This is the way it should be and if I was a NR I'd be happy about it.
Season tag quotas are set around the 20th of April, why would you want tags issued for areas in February before the winter is over and the biologist gets to adjust the tag allotments for each area?
Two different cases that I personally know of over the last couple years when NR applied before season were set, first one was area 7 type 7 cow tags weren't on the books until April about 4-5 years ago, after the NR draw that year so NR got zero chance to apply for them, the second and I don't remember the year, but after the NR draw the tag quota across the state changed in April and would have given NR roughly 300 additional LQ tags in various different hunt areas.
So, long and short want your tags sooner? Or want all the tags you could possible get? Or even worse want the G&F issuing a bunch of tags in an area that could get decimated in March and should have tags drastically cut, but still give way to many in February to NR's?
Personally I'd rather the biologist get to do their job first, then we get to get our tags based on what actually happened that winter. I understand the frustration of waiting longer, but your waiting longer for a better product.
Season tag quotas are set around the 20th of April, why would you want tags issued for areas in February before the winter is over and the biologist gets to adjust the tag allotments for each area?
Two different cases that I personally know of over the last couple years when NR applied before season were set, first one was area 7 type 7 cow tags weren't on the books until April about 4-5 years ago, after the NR draw that year so NR got zero chance to apply for them, the second and I don't remember the year, but after the NR draw the tag quota across the state changed in April and would have given NR roughly 300 additional LQ tags in various different hunt areas.
So, long and short want your tags sooner? Or want all the tags you could possible get? Or even worse want the G&F issuing a bunch of tags in an area that could get decimated in March and should have tags drastically cut, but still give way to many in February to NR's?
Personally I'd rather the biologist get to do their job first, then we get to get our tags based on what actually happened that winter. I understand the frustration of waiting longer, but your waiting longer for a better product.