Thanks for opportunity to…

Thanks for opportunity to response to Moose Changes!

Disappointed the way the information was released on the proposed changed this could have gone out to ALL Moose Hunters to be fare as this seemed a little sneaky to say the least. Funny you send out reminders to all hunters on application time/reporting time you could have done this also. I understand why but again to be fairer...............

I believe the proposals is warranted under the current new moose regulations due to too many tags not being utilized within the hunt year slowing down the usage of points by hunters. This will increase the amount of time needed to reduce hunters who hold large numbers of points in the system. Regardless this process may not reach the objective for many years still causing a drag in lowering points needed to get a tag within many of the units.

As mentioned during the review in 2019, the Northeast and Southern WMU's should have remained group application draws as most of these units consist of historic camps with large group sizes. Having group applications ran well in particularly in the south. Best way to run this would have been provide 75-80% of tags to group applications, within the groups all points within it would be tallied up to a total for the group application. If the magic number is reached during the draw process the one hunter holding the most points would receive the tag. This tag holder would lose his points for following year and group would either need to find another hunter to fill his spot to keep points high or apply with less points the following year.

The remaining 20-25% tags (could be less depending on draw process and what decided on as reasonable share) would be shared within a final draw for hunters applying as individuals and hunter groups that were unsuccessful in first draw. This should be a random draw, still putting emphasis on group hunting for moose. However, it still gives a chance for individual hunters to receive a tag.

The Northeast and Southern units are way over-subscribed and to be fare the individual draw process is not working, making a mess of traditional groups which regularly got tags or causing them to go multiple years without or needing a crazy amount of points to get a tag (which they seem to not want to waste on a tag within the unit of choice with low success or harvest rates) so they are not buying a tag. It has also caused way too many people applying in the draw increasing number of points needed for a tag when all the group wants is ONE TAG, let alone causing confusion/focus during application process which is another reason for lost tag purchases and revenue.

Split Long Seasons & Points:

The 12 week and 6 week seasons in the northwest and northeast are too long under one tag scenario.
There is enough data now to show when most hunters hunt.
This should be broken up into 4-three week seasons in NW and 2-three week seasons NE respectively.
Tags could be distributed accordingly using tag fill rates and when hunters prefer to hunt. 12 week seasons is totally unwarranted especially during low moose numbers in many of the units.
We know most hunter activity occurs during the first two weeks of the hunt in the north with high fill rates. However, slows down in November then picks back up for the snow hunt in December in the NW. Tags can be distributed more liberally in November when things quiet down and success is lower. By spreading tags out using fill rate scenario for new seasons makes sense helps to reduce over-crowding, creates a quality hunt, reduces some pressure on the heard, possibly leading to increase tags due to lower fill rates. This may have a quicker response to lower Points needed for a tag. It would also help maintain a higher socioeconomic value to the north through increased hunters from the south coming for 3 months as oppose to start of hunt and possibly the end.

Recap Gun season in too long and should be shortened which could help reduce number of points needed along with all the values mentioned above. This was provided to WPS in 2019 on deaf ears!

Archery Tags:

Archery tags should allocated at 10% of the total harvest in all units, at the present time they are not.
Some units such as WMU's 16's in NW have no archery tags which makes no sense as it is a early gun hunt and no reason archery tags could not be allocated at the same time with the gun.
This would help to potentially reduce points required to get a tag increasing hunter satisfaction with the system. Certainly a challenge understanding why you need more points (almost double) to get an archery tag in a unit with a 3 week season than a gun tag with a 12 week season.

Too Many Calf Tags:
Hunters are not purchasing wasting time and money so don't allocate them.
Reduce this allocation from all hunts and use a modest ratio to allow for some additional adult opportunities in their place. Ratio of minimal 5:1 may be sufficient in some units or could be higher in others depending on herd status.
Since you have already created a cow/calf tag some calf mortality is already occurring, sure your data is poor but none the less is occurring. Its important to maintain high recruitment levels in most units if we want to see growth.
Hunters would also accept a reduction of calf tags if they saw a slight increase in adult opportunities just give them the opportunity to chime in here as most don't want to shoot a calf. We all know that a hunter who shoots a cow in the north with a calf, calf mortality from the cow being harvest can be high but it is not documented as a kill.
Reduce calf tags and look additional tag opportunities to appease some hunters which may also help in long run reduce points required to get a tag.

Recap to reduce point base requirements :

1. Consider Group applications in Northeast and South.

2. 10% harvest allocation to archers and in units with no tags allocate.

3. Split long gun seasons into multiple seasons to increase tags through lower fill rates and increased opportunities.

4. Reduce calf tags with little compensation through additional adult opportunities

Thank you!
KP