What tags to apply for?
12-20-2009, 08:23 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 62
What tags to apply for?
So my brother and I are in our mid 20's and we really want to go to some western states and hunt big elk or bighorn. I have heard the best tags for these places can take 20yrs to draw. So my question is which tags in which states show I start building points for now? Probably going to want to rifle hunt.
Thanks
Thanks
12-20-2009, 08:54 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: IL
Posts: 6,575
Everywhere!
Really you should try and build points everywhere you can.
It's no secret MT has big bighorns, but ya that's the state that people refer to as taking 20+ years to draw a tag, or never...same is the deal for alot of western states for desert bighorn...
Long term dream elk states.....Utah, Nevada, Arizona, really for elk I'd apply and build pts just about everywhere though. States get hot and cold over the years, I think ideally when a state is hot you have points to cash in, and when its not so hot, you build pts for hopefully a later date when it's hot being managed well etc...
NM and ID don't have points
Btw my personal view is unless you're a resident or have pts already built up for WY bighorn, don't bother beginning to apply. 75% of the tags goto people with the most pionts, the remaining 25% are in a random draw, which means unless a unit has 4 or more tags there won't be a random tag issued...and since you have 0 pts, you won't get any of the 75%, bonus pts are $100 in WY also, so unless they change their system I won't even bother applying.
OR and WA are said to have some big bighorns but I think the odds are dismal at best, you're really hoping to hit the lotto to get a tag.
also depending on the kind of money you have to toss around at tags, some states require cash up front....which as a non res can mean $1500, or 3200 per tag! I think if you wanted to apply for CO bighorn, moose, and goat, as a non-res each one costs close to 1500 cash up front and on paper apps, no online apps for these!
So choosing what you apply for may come down to what you actually are able to apply for, and more and more states seem to be moving towards making people pay for tags etc...do reduce the # of apps and increase odds of drawing, ie by reducing the # of people who can afford to apply.
study up on different states and you'll figure it out, but ya definitely get started somewhere this year! 1 state is better than none.
Years ago I got into the pts game after reading a dream hunts article, my first two states I applied for were MT bighorn, and NV elk. I think the year after I applied in 4 states, etc...etc...
I believe OR, AZ, UT, NV, ID require you to buy a non res hunting license to even apply for pts, which could mean $60-150 up front just to be able to apply for tags to build pts! knowing you wont draw any tags...but its how the game is played. It all balances out IMO, but if money is tight etc... other states might be your only options at this point.
Really you should try and build points everywhere you can.
It's no secret MT has big bighorns, but ya that's the state that people refer to as taking 20+ years to draw a tag, or never...same is the deal for alot of western states for desert bighorn...
Long term dream elk states.....Utah, Nevada, Arizona, really for elk I'd apply and build pts just about everywhere though. States get hot and cold over the years, I think ideally when a state is hot you have points to cash in, and when its not so hot, you build pts for hopefully a later date when it's hot being managed well etc...
NM and ID don't have points
Btw my personal view is unless you're a resident or have pts already built up for WY bighorn, don't bother beginning to apply. 75% of the tags goto people with the most pionts, the remaining 25% are in a random draw, which means unless a unit has 4 or more tags there won't be a random tag issued...and since you have 0 pts, you won't get any of the 75%, bonus pts are $100 in WY also, so unless they change their system I won't even bother applying.
OR and WA are said to have some big bighorns but I think the odds are dismal at best, you're really hoping to hit the lotto to get a tag.
also depending on the kind of money you have to toss around at tags, some states require cash up front....which as a non res can mean $1500, or 3200 per tag! I think if you wanted to apply for CO bighorn, moose, and goat, as a non-res each one costs close to 1500 cash up front and on paper apps, no online apps for these!
So choosing what you apply for may come down to what you actually are able to apply for, and more and more states seem to be moving towards making people pay for tags etc...do reduce the # of apps and increase odds of drawing, ie by reducing the # of people who can afford to apply.
study up on different states and you'll figure it out, but ya definitely get started somewhere this year! 1 state is better than none.
Years ago I got into the pts game after reading a dream hunts article, my first two states I applied for were MT bighorn, and NV elk. I think the year after I applied in 4 states, etc...etc...
I believe OR, AZ, UT, NV, ID require you to buy a non res hunting license to even apply for pts, which could mean $60-150 up front just to be able to apply for tags to build pts! knowing you wont draw any tags...but its how the game is played. It all balances out IMO, but if money is tight etc... other states might be your only options at this point.
