence fee. Since residents who apply usually hunt even if they don't get drawn, then it helps us out by thinning out the non-resident applications. It would be extra income from those that do apply.

I do like the new rule that folks that apply for the postcard hunts be current APH holders. That should help the odds on those hunts quite a bit while cutting down on no-shows.

Overall though, I think that TPWD is trying to make the system is about as fair as they can make it. Dealing with too many hunters on too little property can't be easy.

[Shane]

They definitely need to add an option to just buy a point.

[bossbowman]

This year, I have been very fortunate to draw 3 hunts so far. That is more time than I have vacation for.

You know in cases like that it would be nice if they had the option to defer your draw permit to the following year, I hear stories of guys have double digit preference points in multiple categories and then drawing all of them in one year. One of these years thats gonna be me I'm afraid.

[bossbowman]

I do like the new rule that folks that apply for the postcard hunts be current APH holders. That should help the odds on those hunts quite a bit while cutting down on no-shows.

Thats definitely a step in the right direction, I think this is a hint they may start requiring you to possess a hunting license to apply for the draws in the future.

[bigchiefj]

Remember for the hunting license thing that some hunts are due before the current license year expires. That means you could force applicants to buy a license that's basically useless to apply for the early deadlines.

Go ahead and require the license or APH to apply, I guarantee you'll be disappointed when you see how little it impacts the draw odds.

[Grizz83]

They definitely need to add an option to just buy a point.

Totally. I actually didn't apply for several categories because I absolutely cannot go this year, and I don't want to lose 15+ points in the off chance that I do actually draw. I'll sacrifice 1 point in order to save all that I've built up.

[bossbowman]

Remember for the hunting license thing that some hunts are due before the current license year expires. That means you could force applicants to buy a license that's basically useless to apply for the early deadlines.

All they would have to do is start selling hunting licenses earlier in July, or just move the draws later, no reason they have to start august 15.

Go ahead and require the license or APH to apply, I guarantee you'll be disappointed when you see how little it impacts the draw odds.

We will see but I bet it makes a big difference for places like Granger.