From a perpetual loser: Florida's alligator permit system ... man, it ain't fair | Nance

A record 21,210 people applied for permits during Phase I of the Statewide Alligator Harvest Program, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

This is up from 19,713 in 2023 and 12,637 in 2019. So, if you didn’t draw one of the 6,600 permits that were awarded, you’re certainly not alone.

For the fifth straight year, with this article reeking of deja vu, the Phase I drawing left me an unhappy boy, with the feelings of shame and regret that accompany life as a perennial loser. Worse, as I chart the trajectory of these drawings, there’s little hope that the odds of success in future years will improve without policy changes in how gator tags are allotted.

There's a term for this: Draw Odds Creep. It's simple supply and demand, really, when the number of applicants outpaces permit availability.

But what drives the increase in demand? Without the benefit of detailed research and peer-reviewed study, rooting out the causes here is purely speculative, but hey, let’s speculate!

How about the economy? Gator permits have remained remarkably stable and become relatively more affordable as inflation attacks all else. Whether a successful applicant floats the bill solo or a group chooses to split the fees, it’s not difficult talking friends into applying for a permit.

Which leads me to another theory that I am confident is buoying the numbers — the harder the permits are to draw, the more buddies one tends to get involved, and there is no shortage of new friends moving into Florida! One guy with the boat and gear can be responsible for the applications of a dozen or more pals, you know?

And, frankly, more outdoors people simply know how to gator hunt. We’re almost 40 years into this program. What was once an outdoor novelty is mainstream. There is a plethora of guides who encourage customers to apply. Quality equipment is affordable and easy to order. Hunters have shared this knowledge with others, online and elsewhere. The process by which to apply for permits is also superior to 10 years ago.

For sure, it's a combo of these factors, which brings us to policy changes.

After reflecting upon a half-decade of failure, the new Super Hunt feels pretty darn insulting, as it'll allow the highest bidders — likely outfitters — to hunt where they please. Spreading these 100 extra permits across the Alligator Management Unit landscape wasn’t going to improve my odds of drawing, but still.

Freshwater fishing:Bass are schooling at several spots around Polk County

Where my real hang-up remains is with a lack of preference points, a system where an unsuccessful applicant is awarded a point to improve their odds of drawing permits over the next seasons. Florida issues these for other quota hunts.

It's beyond me why a preference point system has not been instituted. I’ve been told the reason is Preference Point Creep, similar to Draw Odds Creep. This is common with Western big game hunts but can be managed through prohibiting "Preference Point Only" applications and revoking points if applicants fail to apply over a particular number of seasons.

So I don't know what the problem is. Not all hope to gator hunt is over, though. It's a team sport, and helping out requires a simple trapping agent permit. I'm sure I'll find my way onto a boat this fall but at the mercy of the invite with the rest of the losers.