Its time to change!!!!!  The Arizona Bonus Point System is a joke. . .but more than that its unfair--Having paid into the system time and time again, here I sit tag-less once again.  

Imagine waiting in a line at the grocery store to check out for hours and then the store manager started picking people out of the line no matter how long they have been in line or how much they are spending. . .worse yet, imagine if the same person who just skipped the line and checked out ahead of everyone else, can literally jump right back in line and can randomly be selected head of the same people waiting in line who still haven't checked. Sound frustrating? Sound Fair?

Welcome to the Arizona Bonus Point System.  

The above scenario plays out over and over every year. . .but its actually worse, because those of us who are waiting in line spend money each year for the opportunity--between the licenses required to apply and the app fees it literally is hundreds of dollars to not get drawn--now multiple that times 10, 15, 20 years of not drawing. . .it is thousands.  Imagine, spending $1000's and have someone new to the scene walk in, and because of the "luck of the draw". . .spent $10's of dollars only and no time waiting. . .and now they have a tag--and you get to do it all over again next year and virtually have the same odds!

Yes, I understand I have simplified the process, yes I know there are 3 passes to the draw which includes a bonus point pool. . .but really such a small percentage tags are allocated to the bonus pools. . .the scenario of people getting tags ahead of people who are waiting for years is real.  Do the math, use the department's draw publications and see what percentage of people with points get drawn. . .near ZERO for every trophy unit.  

The reality is more and more species and hunt units are becoming by default--Once in a lifetime hunts--simply because it takes years and years to draw. 

It is a money grab for the state. . .plain and simple, they know if they did what's right and give the tags to the people first in line who waiting the longest and paid the most. . .they know less people would apply and therefore they would collect less money--THERE IS NO OTHER REASON THEY DO IT THE WAY THEY DO.  And its big money--Try $14 million in fees alone for EACH draw and they do three draws a year.  I am tired of the game and fish bragging about how many people applied. . .It would be one thing if they were investing all that money in bettering our hunting experiences. . .but it seems worse each year.  Ask yourself, has your hunting experience gotten worse in the last 20 years or better?  

Time for change!

I for one would accept that the fact that I didn't get a tag because someone who has been waiting longer and paid more got the tag.  I think most of us are the same.  

We should go to a modified preferential point system slanted in favor the first person in line gets the tag.  If you want to have you can have a small percentage of tags in a lottery to give everyone a chance.  Personally, I would like to see it where the person who has waited the longest gets the tag, PERIOD! But I understand the nature of the lottery, and I would accept a system where a small number of tags are set aside not the majority like it is now.  

But until we demand they change they never will.  Please sign the petition, and forward to your hunting friends. . .in state, out of state, etc.