Interesting. Note the proposed agenda concerning preference points.

Our next conference call will take place from 9-10:30AM on April 15th. At the moment, the proposed agenda items that I know of are 1) updates from CPW, including followup items from the February meeting; 2) a congressional legislative update from Ty, which we didn't have time for at the last meeting; and 3) a discussion about possible proposed changes to the preference point system under Big Game Season Structure. This is a pretty full agenda, but if you would like to send me other suggested topics, please do so.

Are the possible proposed changes preference point banking like before or with some new twists to it?
Sounds like an interesting discussion.

I have no idea what the changes are. Thought it was interesting they are going to discuss it. I have predicted for a few years that changes would be made in the future.

I haven't heard of any specific proposals, just stuff that may come up during this 5 year season structure comment period. Things that could be kicked around include expanding the hybrid system to all species, expanding the percentage of the hybrid draw, expanding youth preference for female licenses, capping the points, elimination of the preference system, going to an all weighted system similar to sheep/goat/moose, etc. I haven't heard anything about any of that being heavily considered in the form of an issue paper before the commission, just kicked around from various comments. Repeat, none of those are current proposals that are necessarily coming down the pipeline.
I suspect they are just looking for input on how to change it, if at all because now is the time period for that to come up. Or maybe they want your take on specific comments submitted as part of the 5 year season structure stuff.

I've heard from a source that works for the CPW that point banking is definitely one of the things being proposed and that he thinks it will happen for this next year. Now whether or not the guy knows what he is talking about or is just blowing smoke is anyone's guess.

I have heard the same.

I think that would be one of the best things they could do. A lot guys caught in between high points and average might cash them in

I just like guys buying points and never using them.

Let them know that if you draw a tag and turn it back in you should lose the points it took to draw unless there was a medical condition or family emergency that prevented you from hunting.

I hate it when guys can't find an animal they want to hunt and turn the tag back in the day before the season starts. They are keeping people that would hunt that tag out of the field

As it stands now if you turn the tag back in you can get your points back that it took to draw

On some species, you only get your points back if you don't want the tag fee back.

I had to turn two tags back in last year because I got busted up in a mule rodeo.

As I said, if it's a family emergency or a medical reason then I'm all for it but there are guys that abuse the system and turn it in because they don't have the weather or they can't find a big animal. That's frustrating

Colorado rules allow you to turn in the tag and forfeit your money to keep your points. So riddle me how that is "abusing" the system. I've done it before and if I need to do it again I will. Change the rules and I will then follow those rules. But I have zero feeling of remorse of maximizing the use of my points. Your mileage obviously varies.

I was lucky enough to kill a sheep and a mountain goat a few years back. They really should call those lifetime tags and once you kill one, you are done. That said, I am trying to draw another sheep tag now because the rules allow it. I feel a little guilty about it, but not that guilty. Change the rules there too is my suggestion.

I killed one goat in the late 80's and now at my age I have given up on trying to get another tag. Last sheep I got on Pikes Peak was in 95. Same thing I'll never draw another tag so I gave up the last two years.

Abusing the system may have been the wrong language to use but I don't like the fact that you can turn in a tag just because you want to. If there is a valid reason like health issues or family emergencies then I'm all for it. The issue I have with it is that guys turn them in the day before the season for a lot of reasons that aren't health related. It's easy to do and it's a cheap way to keep your points that you used for the tag. I hate that it keeps guys that would have hunted out of the field and it doesn't help with point creep.

I know a lot of guys that turn them in because of drought, lack of snow, lack of big buck or bull sighting etc... I just see how point creep keeps people from drawing and I dislike the rule as it puts the same people back in drawing the same tags for sometimes years in a row and it's keeping those that are willing to burn their points and hunt out of the field. That's all

It doesn't really affect me as I don't save points for more than a year or two but it has a negative impact on a lot of people and I just think the rule needs to me changed

Also, I have no problem with the sheep and goat drawings as they are. I know guys that complain about never drawing but they try to draw the toughest units every year. I have other friends that have drawn 2 tags because they apply for the less desirable units