Heard a podcast the other day, the discussion of point systems came up. I have always been a huge advocate of point systems, but it is and has become painfully obvious that the supply and demand for tags has become too high to justify any point system. Youth coming up have a near zero percent chance to draw any highly sought after tag with a point system. I have pushed for and been an advocate for point systems such as Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona. Where they have a point system in place that still allows for some level of random draw.
I have given a few on here a rash of sh*t over my reasons in support of point systems.
My tune has completely changed. We have got to get away from point systems. Even states with general tags are becoming near impossible to draw tags within a reasonable amount of time and getting worse.
How do we get away from points? End it now, no more points issued. Allow those with points to be washed out of the system. Square there points, or whatever strategy you use to give those with points some sort of advantage because of their investment. (not my idea, but a sensible one).
I also support some sort of waiting period after you draw a tag is a fair idea, maybe a couple years.
It's a tough deal, in my home state of Utah tags have become harder to draw each year, even general elk tags are becoming much more difficult to obtain.
Every state for that matter gets worse every year. Someone starting out applying for tags right now has about a zero percent chance of catching up to a certain number of tags, and getting worse every year.
Even whitetail states like Iowa, Kansas are beginning to see the slippery slope of point systems. Points are not the answer, and in the long run a determent to our hunting heritage.
Think its time for a wake up call. I don't like it, I really like the idea behind point systems. Pay your dues, build up points to draw a tag. But the demand is to high, and these systems all but cut out an entire segment of up and coming hunters. Who will never have a chance to draw certain tags, and getting worse.