Effect of Aging Hunters on Bonus Points

[kansasdad]

I view bonus points and preference points as an investment in future hunts, outdoor recreation, and game conservation. Hopefully, most Fish & Game Departments will allow point holders to gift, devise, or sell their points at any time or upon death by will or trust. Therefore, you could stay in the point lotteries knowing someone of your choice would get your unused points at death or otherwise.

I sure don't ever see that happening. I think that with increasing demand (travel hunting) and decreasing supply, states will be happy to let those points die with the holder. They got your money, and didn't need to issue you or your designated beneficiary a tag.

 

[Flatrock]

Hopefully, most Fish & Game Departments will allow point holders to gift, devise, or sell their points at any time or upon death by will or trust. Therefore, you could stay in the point lotteries knowing someone of your choice would get your unused points at death or otherwise.

I'm with MTTW on this one. I can't think of a much worse idea than this.

 

[BrentD]

I'm with MTTW on this one. I can't think of a much worse idea than this.

Add me to the bunch

 

[alwayshunting]

States need to do what they can to have the points be used or wasted in order to slow the ongoing point creep.

 

[Dinkshooter]

States need to do what they can to have the points be used or wasted in order to slow the ongoing point creep.

The only current solution is more critters, not new point schemes

 

[TheGrayRider]

Some states are now starting to sell PointGuard - nothing but an insurance product on the pointholder’s investment... plus an additional income stream for the State. Why not offer a life insurance-type product on a pointholder’s investment? The game and fish agencies would most probably gladly take those premiums.

 

[alwayshunting]

The only current solution is more critters, not new point schemes

Agreed, but I would say it is quite unlikely for game population to increase enough to even maintain the current problem with point schemes with the growth in in people applying to western states let alone solve it. At the same time no points system is going to fix the drastic difference between supply and demand of western hunting opportunities.

 

[Dinkshooter]

What growth in people applying? I thought hunters were going extinct?

 

[alwayshunting]

Total hunter numbers may be dwindling, but total number of NR applicants in the states I apply continue to increase. Maybe less hunters nationwide, but more applying out of state. I keep thinking the continued price increases, that push me closer to throwing in the towel for a given state, would increase my odds. No luck yet.

 

[ImBillT]

I view bonus points and preference points as an investment in future hunts, outdoor recreation, and game conservation. Hopefully, most Fish & Game Departments will allow point holders to gift, devise, or sell their points at any time or upon death by will or trust. Therefore, you could stay in the point lotteries knowing someone of your choice would get your unused points at death or otherwise.

A) Every guy whose dad isn’t a hunter would be totally out in the cold no matter how many points he has on his own.

B) Imagine the potential for fraud. Start buying mom, dad, grandpa, brother, sister and every other person points just so they can gift them back to you later. Rich guys would be buying points from people they didn’t even know. People would have 200+ points within a season.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Preference points and bonus points in any State’s hunting application process does NOT allow a person to “buy game”. The points systems simply increase the remote possibility of one drawing the right to pursue by legal hunting means a species of particular game. The points system is not like buying the right to a trophy cow at your local county auction house. You are not buying an animal with accumulated points but only a remote increase in the chance to legally pursue an animal under that State’s further rules and laws. Therein, in the future, most States will most probably allow the further selling, devising, bartering, gifting, exchanging, transferring or insuring one’s accumulated points to reward extremely long-term participants in the applications process.

 

[ImBillT]

Preference points and bonus points in any State’s hunting application process does NOT allow a person to “buy game”. The points systems simply increase the remote possibility of one drawing the right to pursue by legal hunting means a species of particular game. The points system is not like buying the right to a trophy cow at your local county auction house. You are not buying an animal with accumulated points but only a remote increase in the chance to legally pursue an animal under that State’s further rules and laws. Therein, in the future, most States will most probably allow the further selling, devising, bartering, gifting, exchanging, transferring or insuring one’s accumulated points to reward extremely long-term participants in the applications process.

This post is the reason I’m against points systems.

 

[idelkslayer]

I view bonus points and preference points as an investment in future hunts, outdoor recreation, and game conservation. Hopefully, most Fish & Game Departments will allow point holders to gift, devise, or sell their points at any time or upon death by will or trust. Therefore, you could stay in the point lotteries knowing someone of your choice would get your unused points at death or otherwise.

This would be a nightmare. IF that were allowed to happen then there is no reason why I shouldn't have all of my grandparents and non-hunting relatives buying points so they can gift them or leave them to me. If each of my grandparents had only 10 pts when they died I would suddenly be gifted 40 pts. I would say that would put me at the front of the line but everyone else would be doing it too.

 

[Jdan9]

I’m 61, I have 27 Colorado elk points, 20 Colorado deer points, max points for deer and antelope in Wyoming and 15 points for deer in Arizona. I’m planning on burning them all by the time I’m 65, then I’m done.

I also have a ton of sheep points in Utah, Arizona and max points in Montana, I’m hoping to apply for at least another 10 years. I’ll keep hoping for my chance to hunt a Ram.

I was fortunate, I got in early and was able to draw some of the best mule deer and elk tags in the west. With the current systems in place my son and others like him will no way be able to draw the tags I have..and that’s unfortunate!!

JD

 

[Gr8bawana]

Preference points and bonus points in any State’s hunting application process does NOT allow a person to “buy game”. The points systems simply increase the remote possibility of one drawing the right to pursue by legal hunting means a species of particular game. The points system is not like buying the right to a trophy cow at your local county auction house. You are not buying an animal with accumulated points but only a remote increase in the chance to legally pursue an animal under that State’s further rules and laws. Therein, in the future, most States will most probably allow the further selling, devising, bartering, gifting, exchanging, transferring or insuring one’s accumulated points to reward extremely long-term participants in the applications process.

I certainly hope that will never happen anywhere.