There is a table in the Hunting Regulations Summary that shows which wildlife management units offer the guaranteed tag and the size of a group needed to guarantee the group a tag. The group maximum is 10 hunters. The Guaranteed Group Size tag applies only to the first choice of Pool One hunters. Pool One hunters are hunters who were unsuccessful in getting a tag in last year's draw.
The way I read the guaranteed number system seems to be quite fair. The MNR is using last years hunter to tag ratio numbers, rounding them to the next highest whole number and adding about 10%. For example, if last year WMU 38 had a 6.7:1 hunter to bull tag ratio, the MNR rounded off the 6.7 and added about 20% to the next highest whole number. Therefore, in this example the GUARANTEED hunter numbers for a bull tag in WMU 38 would be 9 first pool hunters applying in a group. I have the entire guarantee tag system numbers if you don't have them yet and are interested.
Remember, that cow tag and bull tag ratios are different for different WMU and WMU all possibly have differing ratios. In WMU 38, there is no guarantee for a cow tag as a group... the numbers are just too high to be feasible. The trend is, WMU's west of Thunder bay have an average guaranteed number of 2 to 4 1st pool hunters. Anything east of Thunder Bay goes up quickly to 6, 7 as high as 10.
Another change will now make it easier to transfer a validation tag to another member of a group. The group must have at least two Pool One members when applying. A second hunter in the group will be randomly picked by computer and designated as the alternate on the tag. A one-time transfer to the group's alternate will be granted by an MNR district or area office, provided the original tag is returned and the season has not yet opened. Transfers to other group members will not be allowed. "This will resolve the problems created by inconsistent application of the tag transfer process, while at the same time ensuring that only serious hunters apply to the draw," said Mr. Snobelen.
Resident moose licences will be available at hunting licence issuers as of April 15. Hunters must have a moose licence before entering the moose validation tag draw. Hunters wishing to apply to the 1998 Adult Moose Validation Tag Draw must ensure that their application reaches an MNR district or area office, or the address on the back of the application by no later than 4:30 p.m., Friday May 15.
