IDFG are looking for ideas to improve the LAP program. I put a few thoughts together and sent it to them. Please feel free to point out weaknesses in my proposal. More importantly, send your good ideas to IDFG so we can stop their poor proposal, and help create a better one.
Alternative Proposal to Improve Idaho LAP Program
No Idaho big game tags should be sold for profit. Selling of big game permits will turn us in a dangerous direction and will ultimately destroy the hunting heritage we so enjoy in Idaho.
LAP tags should only be valid on the private land belonging to the LAP tag recipient. Liberal season dates for LAP tag holders (Aug 15 through Jan 31) could be allowed to ensure harvest at a time of year that the animals use the LAP land. Tags could be transferred to any designated hunter, and trespass fees for the private land could be assessed as desired by the land owner. If LAP landowners, or their designated hunter, want to hunt big game on public land or other private land in the unit, they can apply for public tags in the regular drawing with the rest of Idaho?s sportsmen.
The number of LAP tags should be proportional to the percentage of LAP land in the unit, as utilized by specific species. For example, if there are 100 square miles of LAP land that supports elk in a unit that has 1000 total square miles of elk habitat, then 10% of the total elk tags should be distributed to LAP participants.
LAP permits should be distributed to LAP participants in a random drawing, weighted to represent the total acreage they have enrolled. To address concerns between large and small acreage land owners, the number of chances in the drawing could be proportional to the number of acres. For example, landowners could get one chance per 640 acres in the program: a landowner with 6400 acres would get 10 chances, and one with 1280 acres would get 2 chances (of course any increment of acres could be used).
Alternative Proposal to Improve Idaho LAP Program
No Idaho big game tags should be sold for profit. Selling of big game permits will turn us in a dangerous direction and will ultimately destroy the hunting heritage we so enjoy in Idaho.
LAP tags should only be valid on the private land belonging to the LAP tag recipient. Liberal season dates for LAP tag holders (Aug 15 through Jan 31) could be allowed to ensure harvest at a time of year that the animals use the LAP land. Tags could be transferred to any designated hunter, and trespass fees for the private land could be assessed as desired by the land owner. If LAP landowners, or their designated hunter, want to hunt big game on public land or other private land in the unit, they can apply for public tags in the regular drawing with the rest of Idaho?s sportsmen.
The number of LAP tags should be proportional to the percentage of LAP land in the unit, as utilized by specific species. For example, if there are 100 square miles of LAP land that supports elk in a unit that has 1000 total square miles of elk habitat, then 10% of the total elk tags should be distributed to LAP participants.
LAP permits should be distributed to LAP participants in a random drawing, weighted to represent the total acreage they have enrolled. To address concerns between large and small acreage land owners, the number of chances in the drawing could be proportional to the number of acres. For example, landowners could get one chance per 640 acres in the program: a landowner with 6400 acres would get 10 chances, and one with 1280 acres would get 2 chances (of course any increment of acres could be used).