Tags… or no tags, it’s that time of year

[nakneker]

The Arizona elk and antelope draw has taken place and I stuck out for the third year in a row on both. The deer draw is later this summer and I have high hopes for it. We’ve had so much moisture that this should be a great year to have a tab. My wife drew a late bull tag and my oldest daughter drew it too so at least I’ll get to help them even though they are perfectly capable on their own.

I did put in for New Mexico today, elk, deer, antelope, oryx and ibex. New Mexico charges your CC and then refunds you if you don’t draw and most people don’t but I wish they would only charge you if you drew a tag.

I have two other hunts I’m going to put in for this year too. I think I need to get serious about more tags though. My work load is easing up and I’ll be working half as much as I have for the last 20 years here in the near future. Which makes me think I need to get a tag fund going and start putting in for trophy hunts in every western state, as the years go by and the bonus points add up maybe I can pull some good tags and get some good hunts in before Father Time comes knocking. I always liked how Clint Eastwood answered when asked, “How do you stay so young and active” he answered “I don’t let the old man in”

I know there are tag services out there that apply for hunts for you, keep track of the whole thing year to year, any of you use those type of companies or do you just do it and keep track yourself?

You either have to draw a tag now days or pay for a guided hunt or trespass fee, at least most of the west is that way now.

 

[El Sancho]

I drew ZERO TAGS in my home state Az. Plus, having 24 Antelope points..

 

[nakneker]

I drew ZERO TAGS in my home state Az. Plus, having 24 Antelope points..

I feel your pain. If you live here the hunting can be amazing when you draw but it can be many years in between tags. I’ve learned to hunt surrounding states and some of the Indian reservations.

 

[dthomas]

I drew ZERO TAGS in my home state Az. Plus, having 24 Antelope points..

I guess we're lucky here in Louisiana, we just buy our license and it comes with 6 deer tags each year. Now that doesn't mean you're going to fill them all.

 

[KMart]

I guess we're lucky here in Louisiana, we just buy our license and it comes with 6 deer tags each year. Now that doesn't mean you're going to fill them all.

 

[Chappy]

Just did all of my MT tags this weekend. Doubt I'll draw the bull Elk tag, definitely won't be drawing moose, sheep, or goat. Buffalo is a complete lottery. Maybe I'll get lucky again this year and hit an antelope tag or a cow elk tag I've been putting in for 10 years but can never seem to draw it

 

[nakneker]

I guess we're lucky here in Louisiana, we just buy our license and it comes with 6 deer tags each year. Now that doesn't mean you're going to fill them all.

I miss the days I lived in Alaska, early nineties for three years. Once you get your residency it’s mind boggling the tags you can get without a draw. I’m sure it’s changed a bit but I know a resident probably cant find the time and money to fill all the tags he or she can get. Certainly not that way in Arizona and most western states for that matter. Some of the southeast states have very liberal bag limits, lucky.

 

[Kurz]

Arizona has become more of a PIA to get drawn anymore. It usually takes me 7-8 years to draw for an elk tag and about 3 years for a mule deer tag. So...

I hunt private land in New Mexico for elk but it's a primitive only area. So I built a super muzzle loader to use there. The tag is fairly pricey but the meat is worth it.

I hunt private land in Illinois (shotgun only) for white tail with a license and several depredation tags.

I hunt Georgia on private land, just have to watch for rattlers and alligators.

The landowners don't worry much about me because I hunt for meat not horns. Often they help me by suggesting the animals to shoot.

The downside is the additional cost of travel/accommodations and the extended period of time required to travel then the time to hunt.

Beats the heck out of sitting in the shop wishing...

 

[Bill K]

Probably no worse that commie Kalifornia is on tag drawings.

 

[spencerhenry]

For what it costs to apply for several years, and then the cost of the tag in most states, it becomes not worth it for me. The last several years in Colorado, the quality of the hunt is so low that I have a hard time getting excited about going. Hunting pressure is through the roof, animal numbers are down, and quality of animals is down.
I find more enjoyment going coyote hunting before and in between the big game seasons.

 

[nakneker]

Arizona has become more of a PIA to get drawn anymore. It usually takes me 7-8 years to draw for an elk tag and about 3 years for a mule deer tag. So...

I hunt private land in New Mexico for elk but it's a primitive only area. So I built a super muzzle loader to use there. The tag is fairly pricey but the meat is worth it.

I hunt private land in Illinois (shotgun only) for white tail with a license and several depredation tags.

I hunt Georgia on private land, just have to watch for rattlers and alligators.

The landowners don't worry much about me because I hunt for meat not horns. Often they help me by suggesting the animals to shoot.

The downside is the additional cost of travel/accommodations and the extended period of time required to travel then the time to hunt.

Beats the heck out of sitting in the shop wishing...

Amen, if you just rely on the Arizona big game draw you won’t be hunting big game very much, whether your a resident or not.

 

[nakneker]

For what it costs to apply for several years, and then the cost of the tag in most states, it becomes not worth it for me. The last several years in Colorado, the quality of the hunt is so low that I have a hard time getting excited about going. Hunting pressure is through the roof, animal numbers are down, and quality of animals is down.
I find more enjoyment going coyote hunting before and in between the big game seasons.

I get where you’re coming from. I’m going to start applying for more quality hunts in more states and play the points game. It’s takes a few years but a guy should start landing some tags eventually. I get a lot of joy from varmint hunting, my wife loves it too, we do as much if it as we can.