Hi, I am in favour of the…

Hi,

I am in favour of the new tag deadline after the second draw for the remaining of the tags to be up for grabs.

However, forfeiting all points if you get drawn on the first choice even if you don't purchase the tag is a little bit stiff. See example below of why in some cases this would be less than ideal.

If your group did not draw a tag on the first draw, you will want to re apply with your highest points hunters to draw a tag. If you have a hunter with enough points to get the tag, this is not an issue but here is where most groups are at and would be a gamble to take. Lets say you need 6 points to get a tag and at the 6 point stage it gets decided on a draw for all people who has 6 points, do you apply one hunter with 6 points or two? or even three if your group has three hunters with 6 points?.

If you apply only one, you might not get lucky on the draw and you don't have a chance to hunt that season, on the other hand, if you apply your 3 hunters with 6 point you get a chance to draw 3 tags but you only want one tag and loose points for the remaining two hunters and the next year you won't be hunting either. This is an example on where it will get complicated and I see a lot of frustration from hunters. This will also minimize the chance of other people getting that in the last stag of the process because people will buy tags they don't really want in the first place. Why loose all your points and not take the tag? If you group gets drawn for the 3 tag, they will by all of them because they are loosing all their points and not hunt the next few years.

To me, the best option would be to keep the same process of the first and second stage allocation process but add the deadline to claim the tag on the second stage and create a third stage allocation process on a first come first serve basis of all the remaining tags not claimed (similar to the old surplus tags). This option would be the best for all groups and individual hunters to have more tags claimed and more hunting opportunities which is your goal currently.

Thanks