# The Middle Fork Permit Game



## raferguson1 (Feb 13, 2007)

I just picked up a 9/25 launch date on the Middle Fork of the Salmon. I would prefer an earlier date, even 9/16. Probably a group of canoes. Yes, I have canoed the Main Salmon in September.

My question is how to play the permit game to get a better date. I assume that we can and should put in for the lottery, but we know that the lottery is a bit of a long shot. How can I pick up a better date? Is it just check every day, 10 times a day? I understand that cancellations in the Aug 15-Sept 15 are not reissued after March 15th, but thinking that maybe somebody who wins the lottery might cancel a post-season launch date....

Thanks to all who commented on my earlier post about low water on the Middle Fork.

Richard


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

Its my understanding that you can only have one launch per calendar year. If you currently have a 9/25 launch then the only way to get awarded an earlier launch is to drop the 9/25 and apply for the earlier date. If you have the 9/25 date active then you will be disqualified from earlier permits via lottery. That's the way it has been explained to me. So, don't get post season dates before the lottery results are announced. I may be wrong. but this forum is good a pointing that stuff out.


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## raferguson1 (Feb 13, 2007)

My buddy found this on the forest service website, so I think that I can still put in for the lottery.


"Reservations for pre-season and post-season launches on the Middle Fork and Wild Main Salmon Rivers are available annually as of October 1st at 10:00 am Eastern time at Federal recreation, camping and tour reservation information - Recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777. *Reserving a pre/post season launch date does not make someone ineligible for the lottery."*

Richard


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## slamkal (Apr 8, 2009)

dirtbagkayaker said:


> Its my understanding that you can only have one launch per calendar year. If you currently have a 9/25 launch then the only way to get awarded an earlier launch is to drop the 9/25 and apply for the earlier date. If you have the 9/25 date active then you will be disqualified from earlier permits via lottery. That's the way it has been explained to me. So, don't get post season dates before the lottery results are announced. I may be wrong. but this forum is good a pointing that stuff out.


I may be mistaken but don't think this is the case. You can only submit one lottery entry but i think you are free to get permits outside of the lottery period

Here is the link to the lottery. 

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/scnf/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=fsbdev3_029568


If you look at the award details , many late lottery season permits are awarded as a second or third choice. Most people with boats don't really wanna float around that time of the year but they still submit as a second or third choice. Which kind of screws people who would actually float it out of the permit, because those dates are not rewarded do to salmon habitat preservation. We actually had somebody in our group pic an August 12 date and were awarded it as a third chance alternate entry. This was just outside the August 15 non reallocation. Fortunately for us we picked up on August 1st cancellation which was good because there were a lot of fires in mid-august that year


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## slamkal (Apr 8, 2009)

My best advice is to find five other reliable friends and submit for a day or two after the end of the salmon reissue blackout. Use that as your first choice, the day after as second choice. Etc

You will have good odds and if not there are good odds whoever does pick this date will cancel in time for you to pick up the cancellation


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