[southwynd]

What is your opinion of the best way to draw hunters for the public land WMA deer hunting permits? The AGFC changed the drawing for WMA deer permits from a preference point system to a random draw. This was in response to hunters who complained they consistently applied for an area but were not drawn, while they know of someone that gets drawn every year.

Super groups learned how to work the system by having a party leader that had accrued a lot of preference points but never hunted. The AGFC fixed this by zeroing out points of those who were drawn but didn’t purchase permits, but only after they decided to go to a random draw.

In my opinion, if groups received no more points than the person in the group with the least points, it would solve this problem. The AGFC was concerned about limiting the opportunity to bring kids or new hunters along on group hunts since that would reduce the group’s chance of getting drawn. In fairness, we all had to get in line one day. Besides, there are special hunts available to youth hunters that are unavailable to anyone else.

I have applied for an area for the past 5 years and was not drawn until this past season, but I still believe the fairest draw is a systematic lottery weighted in favor of those who have unsuccessfully applied in the past.

 

[steve72444]

Random drawing every hunt is the only fair way to draw for permits.

 

[jhw]

Just open the WMA's up and let anyone hunt that wants to.

 

[ozark outdoorsman]

Random drawing every hunt is the only fair way to draw for permits

Agreed.

I also believe the permit hunts should be scheduled at the same time as private land muzzloading and gun season. That would give the person who has no private land to hunt a better chance to draw a permit.

 

[RippinLips]

What's wrong with the preference point system? You put in for 4 years w/o being drawn, on the 5th your name's in the hat 5 times. Once you get drawn, you start over at one.

 

[miketyson26]

the powers that be...

The draw is hindered by the rules of the WMA's themselves. Some of them have very good deer numbers and very good deer quality. But I think one of the reasons some zones are always overdrawn and others leave permits on the table every year are the rules. Fort Chaffee is a perfect example. A huge number of permits offered. But a great many of them are left on the table after the draw. And even when they go up for sale a good many of them are normally left over. I agree that the restrictions on most WMA's and their permit draws are too restrictive and should be eased. But the powers that be want to control every aspect of the system and the rules fit THEIR purposes not ours.

Miketyson26 :flag:

 

[pirogue]

What's wrong with the preference point system? You put in for 4 years w/o being drawn, on the 5th your name's in the hat 5 times. Once you get drawn, you start over at one.

You have preference points mixed up with bonus points. Preference points means you have 5 points, but the tag selection (some western states allot 20 percent) goes to the applicants with the most preference points and the remaining 80% is drawn from random(each person has one name in the hat). Bonus points, on the other hand, may also have 20% of tags go to those with the most bonus points, but the remaining 80% is drawn from random and if one has 5 bonus points, then he has 5 names in the hat. ndom.in $er mmost western stateseegoes to selection

 

[blackriver 373]

i have never liked the draw system if a wma needs a quota shut the season down on each wma the day its reached.fair to everyone that way!

 

[southwynd]

I also believe the permit hunts should be scheduled at the same time as private land muzzloading and gun season. That would give the person who has no private land to hunt a better chance to draw a permit.

Great idea.

 

[frogleg]

I've thought about this alot since I always had a hard time drawing until the points system came in place. Then I would draw about every three years. I think that once you draw a permit that you should not be eligible for the next years draw. That would keep the same people from getting them year after year.