CHANGE IS IN THE AIR-
And here we go again! The MRS research season is already breathing down our neck again. A few of the states have made and continue to make changes to their systems and draw processes as they struggle to make budgets and serve their customers, you and me, better.
Earlier this year, Wyoming made the most substantial change to their system by moving the nonresident deadline to May 31st for deer and antelope from the historic date of March 15th. This means Wyoming now has more time to assess their post-winter wildlife herd health before being forced into building quotas for the draw prematurely. I think the change was a good move on Wyoming’s part and will benefit you the applicant in the future. Now you can actually have an idea if the winter and spring were tough on the deer and antelope herds before you risk your points and money by applying.
As the state agencies make these changes it’s imperative that we evaluate our MRS schedule from time to time to ensure we are delivering the most timely and accurate information possible to you the subscriber. Trust me when I say it can be a constant struggle to get the information released from the state agencies compiled and delivered to your mailbox in a magazine in time for the draw deadline. The timing has to be nearly perfect to undertake such a task when dealing with 11 different state agencies. Once you throw the USPS into the mix, it can be nothing short of a miracle. For next year, 2016, we have taken the opportunity to again reevaluate our MRS schedule and retool it from top to bottom to make sure we have adjusted for all recent state changes that states such as Wyoming and Utah have made to their draw deadlines and processes.
The following is the newly revised MRS schedule for the 2016 season. As you will notice, we have tightened up the schedule a bit on most states to improve the timeliness and accuracy of the data you are receiving. Of note, Wyoming elk will now be moved to the January/February issue of EBJ where it fits more timely with a January 31st draw deadline, as the state does not release the Wyoming elk application information until December. In return, EHJ will now receive the Wyoming trophy species of sheep, moose, mountain goat and bison as well as Utah all species. In addition, Wyoming deer and antelope will now be in the April/May issue of EHJ instead of the February/March issue.
In an effort to make this information more readily available to our subscribers in an even more timely and economical fashion, we will be unveiling a new digital research platform in the coming months that will give our subscribers access to a digital version of the MRS sections as they become available nearly three weeks before you would receive the magazine in your mailbox at home!
Added to that, the new MRS Research Guide, which is a 368-page printed book of the entire 2015 MRS and which also includes digital access to the 2016 MRS section as it comes available, is probably the best option to make sure you never miss out on any information, as well as giving you all of the tools you might need to conduct the most detailed research possible this year before you plunk down thousands of dollars and a dozen or more hard-earned preference points on a big game hunting unit somewhere in the West.
Good luck in your quest for that buck or bull of a lifetime. I look forward to hearing about your next hunt. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to drop me an email at [email protected].
