Public Hunting Draw Texas

[topher5999]

It has more to do with the number of permits than whether its by compartment or assigned blind. The computer draws at random and if there's 20 permits available and towards the end 18 have been taken, guess what? If the next app drawn is a group size larger than 2, it won't take it. The other guy is right.

I've always applied alone and usually draw at least one hunt, sometimes two a year.

Learn something new every day

[Etxbuckman]

I think you have a lot better odds if you don't go in as a big group.

you have two factors going against you as a big group.
1) your average is diminished by the new guys, so the more new guys in the group the lower your probability.

Each person has their own Pref Points, but in a group your points are averaged.

example:
Person A--> has 9 pref points
Person B--> has 1 pref points

Total tickets entered for GROUP -> (9+1) / 2 = 5 tickets entered for this group.
where if Person A had entered by himself he would of had 9 tickets entered.

2) once the draw gets to a certain number, no way big groups can win anymore, but 1 man, and two man groups can still win. Thus even if your odds are outstanding a lower odd person can win out since your group size is too big for the spots that are left.

But in the long run your groups should still win, just worst odds is all.
--assuming it's the same guys entering with you the last nine years, you should have just the second factor lowering your odds, but if instead you keep getting new guys with 1 pref point, then you have both factors against your group.

Solo hunters have the best odds since often there is only 1 spot left in a draw, and that eliminates all but the solo hunters who entered.

I could be wrong too, just what I understand from the information they have given me over the phone. I'm one of the new guys lowering my uncle's odds as well hah...he took like 20-40 percent probability cuts so we could be on the same group.

The best approach i think, is when you 0 out (win a draw) find out if people want to start entering as a group the next year, and then stick to it, so you all have the same Pref Points. Then you only have the second factor of space left going against your group, after all it is more fun to hunt as a group.

I was beginning to think about this exact thing then lo and behold I see this post.

I will say that it's been the same group of 4 people on the same cards year after year, so I'm not worried about the division of preferance points. I was, however, concerned about the prospect of scenario # 2. Seems that several others have thought about the same thing.

Might have to ditch my father (sorry, dad ) and 2 best friends and fly solo next year. Oh well. I always send in the check and they never pay me back so it's all good LOL

[johnboy33]

Is Richland creek open to the public for scouting, or access for the hunt only?

[Falling]

I was beginning to think about this exact thing then lo and behold I see this post.

I will say that it's been the same group of 4 people on the same cards year after year, so I'm not worried about the division of preferance points. I was, however, concerned about the prospect of scenario # 2. Seems that several others have thought about the same thing.

Might have to ditch my father (sorry, dad ) and 2 best friends and fly solo next year. Oh well. I always send in the check and they never pay me back so it's all good LOL

#1 can hurt your odds a lot more I think.
#2 won't increase your odds a ton, just a small bit, i tried to work it out ...too hard I gave up ;/.


Basically its dependent upon so many factors. How many groups of 4 enters, how many groups of 3, how many groups of 2, how many groups of 1.

Then you have to find out the average ticket bonus of all people (not published), then you have to multiple that by the previous stats, and then find the probable combinations that make up situations where 3/2/1 slots can be left. then even more .... so much math I'd rather just go hike.

Maybe some math pro on here can enlighten us the odds based on a made up average of Pref points.

[grizzman]

Is Richland creek open to the public for scouting, or access for the hunt only?

Call the biologist down there and find out. I have hunted there twice, but never scouted ahead of time. Even if you scout out a good area, there is nothing guaranteed that you will be able to hunt that compartment. They usually try to accomodate you, but if more than one group wants to hunt a compartment, somebody is going to have hurt feelings and not be able to.

[Agsfight]

Got drawn for Fort Boggy. I would appreciate any info on this area

[Heath]

Let's say that a hunt is a "compartment" hunt with 8 spots open. They don't draw 8 cards and take however many they people they get with those 8 cards do they? I was always though they would draw one card and if it had three people on it, then there would only be 5 spots remaining on that hunt. Then they would draw the next card and reduce the number of open spots by people on the winning card.

I just can't see them putting everybody on your card in the same compartment. Can somebody verify this?

[meathunter]

I called today and I got DQ from one card out of about 12. I have no idea why. They were all filled out the same.

[Arrowflinger84]

I never get drawn

[Bilbo]

Let's say that a hunt is a "compartment" hunt with 8 spots open. They don't draw 8 cards and take however many they people they get with those 8 cards do they? I was always though they would draw one card and if it had three people on it, then there would only be 5 spots remaining on that hunt. Then they would draw the next card and reduce the number of open spots by people on the winning card.

I just can't see them putting everybody on your card in the same compartment. Can somebody verify this?

That's pretty much how it works. They usually will always put everyone on your card in the same area unless you specifically ask for it to be different. If there's a lot of people on the hunt and you're solo or with one other, you could get in a compartment with others.

I got drawn for Gus Engeling and there will be 60 hunters that week with bow and xbow. Since I'm solo I'll likely be with others in a unit.

[johnboy33]

Call the biologist down there and find out. I have hunted there twice, but never scouted ahead of time. Even if you scout out a good area, there is nothing guaranteed that you will be able to hunt that compartment. They usually try to accomodate you, but if more than one group wants to hunt a compartment, somebody is going to have hurt feelings and not be able to.

Can't get through to the field office and Austin says there is no access to the unit until the hunt. I dug out my ahph book and it say that general public use is allowed. Conflicting information. This is my only weekend off till October, so I would like a chance to look around.

[grizzman]

I have never been put in a compartment with people that I don't know if I was solo. I was usually put in a smaller compartment. I have seen them combine two compartments for a larger group also.

[grizzman]

Can't get through to the field office and Austin says there is no access to the unit until the hunt. I dug out my ahph book and it say that general public use is allowed. Conflicting information. This is my only weekend off till October, so I would like a chance to look around.

Call the people at the WMA. Sometimes the people in Austin don't really know.

[denowt]

Let's say that a hunt is a "compartment" hunt with 8 spots open. They don't draw 8 cards and take however many they people they get with those 8 cards do they? I was always though they would draw one card and if it had three people on it, then there would only be 5 spots remaining on that hunt. Then they would draw the next card and reduce the number of open spots by people on the winning card.

I just can't see them putting everybody on your card in the same compartment. Can somebody verify this?

Depends on the WMA, but the 3 or 4 I've been on, the entire card/group is in 1 compartment.
If they have 20 permits, then 20 people get permits, not 20 groups.
It could be 20 solo hunters, 5 groups of 4, or any combination of group sizes to add up to the 20.

Your example is the way most WMAs handle the standby people. They usually draw a set amount of cards.
Chaparral, for example, always draws at least 1 standby card. I've seen it be a group of 4 and a solo hunter on that 1 card.

[bossbowman]

Solo hunters have the best odds since often there is only 1 spot left in a draw, and that eliminates all but the solo hunters who entered.

It may have changed since but I have been on hunts were they have over booked, if there is only one spot left and a group draws the last ticket tpwd let the entire group in, again this may be dependent on the particular WMA, I've been to several and each WMA's rules seems to have its own distinct flavor.