Under subscribe tag pressure?

[Bergerboy]

An undersubscribed tag in an area that you want is a very sought after tag. It allows you to build priority and get your animal. People have figured this out and are exploiting it. It is fair game to everyone to use this route.

[Phshrmn]

Originally Posted by Bergerboy

An undersubscribed tag in an area that you want is a very sought after tag. It allows you to build priority and get your animal. People have figured this out and are exploiting it. It is fair game to everyone to use this route.

And not a safe strategy anymore.

Re: mule does

Fortunately all the tags are subscribed in our area. I don't know what the success rate is in 108, but it should be 100% of you are willing to use a rifle. We need these does shot to maintain the health of the herds.

And certainly we have too many WT does. Again, all available are awarded but it seems not enough are harvested. Ratios seem out of whack to a casual observer. More experienced hunters tend to choose the bucks and are likely more successful. I'd love to know if the biologists have a sense of wt ratios down south here.

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[KegRiver]

Something isn't adding up.

There is no doubt in my mind it was not hunters who reserved undersubscribed tags last year and this, and then never paid for them.

http://www.mywildalberta.com/BuyLice...tatistics.aspx

total license sales for all species were up no more then 3,000 per species. Some were even down.
Total number of hunters Rose by 4,639
All making sense so far.

undersubscribed applications up by 27,000

Not making sense.

If it were hunters the increase would have been gradual, over a few years or more.
It just does not make sense that 27,000 hunters all decided to apply for undersubscribed on the same day, the moment they became available.
That took a co-ordinated effort.

An increase in applications would make sense. More applying early would make sense. For 27,000 more to decide to apply the moment they went on sale is odds worth of the best lottery.

[Outdoorfanatic]

I agree that something doesn't add up. But if the antis are messing with the draws then technically they could get win #s and apply for tags as well as pick up under subscribed. Granted its an issue that I think about a little, but my concern isn't that I can't get enough tags its that I may no longer be able to consistently get quality hunts. Particularly elk. Not because I can't get a tag nor because there are no elk. But because the landscape is over pressured with excess tags forcing the elk to become nocturnal. Also annoying land owners. If more harvest is needed, I'd rather see a unisex late season draw or double tag draw or partner tag allowed or longer season; something that would add value to existing hunts.