TPWD Draw Hunts - New this Summer

[ground level]

I wanted to let all know before I retire, that the Drawing Hunts for TPWD will be entirely ONLINE and no more paper applications or draw booklet - going paperless.

A few things that you'll be able to accomplish for the Drawing Hunts;
- have an account that you will be able to login
- apply entirely online
- pay online for each application
- enter more than just one Hunt Area per Hunt Category (which was a disqualification in the past)
- check your Preference Points, Application Status and Draw Status online
- for those Selected for a Hunt, you'll be able to pay online for your hunt
- print off your permit and hunt leaf flyer for your hunt area

But there will be a set date deadline to pay for your hunt permit, if it is missed, you will not be able to go on that hunt.

There will be a second drawing when a selected hunter or hunt party does not pay or they cancel their hunt, those who were selected in a second drawing will be notified if they want to attend that hunt. Reason why this is being done, we have had so many selected hunters who would not pay for their hunt and some of those Hunt Areas did not allow standby applicants, this will assist the hunt managers to fulfill their harvest needs by having all hunt positions taken. Those accepting the second drawing will have a set deadline date to get their payment in as well.

I know alot of you have been looking forward to this and hopefully it will be a much easier system since you'll have control over your account and can access it at any time of the day.

Wish all good luck with the new upcoming Drawing Hunt System and the hunts you put in for this coming summer. Hopefully it will be online come the end of June the same time as the previous year's draw hunts.

[Reaper]

Thank you for the update.

so no more standbys anywhere it sounds like and the rich can enter enough to win. I love the draw hunts but can't say this is all good.

[JustinJ]

So you can buy as many "tickets" as you want for one hunt? Or you can buy only one per specific hunt, but can apply for multiple hunts within the category?

[Take em]

- enter more than just one Hunt Area per Hunt Category (which was a disqualification in the past)

And here goes my chance of ever winning a hunt again. The best part is knowing that you can only choose one hunt in each category and so can everyone else. This i believe keeps the odds better, but less $ i guess. Now I have to spend more, applying to more just to get a spot with the same odds.

And all those preference points I have been saving for the Mule Deer Hunt and antelope hunt are worthless. Ill just apply to every spot and up my odds that way

[Chew]

Great news. Thanks

[ground level]

There will be standbys, but some hunt areas will not have them due to those areas not allowing standby positions. All particulars are not completely ironed out - not sure if there will be an option to buy a preference point, but not enter the drawing.

[ground level]

So you can buy as many "tickets" as you want for one hunt? Or you can buy only one per specific hunt, but can apply for multiple hunts within the category?

No, one can apply for several hunt areas within a Hunt Category.

[ground level]

And all those preference points I have been saving for the Mule Deer Hunt and antelope hunt are worthless. Ill just apply to every spot and up my odds that way

How are they worthless? They still are active and will be applied to your drawings.

With anything, not everyone is going to be pleased, some will like it, some won't and some are not swayed one way or another. Pretty much the same when it comes to a deer harvest regulation.

[JustinJ]

And here goes my chance of ever winning a hunt again. The best part is knowing that you can only choose one hunt in each category and so can everyone else. This i believe keeps the odds better, but less $ i guess. Now I have to spend more, applying to more just to get a spot with the same odds.

And all those preference points I have been saving for the Mule Deer Hunt and antelope hunt are worthless. Ill just apply to every spot and up my odds that way

Like he told me before, you can only apply to a specific hunt once. So someone cant put their name in the hat multiple times by paying more. So your odds in a particular hunt are not changing.

[WinslowBoy]

Sort of a technicality you may not know the answer to but when you say you can apply for multiple hunts in One Category, does that mean (a) you can only apply once per hunt area (i.e. Chaparral) and once per other sites in a certain category or (b) you can apply multiple times for the same hunt area??

Awesome about the online process and also think the second chance permitting is a great idea. I've noticed alot of no-shows/no pays on certain hunts (especially mgmt hunts) and I'm sure that really hurts a location trying to reach a certain harvest number.

MY BAD.... didn't read the above post completely before I posted. Thanks.

[graesz]

Good to know. Thank you for the update.

[ground level]

Like he told me before, you can only apply to a specific hunt once. So someone cant put their name in the hat multiple times by paying more. So your odds in a particular hunt are not changing.

Your odds will increase due to the fact you will be able to apply to more than one Hunt Area/Hunt Category, you will not be limited to only 1 Hunt Area/Hunt Category as before. We took what the public draw hunters were saying in that they wanted to apply for more than 1 Hunt Area/Hunt Category increasing their odds of being drawn for a hunt for an area if they are able to apply for one than just one hunt area/category.

[ground level]

Sort of a technicality you may not know the answer to but when you say you can apply for multiple hunts in One Category, does that mean (a) you can only apply once per hunt area (i.e. Chaparral) and once per other sites in a certain category or (b) you can apply multiple times for the same hunt area??

Thanks.

That would be (a)

[beardedBrazos]

interesting. so the standby positions at a given hunt area will be the permits not paid for from the second drawing?

[Killer]

This sounds great to me. The State needed to do it. Great News. Thanks