Looking at some of the drawing processes in Western states I noticed that a bonuspoint will be awarded if you not get drawn, usually if you pay a price (e.g. Nevada wants you to buy a (non-resident) hunting license for $142, which will give you a bonuspoint if you do not reclaim that money if you do not get drawn).

I was just wondering how these bonuspoints influence your chances for next year's draws. In Alberta the system is based totally on "priority points"...(except for mountain goat). If you wait long enough your name is going to come up some year.

What's the process like in the US? Is it the same in each state? What's it like in Nevada?
Just wondering, before I start sinking money into systems that may not bring a whole lot of revenue... For example, would I be better advised to invest the bonus point fees in lottery tickets, so I can go buy outfitted hunts with guarenteed tags instead?)

Frans

It's not the same in every state. A bonus point usually gives you an extra draw. You can often buy them or you get one each year you fail to draw up to a certain number in some states. As an example, I have failed to draw in Montana for RM goat the last three years. This year, I'll have 4 chances to draw, and I'll need all of them.

What do you mean by "four chances to draw"? Does your name go into the hat four times? I'm just trying to figure out what happens with a draw in a zone where there is one non-resident tag. The computer or the friendly girl at the reception or whoever picks one name out of the hundreds or so that applied. How does a bonuspoint increase my chances there?

Frans

Right, my name would be in the "hat" four times. So if only one name is drawn, I get my name in four times, four chances.