Cut off the Auctions and Sportsman shows for one year and charge EVERYONE that gets a permit an extra fee ( not huge ) and all the people that have max points will draw . At least that would give people a chance to climb the ladder of points. The DWR owes it to the people who have applied for 15 , 20, 25 years. It is ridiculous.
So much false information here and its hard to argue with stat's but lets break it down Barney style.
I'm going to reference the Book Cliffs, as it's one of the largest tag allotments for LE deer. So it should produce the largest increase in draw odds based on your thinking.
These stat's are from 2020.
Archery 934 applicants for 67 tags, 34 going to max points
Muzzy 599 applicants for 67 tags, 34 going to max points
N. Rifle 2348 applicants for 144 tags, 72 going to max points
S. Rifle 856 applicants for 33 tags, 17 to going to max points
Total applicants for all seasons is 4737 for 311 tags=15.23% draw odds.
Conservations tag numbers
MDF: 2 Hunters choice
NWTF: 1 Archery
Safari Club: 1 Legal weapon
SFW:
1 legal weapon
1 archery
2 muzzy
Total: 8 Book cliff tags to conservation groups
Expo tag numbers from 2020 I can't find, but its safe to say they cant be more then this years numbers.
North Books Any weapon 7 tags
South Books Any weapon 3
Archery 3
Muzzy 3
Total: 16 tags
If we were to take out 8 conservation tags and 16 expo tags that gives us 24 tags back into the pool. With the 50/50 split that gives each group a chance at 12 more tags. Now because we have to give nonresidents a portion lets take their 10% out, so now 2 tags go back to the nonresident pool. Now we are left with 22 tags going back into the resident pool, 11 going to max point holders and 11 to the random pool.
For simple math we now have 4737 total book cliff applicants for 33 tags=14.22%. A total draw odds increase of 1%
What that means if no one else new puts in, it will take 15+ years to draw that tag, and if we add in those extra tags taken from the expo and conservation groups it will now take 14+ years to draw that tag.
I don't have the time to figure out all the max points applicants as that number changes yearly based on people moving around what unit they put in for, but this will give you something to chew on.
While it's sometimes is a tough pill to swallow, the $$$ raised from the auctions has increased my opportunities to hunt big game since I've started hunting 30 years ago. Back then we were able to hunt all 3 seasons for mule deer, but the elk herd was almost non existent, antelope areas were fewer, and OIL was something that seemed like a pipe dream.
Now look at how many choices we have here in Utah to hunt.
Utah has grown, and with that are changes to predator control, winter and summer range habitat changes, increased roads, and most importantly hunter control.
Now I will say the one change I wish would happen is all the funds raised from the sell of these tags needs to go back to the division through projects. The conservations groups shouldn't be able to pocket a percentage of the tag fees.
Again, the above numbers quoted is from the book cliffs, if you were to do this with all the other units the odds get even worse. So putting the conservation and expo tags back into the pool of tags isn’t going to make sure max point holders draw out in a year. Your welcome to do your own research as well, all the info I pulled was from
www.wildlife.utah.gov