Weird email from CO

[JimP]

I went back through all my Colorado Big Game guide books and it was mentioned in the 2014 one under "Whats New in 2014" So that may of been the first year that they started charging PP fees. I'll have to see if I can find my 2013 one.

I found my 2012 and 2013 books and both of them have the PP fee as $25 with the same rules.

 

[graybird]

I've been thinking about this more.

I moved to Colorado in 2006, which made me eligible for resident tags in 2007. Prior to 2006 I had the chance to hunt Colorado 3 different times as a non-resident. Since 2007, I've been saving my antelope points and hopefully cashed them in this year on a better than average antelope unit.

Had I not been either drawing a 2nd or 3rd choice antelope doe tag, or picked up some free landowner vouchers to hunt doe antelope and these Preference Point fees were in place, then it would have cost me $30 x 10 = $300 + $34 (for the tag if drawn) for a total of $334.

Now to put things into perspective. Consider a person who hunts every year on a 0 or 1 point tag. They are never accessed the preference point fee. They either draw a tag every year, or are exempt from the preference point fee for their 1st point, then draw the following year. So, those who are willing to put in the years to draw a better than average unit are required to either straight up purchase the point, or required to purchase an additional license that may, or may not, even be used. Furthermore, the cost of the preference point is $30 + $3 application fee versus the cost of tag itself at $31 + $3 application fee.

I'm at 3 + 8 points for mountain goat after this year's draws, and these preference point fees are not being applied to sheep/goat/moose. Therefore, if I draw next year, it simply costs me $254. Seems odd that it could cost me more money to draw an antelope tag in 11 years of applying versus a moose/goat/sheep tag in those same 11 years.

Let's also consider all of the "new" players who just jumped into the sheep/goat/moose draw for no skin in the game with the change in 2018 application costs. I don't necessarily want to pay for my current "free" goat/sheep/moose points, but I also want to protect my time and investment from those who haven't been playing the game.

What I see with the current preference point system is this: Penalizing those who have been loyal customers to CPW by forcing them to either purchase their point (deer, elk, antelope, and bear) or become exempt by requiring the purchase of some other license. Meanwhile, the high profile species don't require the additional "skin" or preference points costs.

I can only imagine the future people who draw a goat or sheep tag and show up to the unit the day before the season and say, "I'm not walking up that mountain, I'm going home." While those who are willing to put in the time and effort get hosed because the flood of applications have drastically changed the likelihood of drawing a premium tag.

I'm not sure what the correct answer is, but I do think something needs to change regarding the current preference point system.

 

[JimP]

Different states handle preference and bonus points differently not to mention the application process.

Utah requires you to purchase a hunting license before the draw, if you work it right you only need to purchase one license for 2 years. $60 for non residents I believe

Arizona requires you to purchase a hunting license before the draw and have a valid one with you when you are hunting. It doesn't matter if you just put in for bonus points or a tag. $154 for non residents.

Nevada doesn't require a license for the application process but if you want to accumulate points you need to purchase a license.

Wyoming you are lucky. No charges for points.

Don't expect anything to change with Colorado's point system of charging to accumulate the points. If anything I can see them going to requiring you to purchase a hunting license before you even apply for the tags much like either Utah or Arizona does. Before this year you had the option of either receiving the PP and paying the fee or not getting the PP and pay nothing.

 

[graybird]

Trust me, I'm well aware of the different requirements dependent upon the state. I currently put in for the following states ... Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Alaska, Kentucky, Florida, Pennsylvania and sometimes Idaho.

 

[coloradoshedhead]

The parks and wildlife are offering a service to everybody who wants to participate. Thinking you shouldn’t have to give anything up except for a $3 application fee is somewhat selfish in my eyes. You go to work and expect to get payed for it. The CPW has operating costs for the service they provide. It is cheaper to hunt here than most states as we all know. Why is this new fee such a surprise? Buy a fishing license if you don’t draw anything and blow the steam off catching some of the trout that the CPW stocks and provides the public.

 

[HogsFly]

As a new guy to hunting in Colorado (slow starter in this state), I didn't have any expectations to get drawn for resident elk, deer, or antelope (well - maybe antelope), and I'm pleasantly surprised to wind up with an OTC elk tag, and an opportunity for a leftover deer tag. Thanks for that explanation JimP. I know I'm not "entitled" to anything more than that.

I like to shoot rifles, fish, and walk around in the woods pretending I'm hunting. The most important part of this whole process was to teach my son how draws, preference point systems, etc., work so that he can take advantage of hunting opportunities when they become available to him.

BTW - I received eleven emails from CPW this morning. I thought I had won the big-game-lottery. Just a computer glitch though. The same type of glitch IDFG is experiencing with their vendor currently. It's a computer...

 

[HogsFly]

Now the twelfth email from CPW today just showed up explaining the previous eleven from them!

 

[graybird]

I'm all for paying my way, and that's exactly what I'm saying.

I just received my email informing me I didn't draw a moose tag, but gained another weighted point. It cost me $3 (the application fee).

If I don't draw antelope and I wouldn't have hunted antelope last year, didn't buy a small game or fishing license, it would cost me $30 (preference point) + $3 (application fee) = $33 total

How in the world is a moose/goat/sheep point only worth $3 when any other big game species is worth at least $33? Something is wrong here.