Why do You...

[idelkslayer]

Often we see posts from people who have draw a tag but seem to know little to nothing about the area they drew for (always frustrating if it is an area you know well and didn't draw for). This brings to mind a few questions:

1. Do you primarily apply for hunts in areas that you are familiar with or do you base it on other criteria? Have you been successful when hunting in a previously unfamiliar area?

2. Have you ever drawn (and purchased) a tag and not used it?
By this I mean that you didn't even go hunting with that tag.

3. Have youe ever drawn a tag and forgotten to purchase it before the August 1st deadline?

My answers are below:

1. I mostly apply in units that I have prior experience in either for other species or during general seasons.

2. So far I have always been able to use my tags.

3. I cut it close once but I usually purchase my tags well in advance of the deadline.

 

[BPKHunter]

It's hard to really get to know a lot about some LE units, since there may be NO general hunt opportunities.

Trophy species are a great example, do I need to spend a bunch of time before I put in for Mountain Goats in unit 11 to put in for there? Certainly not, you look at the odds and get a feel for hunt quality and put in for the best you can.

I understand the frustration, but on LE hunts with limited tags I don't think it's such an issue. I am more willing to share on an early Unit 40 elk, than on an OTC unit 39 deer.

Now I get more frustrated with people who put in for OTC tags and seem unwilling to do their own scouting. We all know getting to know how to hunt an OTC unit comes from sweat and that info should not be too easily shared.

 

[dreaminbouthuntin]

>Often we see posts from people
>who have draw a tag
>but seem to know little
>to nothing about the area
>they drew for (always frustrating
>if it is an area
>you know well and didn't
>draw for). This brings
>to mind a few questions:
>
>
>1. Do you primarily apply
>for hunts in areas that
>you are familiar with or
>do you base it on
>other criteria? Have you
>been successful when hunting in
>a previously unfamiliar area?

No and Yes. I put in for difficult deer tags, but why spend each year scouting hard in a unit you may never draw. Yes i have hunted an area i was not familiar with and was successful.[b/]

>2. Have you ever drawn
>(and purchased) a tag and
>not used it?
> By this
>I mean that you didn't
>even go hunting with that
>tag.

NOPE.[b/]

>3. Have youe ever drawn
>a tag and forgotten to
>purchase it
> before the August 1st
>deadline?

NOPE.[b/]

 

[ihuntelk]

I don't. I only apply for areas that I have a decent knowledge of the unit, or a good hunting buddy does. I don't take anyone at face value on the forums or magazines! I hate Eastmans and Huntin Fool trying to make everyone an expert on every unit. I have laughed my guts out at a couple of their recommendations. Is it blatantly obvious to anyone else that "MR DIY" Guy Eastman is getting some kick backs from another big private ranch to rank a certain unit higher than it deserves? That should be a topic for another thread so I'll leave it alone here!

If I buy the tag, I'll hunt it. The only exception is this year with 2 smoker Idaho tags to go with my 3 good wyo tags and my daughters 3 wyo tags. I've thought about eating my Wyo pronghorn tag, but decided I'll take all four kiddos out for an afternoon and whack the first 13 incher to stand still.

I drew a Hell's Canyon bear tag last fall and didn't purchase the permit. I only had so many days and me, 1 brother and 1 buddy drew good Wyo pronghorn tags for the same time period. That story will be out in the newest issue of Western Hunter Magazine that'll hit newstands in 2 weeks! I was sorry I didn't go over and kill a big bear but we sure had fun on 3 smoker Wyo pronghorns!

See you in Idaho next monday as I prep for my deer tag opener on the 15th!

 

[AIROHUNTER]

I wonder BPK if you have ever drawn an OIL tag, if you have you would understand why a person would try so hard to gather information from all who would share. It's un realsitic to think that a person could find the time to scout every unit they hoped someday they would draw a tag for. Now drawing a tag in a unit you know little or nothing about for me is half the fun, it's very exciting to learn a new animals behavior and terrain in a short time, the intensity adds to the overall experience. After having spent so much time on the ground last year scouting for my wife's sheep i have also contimplated how much i would share with the next tag holder, i think you need to do a fair amount of work yourself. I hunt unit 39 and won't tell my good friends where, OTC type hunts are off limits for conversation. I have un-used non resident Idaho deer tags for sale if you'd like, i refuse to just "shoot one" because i'm out of state, that is a choice i'm lucky enough to make.

My favorite hunts are because they were with friends and family not just because "I got one".

 

[greatbasin]

1. Yes and no...it just depends on what I am trying to accomplish, that said, mostly yes.

2. Yes, once out of state.

3. NO.

I can't afford to do all the hunting I would like, or even what I did...say 5 years ago. I'm not going to fault anyone for not scouting a hard to draw area or trying to branch out with a distant hunt for a new species.
I don't mind sharing for the right folks. People who have ethics and are dedicated to the game, the habitat, and the pursuit.

 

[AIROHUNTER]

Oooops. my comment was directed to Idelkslayer not BPK...multitaskings a bit**


My favorite hunts are because they were with friends and family not just because "I got one".

 

[idelkslayer]

Airohunter

I'm not trying to be critical of anyone trying to get info for a controlled hunt, especially and OIL tag. I haven't drawn a OIL tag yet.

I was just curious to know to what degree being familiar with an area influenced a persons decision to apply for a certain tag. For fun I also was curious to know how many people had the unfortunate experience of forgetting to buy their tag before the deadline.

 

[208JBB]

Yes, I've gotten tags in areas I've never been before. Going someplace new adds a whole other challenge to the experiance. I love exploring so it can be more fun to hunt new areas.

Yes, I've been injured or got to busy with work and had to not go on a hunt or two.

No, Never forgot to pick up a tag.

 

[NickM]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-13-12 AT 09:00AM (MST)[p]I would put in for a OIL tag in an area I have never spent any time in. That decision would be based off of good research, harvest reports, draw odds and success rates. But you can be damn sure that scouting would be done by yours truly prior to asking anyone on an open forum about the unit. I feel that if the person asks general questions about an area that he drew for he is looking for the easy way out, if he were to ask more detailed questions that proved he had spent some time trying to figure it out on his own more people would be apt to reply with good information.

I hope that after a few more years of living in Idaho I can offer more help than what I currently am able to. Just takes some time is all.

I think there is an awful lot of people that put in for areas they have no clue about, then they come on the internet to find out everything, that to me is just lazy. But different strokes for different folks.


To answer your questions.

No/Yes
No
No