Post by hornharvester on Sept 17, 2006 10:18:51 GMT -5
I think the new system of applying for the special hunts on the DNR's website is a good thing but i think also it is too easy. Most guys i talked to who applied for hunts said they checked all the boxes cause it was easy. They planned to wait and see what kind of draw they got for each hunt and then decide whether they would go or not.
In the past hunters had to physically fill out cards, stamp them and then mail them. It took a little more effort to apply than just check a box so most who applied really planned on showing up.
I saw the first effects of this new application system this year at the dove hunt at Roush Lake. Opening day there were 15 no shows and 20 no shows the second day out of 43 hunters. The manager at Roush Lake told me they usually have about a 15% no show rate, this year it was 35 and 47 percent. Both days had stand by hunters to fill the positions but some of the hunts don't allow standby hunters.
I know there has always been a certain number of no-shows at all the special hunts but the ease of application now i think will increase this number for all them. If this is the case maybe the DNR should look at a small fee to apply for each hunt, like a $1.00. That would help pay for postage, materials needed for the hunts and maybe stop some of the hunters applying for every hunt just because it was easy to check a box and they really didn't plan on attending.
What I'm getting at is there are guys who would have gone to some of the hunts that wont get to because some guys checked boxes just to check them and really were not planning on attending. Comments? h.h.
In the past hunters had to physically fill out cards, stamp them and then mail them. It took a little more effort to apply than just check a box so most who applied really planned on showing up.
I saw the first effects of this new application system this year at the dove hunt at Roush Lake. Opening day there were 15 no shows and 20 no shows the second day out of 43 hunters. The manager at Roush Lake told me they usually have about a 15% no show rate, this year it was 35 and 47 percent. Both days had stand by hunters to fill the positions but some of the hunts don't allow standby hunters.
I know there has always been a certain number of no-shows at all the special hunts but the ease of application now i think will increase this number for all them. If this is the case maybe the DNR should look at a small fee to apply for each hunt, like a $1.00. That would help pay for postage, materials needed for the hunts and maybe stop some of the hunters applying for every hunt just because it was easy to check a box and they really didn't plan on attending.
What I'm getting at is there are guys who would have gone to some of the hunts that wont get to because some guys checked boxes just to check them and really were not planning on attending. Comments? h.h.
