Public Draw Hunt Changes

[Kirby86]

https://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?p=16617464#post16617464

asking for your support fellas!

[Phorizt]

How many out of state people actually apply? I’ve met a grand total of 2 out of staters on a half dozen draw hunts i’ve done.


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[Walker]

How many threads do we need on this topic. We got it.

[Mr. Public]

How many threads do we need on this topic. We got it.

There is just one thread, but being as this is a public opportunity, I assume Kirby decided to share the link on this forum topic aswell. Makes sense to me.


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[Mr. Public]

How many out of state people actually apply? I’ve met a grand total of 2 out of staters on a half dozen draw hunts i’ve done.


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That’s a question that seems that no one has any answer to or knowledge of. I doubt it is actually published…


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[Blank]

Let me preface this answer by saying that I am a NR hunter, enjoy Texas and the Public Hunt system, and have been lucky enough to draw a couple tags in the past. I started applying in 1991 when I moved to Texas, and have continued ever since then, even after moving away.

I have been priveledged to know many friends in various state Game agencies, and balance between resident and nonresident opportunities is a subject we discuss at length, any time we get together. I can assure you your concerns and input is heard.

As far as the numbers a balance you mention, here is a little bit of info I can provide. This is a direct quote from an email I have answering the question you ask.

appreciate your perspective on non-resident application fees and as a guy who applies in a number of different states, I know how good of a deal Texas permit applications are for non-residents. The thing is that our Commission doesn't see the draw system as a major revenue generator for the department but more as a fair permit distribution tool. As you know very well, a non-resident pays a significantly higher license fee but doesn't have to buy that license until they have been drawn for a hunt.

Only about 4 - 7% of our applicants on a given year are from outside of Texas and only about 2% of permits end up going to these non-residents. A number of western states limit the number of permits to a max percentage of non-residents (often times 5-10%). We feel like the small number of out of state applicants we have each year is self-limiting. If Texas hunters were losing out on significant amounts of hunting opportunity because of the low non-resident fees, I think there would be an appetite for change. However, we don't feel that we have reached that point yet.

When you draw a public permit, you do NOT use a tag off your license. The WMA issues a separate tag. I think a NR should use one of their tags of the license. With no open State land, BLM, or Forest Service to hunt the full price license is basically useless to a NR unles he want to find a guide on short notice. You know how hard that would be.

Every year I fill out the same surveys that you all do. Here are my recommendations every year.
Raise application fees for NR's to $10, instead of $3
Raise application fees for guided or trophy hunts to $30, instead of $10
Only allow people to apply for one hunt per category again
Purchase a full price Big Game license ($315) when accepting a public permit and buying that permit.

There you go, flame away. I will continue to support ONLY those changes!!

[Mr. Public]

Let me preface this answer by saying that I am a NR hunter, enjoy Texas and the Public Hunt system, and have been lucky enough to draw a couple tags in the past. I started applying in 1991 when I moved to Texas, and have continued ever since then, even after moving away.

I have been priveledged to know many friends in various state Game agencies, and balance between resident and nonresident opportunities is a subject we discuss at length, any time we get together. I can assure you your concerns and input is heard.

As far as the numbers a balance you mention, here is a little bit of info I can provide. This is a direct quote from an email I have answering the question you ask.

appreciate your perspective on non-resident application fees and as a guy who applies in a number of different states, I know how good of a deal Texas permit applications are for non-residents. The thing is that our Commission doesn't see the draw system as a major revenue generator for the department but more as a fair permit distribution tool. As you know very well, a non-resident pays a significantly higher license fee but doesn't have to buy that license until they have been drawn for a hunt.

Only about 4 - 7% of our applicants on a given year are from outside of Texas and only about 2% of permits end up going to these non-residents. A number of western states limit the number of permits to a max percentage of non-residents (often times 5-10%). We feel like the small number of out of state applicants we have each year is self-limiting. If Texas hunters were losing out on significant amounts of hunting opportunity because of the low non-resident fees, I think there would be an appetite for change. However, we don't feel that we have reached that point yet.

When you draw a public permit, you do NOT use a tag off your license. The WMA issues a separate tag. I think a NR should use one of their tags of the license. With no open State land, BLM, or Forest Service to hunt the full price license is basically useless to a NR unles he want to find a guide on short notice. You know how hard that would be.

Every year I fill out the same surveys that you all do. Here are my recommendations every year.
Raise application fees for NR's to $10, instead of $3
Raise application fees for guided or trophy hunts to $30, instead of $10
Only allow people to apply for one hunt per category again
Purchase a full price Big Game license ($315) when accepting a public permit and buying that permit.

There you go, flame away. I will continue to support ONLY those changes!!

Thanks for your input, Blank. Appreciate the info.

When you draw a public permit, you do NOT use a tag off your license. The WMA issues a separate tag.

True, but not accurate across the entire TWPD Draw hunts catalog.

While this is true for many WMAs, it is not true or the case with NWR permits, which require the hunter to use their hunting license tags, as tags are NOT provided with those permits.

Same for some USACE permits, hunters must use their own tags from their current hunting license purchase.

I like your recommendations. Keep up the good work.

[Blank]

I appreciate your answer, and correction. I was only speaking of the WMA's I have drawn a deer tag on. I have no experience with the Federal Refuges, or APH hunts. Thanks.

[jnd1959]

Would people support raising the application fee to offset limiting to 1 draw per category?
I think I would if it is reasonable. It would be interesting to game out how limiting to one draw would effect application patterns now that there are a lot of points in the system. Would the majority apply for the coveted spots or would it spread out the applications? Here's a thought, Increase the fee to $10. Allow a first and second choice for the draw. All first choice draws are run then all second choice. As with most western states, second choice will be sparse but there's still a possibility. Another limiting idea is to require a specific date instead of any date.

Just ideas. I don't necessarily endorse any of them yet.

I will say, it will be hard to change TPW to a one draw per category unless you can replace the revenue stream it generates. We can like this or not but there is a fiscal cost or opportunity to each change. Those have to be taken into account. The problem we have is all this revenue goes into one big steaming pot. We can't evaluate what we get for our money. The information is there if we want to request it.

[RockTippedStick]

I wish they would raise the app cost to $5 per entry.
Cap entries to 3 apps per category.
And require everyone to purchase the APH(public) permit $48 before entering any apps.

[txbowkill]

Would people support raising the application fee to offset limiting to 1 draw per category?
I think I would if it is reasonable.

I would.

[SCHC]

The main item I would like changed is to only allow residents to apply for any hunt involving a Big Horn Sheep. To many non residents have drawn it IMO.

[Greenheadless]

When they changed it from one entry per category to multiple, it became a pure money grab.

I laugh at this response, because that is exactly the opposite outcome of that the Commission has instituted:

The thing is that our Commission doesn't see the draw system as a major revenue generator for the department but more as a fair permit distribution tool.

[Voodoo]

I believe in residents only for all state lands and no resident preference for federal, nationwide.

[brokeno]

Tpwd changes I would like to see is to draw my name.