Monkey Business in Colorado

[BUCKSPY]

Love them or hate them, Governor tags are a reality. Average Joe still has a chance at the same tag through the Raffle tag sales for two Governor tags raffled by the SCI chapter of Denver and the Colorado Wildlife Federation.

Now, Average Joe was kicked in the crotch and all the raffle tickets were bought up by one individual, at least in the case of the Wildlife Federation's tag. An individual purchased the remainder of the tickets with one check under the guise of buying the for clients as he is an outfitter. $1,000 dollars worth of tickets per hunter, maximum.

Seems pretty harmless until you find out the tag is transferable and at that point you can see someone got a Governor's tag for cheap and Average Joe is once again priced out of the game.

This is strictly the story as I know it at this point as the story is still unfolding and the Division of Wildlife's Commisioner meeting is underway as I write this. Charlie Meyers of the Denver Post is aware and looking into it. The DOW director Bruce McClosky(sp?) is also aware. The person in charge of the DOW auction and raffle licenses is Rick Kahn. I will post email addresses of the folks as soon as I get them for anyone who wishes to congratulate them on some very efficient raffle ticket sales and or possible displeasure on the tickets being sold in that manner.

 

[sneakem]

If they really cared about anything other than the money, they would make it a lottery drawing. Everyone could put in one time, into a giant lottery, at lets say an additional $3 application fee(to cover contest costs etc.), if they applied in colorado for the upcoming season...The winners could be drawn with everyone standing an even chance, whether you got dough or not....With the cost being so cheap, everyone that applied would probably spend an additional $3 just for a shot (I know my broke a## would). Say 60,000 hunters applied (I think that would be a believable number for applicants) that is $180,000 dollars. Then they could still have their money and everyone would be happy. Fat chance right???????

 

[TCR1]

Sometimes, I wonder how such an obviously simple solution isn't implemented. Heck, I would pay 5.00 on a chance.

Good thinkin' sneakem.

 

[camuleycrazy]

I think almost everyone would pay a few bucks for the chance. Great idea! We need to put some pressure on to give it a try. Who should we contact?

 

[cabinfever]

In Utah for every governors tag they offer they offer a public drawing for that same species. Its called the sportsmans tag and they do one for deer and elk and a few other species. Its like $5 buck to put in for it and your chances are like 1 in 5000 to draw but somebody's got to draw so it might as well be me. Your taking it in the rear in CO.

Mike

 

[sneakem]

Yeah, they're kinda "anal" about their money here in CO for sure!

 

[BUCKSPY]

This raffle tag is the same thing as Utah's Sportsman's Tag. I found out just a little while ago that the tag is transferable but not saleable. If one guy bought all the tickets for his friends, employees etc, he can be given back the tag without violating the rules as I know them right now. Seeing as the Governor's tags went for 105,000 and 115,000 dollars, someone just got a Governor's tag for 20 cents on the dollar and screwed Average Joe out of getting a chance.

Another FYI, if Average Joe went to the DOW's website on their raffle and license page and was looking for info on how to buy tickets from the Denver SCI chapter on the other raffle tag,
Average Joe would find a link to a dead website and a phone number to an unkown fax machine. There is ZERO info that I could find on the other mule deer raffle tag from the Colorado Wildlife Federation and when its supposed to be drawn on their website. It might be just difficult to locate though.

Paying extra on a hunting license application wouldn't be in the true sense of a raffle but is a reasonable alternative to this underhanded crap that's going down. Instead of hypothetical alternatives, I would like to hear some input on how Average Joe's out there feel about what's happening here.

 

[shotgunjim]

Mike, Please excuse my Utardness. I'am confused, Did the guy buy all the tickets available, just $1000 worth or did he buy $1000 worth of tickets for each one of his clients? How many tickets were available total?

 

[BUCKSPY]

A vast majority of the tickets were still available and ONE check was written for all of these. Names were assigned for blocks of 50 tags at 20 bucks a piece.

 

[RACKMASTER]

I saw monkeys and thought ahhhhh here we go again!
BUT no apes gone wild here!

 

[Vince (Colorado)]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-10-05 AT 11:15PM (MST)[p]How do I feel about this? I think this is a bunch of CRAP! They should limit the number of tags per individual. I think the person(s) selling the tickets needs to refuse to sell them if they are aware of their intentions. I'm sure it's not quit that easy though.

I know we had an individual try to purchase all the Elk tickets the Colorado Bowhunters Association is selling. The Chairman refused.

The purpose of these tags being raffled is to give the average Joe a shot at a "Hunt of a Lifetime". It's sad there are always people trying to take advantage of the system.

Buckspy, thanks for bringing this to our attention. It's our voice that will make the difference here Guys.

Later,
Vince

 

[sneakem]

That's the whole purpose of the raffle, to allow "everyone" to have a shot a one of those tags. When you offer people multiple chances, it decreases the odds of the others.... So because someone feels they can buy the majority of the tickets, does that give them an unfair advantage of drawing the tag. I think so.... As far as economics go, who says they've got to charge so much for one shot... They think the more the charge the more money it'll raise... Haven't they heard of the lottery games throughout the US. They dont charge a fortune for tickets, and millions of average joe's buy a chance to strike it rich and get lucky. Billions of dollars are raised, why because they let the average man feel they have a shot. It is unfortunate because the wealthy see it as an opportunity, and no one limits them. Corporate groups have taken advantage of this. They know they can buy every 2,000,000 combinations of numbers on some super jackpot and cash in making 100,000,000. Guess what they do the same thing with our tag's. Some guy knows that is a 100,000 dollar tag and sees he can buy all the raffle tickets for 10,000, whats he gonna do? The only way at all to make it fair for everyone is one shot and one shot only.
What happens though, we voice our opinions and concerns, and the powers at be, look the other way. The only way to get things done is have everyone voice their opinions, not just a committee to go talk to the DOW but a voice of thousands of concerned sportsman. Flood the DOW website with emails, the newspapers, every average joe taking responsibilty to let them know. Create some attention, make it big!!! You forget that their is basically an "army" of average joes out there, 80% of the population.... This is america... gather your "army" and let the cry be heard. Show the minority...who runs this country..."we the people", don't just turn your shoulders and run..."fight fight fight". Show them what real americans are made of and don't let them get away with it.... I know that I am going to email or write letters to the governor, the wildlife commission, newspapers, congressmen and let them know what I think. Any of you who can write talk or have concern should do it too. The more that speak the louder our words!

 

[manny15]

There's always a loop hole some where...X@X@X@...

 

[cohntr6]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-11-05 AT 10:57PM (MST)[p]Thanks for the info. If you need to get a hold of a CDOW employee by email you only need the correct spelling of his or her first and last name followed by state.co.us
For example [email protected]
I thought there was a limit on the number of tickets one person could buy? hmmm...maybe that is other raffles, either way sounds like this one needs a change!
Jeff