I suspect that it's a combination of three things. First off, they reduced statewide ML bull tags by 843, from 5887 to 5044. Secondly, there may have been more applications this year. Third, those may have been residents, and remember that non-res. only gets 40% of tags, even though last year there was about 4700 resident apps and 6000 non-resident. If you look at the draw results from last year, you see that there was almost 7000 people that had 0 points, and therefore didn't draw. So you may have been competing against 7000 for 5000 tags, of which non-res only get 2000.
My partners and I drew with 9 points in unit 76..We got rejected there last year with 8 points, when 62% of nonresidents drew with 8 and everyone with 9 drew...This year I saw a post from one fellow who did NOT draw in 76 with with 9 points, so 9 was not a shoo-in this year...... It gets tougher every year...
I was just thinking about this today. I still think the point system is the way to go but for older guys(like me)who didn't start hunting out west till later in life, there is no chance of hunting in the Colorado trophy units. You young guys should apply every year. I skipped a year and it cost me three because so many more applied. don
There is never a guarantee....especially for quota non-res drawing into a 54% pool from last year. The numbers change each year......that is why the best units require more and more preferance points every year.
Hey DS,
I'm not really sure which season I'm hunting this fall, but if I was a betting man, I'd put my money on the 3rd. I'm just going to buy a leftover buck tag when they go on sale.
I'm sure the 3rd season will find me in Colorado's high country. I'll be in Alaska the end of September with my brother and the only other thing is something Dan(Anaconda) is working on for us, and I am not real sure what he has in store just yet....should be interesting as he loves to research.
You had to start over on your muley points a year or so ago didn't you?
Thanks Moose Man.....just have had more pressing issues taking up my time.
True enough I didn't draw NM last year Schmaltz and you did......but I would stack my last year's meatpole I harvested in over the counter units against yours for whatever it is you'd be willing to risk and not sweat it too much.
That's right DS. I burned those points, so I've got only three now. Just waiting until I have a little more time to spend in the hills. Maybe next year...
Schmalts
I can understand your frustration. I once put in for a five point or better tag here in WA. Only 5 tags were to be issued. I later found out that only 6 hunters had aplyied. Guess who was odd man out. Talk about the un-luck of the draw.