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RAC approves landowner permit criteria; adds recommendation to end point-building when vouchers are used
Summary
After discussion of recently enacted House Bill 202, the RAC approved DWR criteria for awarding landowner vouchers but also voted to recommend the wildlife board require that obtaining a landowner permit (voucher or drawn permit) remove related draw points and incur the appropriate waiting period.
The Southeast Regional Advisory Council approved draft criteria the Division of Wildlife Resources will use to allocate landowner vouchers under recently enacted House Bill 202 but also sent an additional recommendation to the wildlife board asking that any landowner permit obtained (whether drawn or redeemed as a voucher) cause the applicant to forfeit related draw points and incur the applicable waiting period.
Background: HB202 (summarized at the meeting) established a voucher/landowner permit mechanism for qualifying landowners and directed DWR to define equitable criteria. DWR presented the criteria the agency intends to use to evaluate landowner voucher applicants (acreage thresholds, parcel type and other weights). The RAC held an extensive discussion about the statutory changes and the difference between vouchers, private-land tags, and limited-entry permits.
RAC motion on points and waiting periods: The RAC debated and then voted to recommend that the wildlife board add rule language making clear that when a landowner or other voucher/permit is "obtained" (redeemed, purchased or drawn so the person actually receives a permit to hunt), the applicant will lose that species/permit-type draw points and incur the waiting period associated with receiving a permit. Supporters said this helps "level the playing field" between private landholder opportunities and the public draw. Opponents said the change addresses a legislative action and expressed concern about limiting landowner options.
Why it matters: House Bill 202 creates a new pathway to obtain limited-entry-style opportunity through landowner vouchers. RAC members said they wanted clearer rules to avoid double-dipping (building draw points while also acquiring private vouchers) and to preserve public trust in the draw system.
Next steps: The RAC's recommendations and the DWR criteria will go to the wildlife board for final incorporation into rules and DWR policy. The board may accept, modify or reject the RAC's points-and-waiting-period recommendation.
Ending: The RAC approved the DWR criteria for landowner vouchers and voted to request the board clarify that obtaining a voucher/permit removes relevant draw points and imposes waiting periods.
