hunt plans 2020

sagebb · Apr 1, 2020

what hunts do you have planned?
backpacking? out of state? deer, elk, antelope, OIL tags?

how do you think the corona will affect the 2020 season?

bullskin · Apr 2, 2020

So far, just a lot of turkey hunting since I am off work for a while. I am always hoping for a CA deer tag, but since I put in for an X zone I am probably still a few years out. Will help my son kill his buck (C zone) and perhaps draw Nevada--I am way overdue. May have to rely on bear meat to see me through next winter.

heywouldya · Apr 3, 2020

I drew an Arizona late season elk tag. I'm hoping to draw a deer tag in Nevada, but that probably won't happen. In California, I'll spend my time trying to get my daughters bucks in A and B zones, when I'm not working.

X7ahunter · Apr 3, 2020

Applied so far for:
Nevada deer, antelope, 2 sheep tags, and a bonus point for elk. Not having high hopes on any of them except the bonus point for elk, I know I'll draw that.

Utah general deer, limited entry deer, limited entry bull elk, limited buck pronghorn, oil Rocky mountain sheep, oil desert sheep, oil moose. Will apply for antlerless and birds when the time comes.

North Dakota Sheep

Will apply for:
California deer, elk, pronghorn, and sheep

Texas mule deer and sheep

North Dakota deer

Haven't decided on applying for:
Arizona
Wyoming have a point there for deer and antelope.
Oregon

newguy · Apr 3, 2020

I put in with a group for Utah general deer and the outfitter draw for New Mexico elk, we figure both are somewhere in the 50% draw odds so hopefully we get at least one of them. If we strike out there may use my points on Wyoming deer but haven’t decided yet. In California I am supposed to do a backpack hunt in B zone and may put in for an archery hunt in an X zone depending how the other draws go.

So really at this point I am at the mercy of the draws but one way or another I will do some hunting.

Good luck to you fellas,

Mark

Padfoot · Apr 3, 2020

My situation looks like X7ahunter’s, except I don’t put in for WyomingTexas or North Dakota. And I do put in for Colorado deer and elk, and Idaho sheep.

I expect to get a decent X zone tag with my Son and brother, we average 8 points. My brother and I have a 50/50 chance at a CO archery elk tag. The rest are long odds.

Defaults include OTC elk in either Idaho or Colorado, with an Idaho whitetail Deer tag if
buddies get their Muley draw tag.

Calbuck · Apr 4, 2020

I have Idaho general deer tag in pocket, will apply for draw hunt there.
In for Nevada Deer, Elk and Antelope..BP for antler less. Have some points but you never know in NV.
In for BP general deer Utah, in for Limited Entry Elk and Deer. Few points but not enough to get excited about it.
In for Elk BP in AZ (drew last year), will be putting in for deer there.
BP in Wyoming for deer.

Will prob apply in CA but drew X tag last year so starting over. May try my hand at backpack archery.
All in all, looking to try some packing in out of state if I draw and in Idaho on general if no draw.

sagebb · Apr 6, 2020

Sounds like great plans every body. Im in for utah nevada and Colorado so far. Have enough points to draw something decent for deer in utah and Colorado but we’ll see how long this shelter in place stays in effect. Just waiting for cali draw to open up and keeping my fingers crossed?

Aged10Years · Apr 7, 2020

Apply for X zone and get awarded with my D3-5. Doing a backpack trip on the opener to an area I used to hunt as a kid. Applied for antlered mule deer in NV along with my elk bonus point. We'll see what happens!

sagebb · Apr 7, 2020

Aged10years Sounds like a good plan! ?? You dont have to give exact unit numbers but im just curious are you applying for buck deer in Nevada for hard to draw units or more readily available? Me personally have been applying for a unit in particular that i should in theory be able to draw maybe every 5-6 years and which has OKAY trophy potential (if point creep doesnt affect of course) I’ve been curious to see if there are units you can draw every year or every other year in Nevada if it even exists?

Bwht4x4 · Apr 7, 2020

sagebb said:
Aged10years Sounds like a good plan! ?? You dont have to give exact unit numbers but im just curious are you applying for buck deer in Nevada for hard to draw units or more readily available? Me personally have been applying for a unit in particular that i should in theory be able to draw maybe every 5-6 years and which has OKAY trophy potential (if point creep doesnt affect of course) I’ve been curious to see if there are units you can draw every year or every other year in Nevada if it even exists?

There's no point creep in NV. NV is a bonus point state and not a preference point state. In fact, for most hunts you can't even accurately estimate the average # of points needed to draw a hunt since their system can award hunts to applicants with 0 points or 20 points! Case in point: 2019 rifle hunt in 241-245, on the low side 3 people with 2 points drew and on the high side 2 guys with 19 points drew.

Padfoot · Apr 7, 2020

Just finished my NV app last night, and was looking at some of the hard to draw units, but opted for units that fit my calendar better, with a aspiration unit in case I get a low number as my first choice.

I like NV's system better than the preference point system just seems more fair.

Aged10Years · Apr 7, 2020

sagebb said:
Aged10years Sounds like a good plan! ?? You dont have to give exact unit numbers but im just curious are you applying for buck deer in Nevada for hard to draw units or more readily available? Me personally have been applying for a unit in particular that i should in theory be able to draw maybe every 5-6 years and which has OKAY trophy potential (if point creep doesnt affect of course) I’ve been curious to see if there are units you can draw every year or every other year in Nevada if it even exists?

My first two choices I shot for the moon. The following 3 were, what I would consider to be, attainable. Although this is my first year applying in NV so what do I know. I have done a good amount of research and know a few people here and there in the state so basically this is me getting my feet wet. I have killed quite a few bucks here in CA but am "maturing" if you will and am venturing out a bit as I continue to develop in my hunting career. It just keeps getting better so I am excited to see what happens. I'll get over there sooner rather than later.

Bwht4x4 · Apr 7, 2020

I like NV's system better than the preference point system just seems more fair.
[/QUOTE]

I agree completely!

Padfoot · Apr 7, 2020

Having said that I’m probably going to go out with the few bonus points in my Nevada account. Those cheap tags are hard to come by and I’ve been holding out for one of the top elk units so I may not ever get it.

That’s also going to be true for my preference points in California for sheep and elk. There’s just too many max point holders for these limited number of tags in California.

Padfoot · Apr 7, 2020

Sheep tags nothing is cheap out there in Nevada?

Soj51hopeful · Apr 7, 2020

I really like Nevada’s draw system as well. But I wouldn’t call it more fair. People that apply for a unit but have bad luck can technically never draw a unit and die with 30 points where the next guy could technically draw the same unit (deer that is) every year.

oilcan · Apr 7, 2020

I have my annual Colorado trip. Have put in or will be in Arizona,Nevada,Utah and Wyoming.
As far as California I’ll probably wait right up until the deadline, I’m putting in for Archery so I want to see if this CV may interfere with the early dates.

Largebull · Apr 7, 2020

Pissed I didn't put in for Wyoming or N. Mexico. Damn Ex.Wife and I had other plans then she backed out! Hoping to get an AZ deer tag, or leftover. or possibly New Mexico landowner tag. good luck on the draws to all............BULL!

oilcan · Apr 7, 2020

Largebull said:
Pissed I didn't put in for Wyoming or N. Mexico. Damn Ex.Wife and I had other plans then she backed out! Hoping to get an AZ deer tag, or leftover. or possibly New Mexico landowner tag. good luck on the draws to all............BULL!

You can still do Wyoming Deer and Antelope if you are interested, they haven’t even started yet.

sagebb · Apr 8, 2020

Yeah i try not to think about my odds here for sheep and elk. At the rate we’re going I should be able to draw a sheep and elk tag by the time im about 135 years old?.

X7ahunter · Apr 8, 2020

sagebb said:
Yeah i try not to think about my odds here for sheep and elk. At the rate we’re going I should be able to draw a sheep and elk tag by the time im about 135 years old?.

I'll be around that age when l draw my pronghorn tag in California

BradA · Apr 8, 2020

My hunt plans ? To draw a sheep tag! Anyway, anyhow! Haha I apply for a number of states and every species pretty much in them.

I personally like the Nevada draw system better than the California draw system because at least you would have a better chance at drawing a sheep tag than 1:700 odds at best case. With no hope in sight of catching max points. I have 16 points in antelope and started applying as soon as I was old enough and still have 25 more years to force the draw and guarantee a tag I think that’s insane for a antelope tag! 41 years! Heck I will probably draw an Arizona Antelope tag before that .

I should draw a Colorado 3rd season tag this year and probably just a couple d zone tags other than that as of right now it will be a surprise.

I think the covid-19 will have little to no effect on the draws/apps maybe slightl. some people may put in for points instead of a hunt but I don’t think it will be a large enough group to see much of a different. As far as the states go they are all money hungry and money driven so they can’t afford to not sell those nr tags. Shoot Utah just did a huge tag increase after everyone applied for the draw... funny how that works. At least that’s my prediction as of now, and than again things change day by day right now.

Calbuck · Apr 8, 2020

The draw is a joke in a preference point state. If you got in the first year you might get to hunt..after that..could take years. My son has 5 deer preference points in CA and never had a chance in the CA elk draw..it's a crappy system and I don't have many hopes for him to ever draw in his home state. Its tough to try and explain to your kids why it takes so long to be able to hunt. But I keep trying. Seeing all the different states begin the inevitable raise in non resident prices is disheartening, as they will continue to exploit the non resident to fill the coffers..seems as though hunting will go the way of the rich man, no matter what.

BradA · Apr 8, 2020

I wonder if there is a way to vote and have the draw system changed like they are considering in Nevada doing right now.

sagebb · Apr 9, 2020

Yeah hard to say if we could impose such a change like that especially here, where DFG’s last priority is wildlife management and hunter satisfaction. All i guess you can do now is go on as many OTC elk and deer tags and just hunt! And think of these draw hunts just icing on the cake? there is a ton of great OTC opportunities out of state, sure nothing crazy trophy potential around every corner (or friendly on the pocketbook) but still great practice to chase critters and get ready for those so hard to reach, almost once in a lifetime tags.

Soj51hopeful · Apr 9, 2020

There is no perfect draw system in any state. The supply just doesn’t meet the demand. Even if CA went to a system such as Nevada’s your chances of drawing would be .0000something for elk or sheep. Then everybody would be bitching about having all these bonus points squared that don’t do any good. The only systems that have a level playing field as far as new applicants and old are the ones with no points at all (Id, NM, AK). Ca’s modified preference system IS probably one of the most fair ways of doing it. There’s a random chance and preference pool. The beauty of being a US citizen is you can apply to any state you please.

chrisamx · Apr 9, 2020

I have 7 points for deer, so I'm kind of in a no mans land as far as X zones go. Seems like I'm always a couple points away from a good draw. I put in for all big game, but since I don't have max points for any of those draws, I fundamentally have zero points.

Too bad we dont do like WY does 50 points/50 random...at least I would feel like I have a chance.

Aged10Years · Apr 9, 2020

I have 9...Dad and Grandpa both have 10. Goal is to put Grandpa on a big mule deer before he can't do it anymore. He is really getting into the camp cook role in the past few years. He'll be 82 this year...

bobby7321 · Apr 9, 2020

Applying everywhere as usual. Max elk points in WY, so hoping to pull a tag there. My boy is 12 this year, so applying for as many youth hunts as possible.

Padfoot · Apr 9, 2020

Because there are enough tags to go around in the X zones, the point creep has been coming down as guys draw out and start over accumulating points. I have seen a leveling off of how many points it takes to hunt the various x-zones. At least that is my hope for this year, we barely missed last year.

Aged10Years · Apr 9, 2020

Fingers crossed this is our year...

Padfoot · Apr 9, 2020

Calbuck said:
The draw is a joke in a preference point state. If you got in the first year you might get to hunt..after that..could take years. My son has 5 deer preference points in CA and never had a chance in the CA elk draw..it's a crappy system and I don't have many hopes for him to ever draw in his home state. Its tough to try and explain to your kids why it takes so long to be able to hunt. But I keep trying. Seeing all the different states begin the inevitable raise in non resident prices is disheartening, as they will continue to exploit the non resident to fill the coffers..seems as though hunting will go the way of the rich man, no matter what.

I agree with all of this. It has me concerned, but there are more of us then there are of the deer, elk, sheep and antelope. I never thought my son or I would get a sheep tag in CA, but I put us both in and my son won the lottery and got a tag will less than max points a few years back. I hope that someday he will realize that that was truly a once in a life time hunt.

As I get older I appreciate those opportunities better than a young twenty something. Luckily when I retire I will start using his inheritance to go hunting out of state and pay for private land access or guided hunts. With climate change, ballooning populations and changes in wildlife management, these are the good times, and in 20-40 years things will be even more restricted. Yeah, it sucks that guys with disposable income can take advantage of more and better hunting. That has always been the case. Look at the European model, that is where we are headed. Only the gentry in England had the access to hunt, everyone else were poachers....LOL.

BradA · Apr 9, 2020

Padfoot said:
I agree with all of this. It has me concerned, but there are more of us then there are of the deer, elk, sheep and antelope. I never thought my son or I would get a sheep tag in CA, but I put us both in and my son won the lottery and got a tag will less than max points a few years back. I hope that someday he will realize that that was truly a once in a life time hunt.

As I get older I appreciate those opportunities better than a young twenty something. Luckily when I retire I will start using his inheritance to go hunting out of state and pay for private land access or guided hunts. With climate change, ballooning populations and changes in wildlife management, these are the good times, and in 20-40 years things will be even more restricted. Yeah, it sucks that guys with disposable income can take advantage of more and better hunting. That has always been the case. Look at the European model, that is where we are headed. Only the gentry in England had the access to hunt, everyone else were poachers....LOL.

Dang to draw a sheep tag with less then max points and win the raffle tag that’s some insane luck and in the same year ! What units did you two hunt and how big were the rams you harvested or I should assume you did. Sorry for getting off of topic my curiosity is getting the best of me .

Padfoot · Apr 9, 2020

Sorry, My bad, he didn’t get the lottery tag, I meant that sheep tag was like winning the lottery. ?

BradA · Apr 9, 2020

Padfoot said:
Sorry, My bad, he didn’t get the lottery tag, I meant that sheep tag was like winning the lottery. ?

Oh gotcha, what unit did he draw without max points ?

Padfoot · Apr 9, 2020

504. He sure is lucky....

BradA · Apr 9, 2020

Padfoot said:
504. He sure is lucky....

I have been trying to draw that tag for about a decade! Since I a couple points shy of max. Lucky kid! I would be interested in see the ram he ended up harvesting.

Padfoot · Apr 9, 2020

175 net. Those rams tend to have big bases in that unit. This guy had a lot of mass.

BradA · Apr 9, 2020

Wow ! Great ram beautiful ram. Yeah as far as the best bases that unit has the best bases but the least amount of sheep density. I have done a lot of research on that unit as well as the others and even went on a hunt last year and helped an older man fulfill his dream at 82 years old in killing a ram.

What was your sons rams bases ? And length ? If you don’t mind saying .

sagebb · Apr 9, 2020

Wow what a great ram. Super awesome.

Padfoot · Apr 9, 2020

I think the bases were right around 15" with a length measurement of about 33". It carried the mass well and the quarter measurements missed the biggest chunked out parts where it had lost horn to fighting.

He had a great time, and hunted with Dry Creek Outfitters. They were awesome, and what a great bunch of guys!