Originally Posted by
flags
Point creep is something I don't think they ever dreamed of. I'm sitting on 21 elk points and I still haven't been able to draw my unit 2 either sex (bull tag). I'll get it eventually. I'm also sitting on lots of points for everything except pronghorn since I drew a buck tag last year. But, how do you fix the point creep? You can't penalize guys like me that have played the game according to the rules they put in place!
I have a good friend who lives in Alamosa and he has even more points built up than you do Flags. His dad was Colorado Commish of Fish and Wildlife years ago before he passed away. My friend is frustrated because he too wants to burn his points on a certain GMU and so far isn't able to draw. He would like the option if the need arose to burn a few points on another hunt in a lesser area. It is all or nothing and if he decided to draw a tag in say an area like 049 where I was headed for ML he would get the tag but it would be given at the 20 something level he was at. if both you and he decided to do the same that would be 2 out of the quota that went for 20+ points. Add in a few more long time point gatherers and it alters the GMU and you have more point creep. What they should do to end it is freeze the points needed to draw, allow banking where if you decided to go for that ML tag you would spend 10 and still have 11. Down the road after the dust settles they could allow the draw results to determine the level needed but it would gradually go down since they have banking and one by one the people with the 20 something points will use their points since they will get to draw since the threshold for draw was frozen. There are plenty of great units as you know and the points you have accumulated could be used for 3 or 4 great hunts rather than waiting for the chance of a lifetime and then be too old to do it properly.
Originally Posted by
bikerman9967
as far as the first half of your statement, i understand you dont have much sympathy, but the guides are trying to make a living too. if the non residents cant draw tags due to the point system creep, they will choose other states where it will work. at that point the lost funds from the non residents will be pushed onto the residents
That is a great point. There has to be a lot of competition between the states for the NR hunting dollars. Colorado makes huge money on points purchases and get to keep it for a few months interest free. If the system is starting to drive people away they need to do what is necessary to have sportsmen choose their state.