This is from the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society. Anyone interested in hunting bighorns in Colorado needs to join this group.
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"So you are wondering what's the deal with the weighted points system in place for sheep and goats in Colorado.
First off I think there is a little misunderstanding as to how the CDOW weighted draw works. Your name does not go in the hat more times it a lot more complex than that.
Here's how it was explained to me by some folks at the CDOW
You send in your application and it is assigned a number (10 digiits) After all the apps are in the CDOW picks 10 numbers from 0-9 in random order through a drawing. That number can be any combination of 0-9, or 9-0. Then they match your assigned number to the drawn number. Example the committe draws the random number of: 8617290453, the draw sequence is 0123456789. Then, the draw takes each application number and inverts it. Lets say your assigned number is 372016, it becomes 610273.
This allows for the numbers to be random and not have any bearing on when the application was recieved.
Then the inverted number is matched to the random draw numbers. In this case the 6 becomes a zero, because the normal 6 position is now a 0 (look at the number 8617290453, the 0 is where the 6 usually is), the 1 becomes a 6, the 0 becomes a 8, etc. the new number is then 068147. That is your assigned draw number.
Then the numbers will be put in order of smallest to largest. The smallest number has the best chance of drawing, the biggest has the worst. This totally random. Basically the lower you number the better chance you will draw. The CDOW actually gives the license to the lowest # then keeps going down the list of increasing #s until all of the alloted tags are spoken for.
Here's and example off how an unweighted draw would work using random #s arranged low to high. there are 4 applicants with 3 points they are
012345 123456 234567 345678
In a sheep unit with 2 tags applicants 012345 and 123456 get tags. They have the lowest numbers.
Here is how the weighted pref. points work with sheep and goats and moose. You go through all the steps above.
If you have one weighted pt, the CDOW divides your random draw number by 2, if you are weighted twice, (your 5th year in the draw without a tag) they divide your number by 3.... and so on down the line. This makes your random # smaller for each weighted point.
Here's and example using the same numbers from above but with weighted points factored in.
012345 0 weight 123456 0 weight 234567 1 weighted pt 345678 3 weighted pts
After dividing for weighted points the numbers are 12345 123456 117284 86420
The first and last applicants would get tags. In this case a lucky guy with just 3 pts no weight and a guy with 3 pts + 3 weight would draw.
It is important to remember it is possible to have smallest numbers drawn first with out dividing it with weighted points.
It is still pure luck, if you get a bad original (high) number ie 9876543210 you are still at a disadvantage to a a guy who just gets in on his 4th year may just get great numbers ie 0123456789.
Hope this helps with the issue. Understand, with the weighted, your name doesn't go into the "hat" more times, your probability of having a better number increases.
Is your head spinning yet?
The truth is once you have 3 points you could draw. The longer your in the better chance you have.
GOOD LUCK to all in the draws.
Sandbrew
All around sheep freak"
Thanks to Sandbrew