Bear application question

[Scoot]

I drew a bear tag last year in MN. This coming year I'd like to apply for a license again. I'm curious about the points system for bears- is it a bonus point or a preference point? If it's bonus points, I'll still have a chance to draw the tag, even without having any points left (they disappeared when I drew the tag last year). If it's preference points, I won't have any chance of drawing in that unit, as I understand it.

I know I have a chance to get an unpurchased license too, but I also know they were bought up in less then two minutes for that unit this past year, so I can't exactly bank on that.

If unit specific info is needed to answer my question I was in the unit that includes White Earth Lake- about 30 miles North of Detroit Lakes. I think it was 44, but I'm not positive.

Any info would be appreciated.

[mntatonka]

It's preference points, so you have no points this year. However, I had read somewhere a year or two ago that only a portion (majority) of the licenses are drawn using the points system, and the rest are straight lottery. I have no idea if that was true or not, and I can't even find where I read it anymore.

Also, bear permits available will probably drop again since I think the harvest was down again. Of course, that'll happen when you cut the permits in half, even though population seems to be way up (at least in area 51).

[Scoot]

Thanks for the reply, mntatonka. If it's bonus or preference points the points will drop to zero (unless point banking is allowed, and I'm almost certain that's not the case).

The differene is that if it's bonus points, I'd have a chance to draw, even without any points saved up. If it's preference points and the unit takes several points to draw, I'd have no chance to pull the tag. However, there's another option, which it sounds like you're describing in your first paragraph. A modified preference point system can be used, like WY does for deer and elk. In WY 75% of tags to to max preference point holders and 25% go into a random draw. That way, even if you're not in the max pref point group you have a chance (provided there are at least four tags so that 25% of the available tags equals at least one).

So... how does it work for bear in MN?

[mntatonka]

If what I had read was true (and if I'm remembering it correctly), then it's more like what WY does. I don't know if there's anywhere that's it's stated how the actual system works for bear lottery.

Here's what it says on the bear page, still somewhat vague:

Quote:

Preference levels: Each year that you apply for a bear license and don't get drawn for one, you earn a preference point until you are drawn. If you are a first-year applicant or a previous-year winner, you are a preference level 1. The higher your preference level, the better chance of getting a license. For example, a preference level 2 has a better chance of getting a license than a preference level 1. Group preference works the same way. Some of our lottery drawings you can apply for as a group, such as this one; your group's preference is the same as the preference of the member with the lowest preference level.

I know I've gotten drawn with 0 or 1 point while people in the same area with 2 haven't. So I think it works more along the lines of each preference point/level you have is one "ticket" to the drawing. The more points you have, the more "tickets".

[Scoot]

So I think it works more along the lines of each preference point/level you have is one "ticket" to the drawing. The more points you have, the more "tickets".

Thanks again mntatonka. It's interesting, I assume the info you pasted in is directly from the DNR? They misuse the term preference point, at least as I understand their usage and the term. Preference points are used to identify a group of people with the most points- those with the most points get drawn first. Bonus points are more akin to the number of times your name goes in the hat for the lottery. Some bonus point systems are linear- three points means three names in the hat. Some bonus ponit systems are exponential (1 point = one ticket, 2 points = 4 tickets, 3 points = 9 tickets, 4 = 16 tickets, etc.)

Unless the MN DNR offers a definition of preference point somewhere? If they do and it's consistent with the info you pasted, it's totally inconsistent with how the term is typically used in every other state I know of. The two terms are very often interchanged, but they're really not interchangable and have seriously different implications for how a draw works. Bonus points means you can't really count on drawing in most cases while preference points sometimes mean you are essentially guaranteed a tag if you've got the points needed.

How's that? Clear as mud???

[jerkbait]

Scoot, it is a preference point system for bear hunting in MN. Odds are you will not get drawn next year. The saving grace is the sale of left over tags in august that people drawn do not purchase. But you have to be quick to get a surplus tag as they are sold out in about 2 min on the day they go up for sale.

[lichen fox]

If you want to do some reading, as I do every year, you can check out the DNR's annual "bear harvest" report....it's usually available in March or april for the preceding year...it's all broken down by zones so and it gives information on the total number of applicants for each zone, the total number of permits available for each zone and also what percentage of preference level 1, 2, 3, etc. applicants were successful in the drawings...you can use the information to calculate your "approximate" odds of being drawn for any given bear permit area...last year we were preference level one...we also looked at applicant numbers from previous season in our zone and found out that the number of "applicants" had stayed pretty consistant for the past 5 years...So with the assumption that would remain the same, and the "harvest quotas" would also remain the same, we determined that we didn't have a chance at preference level one...we had a slightly less than 20% chance at preference level 2 and if we were at level 3 we should be guaranteed a tag...So, if nothing changes in our area, it is most likely that we'll get drawn every 3rd year...before they dropped the quota's we were pretty much drawn every other year...and when the quota's were really high, we were drawn every year for 10 years straight...but back then quota's in our area were triple of what they are now....All the info is on the DNR HSOforum-hunting & trapping-bears....you'll find reports for the past several years with this and other valuable information....