Did anybody get this email?
Hello Bill,>> I don't know about you, but I barely glance> at the news from the DOW when they talk> about meetings and soliciting input for the> next 5 year big game season structure.>> But right now, there's a window of opportunity> to get something changed that I think you'll> really like.>> In a minute, I'm going to ask you to take very> specific action, but first - a little background.>> Preference points.>> Here's the fast version ->> You apply for a license, you don't draw, you> get a preference point. Next year, your preference> point moves you one position up in the list ahead> of those who have none. Points accumulate until> you have however many you need to get to the> front of the line for your tag.>> Now there are lots of draw units in Colorado> that you can pull a tag for every year, or> every other year with only one preference point.>> There are some however, that can take> 4, 8, even a dozen or more points. Some are> truly once-in-a-lifetime tags.>> Now, if you want to draw one of those tags,> you're pretty much stuck doing over-the-counter> tags for several years, or zero-point second choice> tags while you rack up preference points.>> If you have 6 points though, and hook up> with some buddies who hunt a 1 point draw> unit, you will burn all 6 of your points when> you throw in with their group.>> Some of you may remember though that> in 2006, the DOW did something special.> They only docked your point count for the> number of points NEEDED to draw the tag.>> If you had 6 points, drew a 1 point tag, you> still had 5 left over following the draw. It was> a fantastic idea and long overdue. It was> called "banking" points.>> It was also only a pilot program - a one year test.> The next year, we were back to the old routine.> A lot of you hollered at me, and I in turn hollered> at the DOW - but the bottom line was,> it was a one time deal.>> I just found out today that there's an opportunity> for this to change, and I talked to somebody in the> DOW who's in a position to know. (I also found> out what the deal was with the pilot - if you're> interested I'll put that in the P.S. below) This is> news because, at the end of the pilot, every> indication was that it "didn't work" and would> never happen again.>> Basically, with enough public interest and support,> preference point banking could be implemented> for the next 5 year season structure, 2010 to 2014.>> And that's where you come in. You can either:>> 1. send an email to:
[email protected]> or>> 2. fill out and send in the form at:> http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/SeasonStructure/>> Tell them you would like to see the preference point> banking system implemented. They will know what> you mean. It can be short and simple. (and> courteous, of course!)>> We have until April 15 to get these in but please> take 5 minutes and do it right now.>> I would also appreciate it if, after you've done so, you> would drop me a note as well. This opportunity has> not been well publicized but if every DIYhunting.com> reader sends them a note, believe me we'll get their> attention!>> Thanks for your help!>> Jim Deeming>>>> P.S. A couple years ago when I called the DOW to> find out why the trial run of preference point banking> was discontinued, I got some truly bizarre answers.> It was clear I wasn't talking to the right folks.>> What I learned today was this:>> Although banking made a lot of us happy who wanted> to be able to have more hunting options without> wiping out a longer term goal-hunt, that actually was> not the primary intent. Banking was tested as a> way to possibly deal with a different issue, called> "point creep".>> There are some hunts where the number of points> required to draw is astronomical. Just this last> year my pastor gave up over 20 preference points> on a bull tag (and a fine one it was, too!). You can> kind of imagine that the longer the preference point> system is in place, and the more people start> racking them up, the number of points needed to> draw certain tags will continue to rise - or creep up.>> The idea was, by allowing some of the heavyweights> to burn a couple points off the top end of the stack> without wiping them out, it would stop the creeping> up of the minimum points needed each year.>> Well, it didn't have that effect. So the pilot was> deemed a failure and cancelled.>> What the DOW apparently didn't see coming was> all of us folks with middling amounts of points> hollering that they took away some candy> we really liked.>> So now if, due to our input, this is put in place, it> will be for the next 5 years, not just another pilot.>> Again, please take a minute to email them at:>
[email protected]> and tell them to please bring back point banking.>> Then write me at:>
[email protected]> to let me know you did.>> And if all this talk of preference points has you> just stewing to plan your 2009 hunt, be sure to> get the best hunt planner there is by downloading>>
http://www.diyhunting.com
Jeff