I ended up harvesting my antlerless elk the other day one shot 30-06 at 150 yards. Well this has me looking at hunts and drawing odds, I mean I look at 3 hunts I want to go on but 36a-2,49, 50 or the pioneer zone has combined over 3000 people put in for 300 tags. So how is one to ever draw a tag? I also was looking at 48 but I was wondering if anyone has been in there since the big fire and how numbers have been affected? thanks my rant is over
Idaho Elk
- Thread starter JWhunter
- Start date
smarandr
Well-known member
:hump:
Elkmagnet
Well-known member
Neither of those things are going to increase the number of ch tags available. Just keep learning how to hunt the wonderful otc opportunities we have and feel lucky you live somewhere where you have a legit chance at a branch bull every year.
Don't hold your breath JW, I've lived & elk hunted here over 30 years & have yet to draw an elk tag! I've drawn one Mule Deer tag in all those years! These days I still apply for draws but now I've come to know the elk country so well I really don't care if I draw or not! (grin)
ElkNut1
ElkNut1
Steelhead
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2009
- Messages
- 701
Did you at least make good on that one Idaho deer tag you drew Paul?? I bet you didn't even break 206" with it... 
HONEY BADGER
New member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2011
- Messages
- 38
How does Jason Carter of Ridge Reaper keep drawing LE late season deer tags in Idaho? Has been at least 2 years in a row now. As far as I know you can't just buy a landowner tag in Idaho like you can in many other states, so he must be drawing them but what are the odds of that?
Last edited:
Muley_Stalker
Well-known member
You can always go to them.
jryoung
Well-known member
And how do point systems work for those that are late to the party? You have alays have a chance to draw in Idaho, in fact I think they have one of the most balanced systems by forcing folks to determine the species they want, thus diluting the pool and giving you a chance. Specifically, I drew a moose tag this year on my first time entering. I wasn't at the bottom of the pyramid scheme...err "point system", I just chose to put in for moose instead of elk, deer, bighorn, goat and moose.
Oh, and saw a lot of elk in that OTC unit too.
Elkmagnet
Well-known member
You may search Idaho point in these forums and do some reading i think you will see that our system is as fair to everyone as it can get
Elkmagnet
Well-known member
It's illegal to sell crack in Idaho also thats why nobody does it.
TheDudeAbides
Well-known member
No matter the draw system people will complain when not drawing tags. There are just too many people applying for the number of tags and there isn't a draw system that will fix that.
There was a discussion thread a while back of Idaho F&G asking people to potentially change the draw system and a majority of Idaho residents are against it.
The two best systems are the Lottery and the Bonus Point Squared with the math that was used on that thread. Neither one would be a good fix for 300 people applying for 5 tags.
Your best bet is to keep applying and hoping that you will get lucky or look at another unit with better draw odds and put in for that one.
Pinecricker
New member
"over 3000 people put in for 300 tags." - and yet there are people out there saying there aren't enough hunters and that we need to recruit more of them.
If you can't hook up a bull with an OTC tag in Idaho, it reflects purely on your skill as a hunter, and not on how IDF&G manages things. Granted, Idaho is not the easy pickings like your going to get hunting elk in Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, etc., but it is possible with the appropriate effort.
If you can't hook up a bull with an OTC tag in Idaho, it reflects purely on your skill as a hunter, and not on how IDF&G manages things. Granted, Idaho is not the easy pickings like your going to get hunting elk in Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, etc., but it is possible with the appropriate effort.
jryoung
Well-known member
How many years have you been hunting, and how many elk have you harvested?
Part of the game is playing the numbers and finding the undersubscribed units. Just like buying stock in the stock market, find the good value (hint avoid the hype). How do you think Randy goes on several hunts a year?
Elkmagnet
Well-known member
If this bothers you, you could attend a meeting and ask for longer waiting periods for successful applicants. This is one of the better ways to improve fairness.
P.s I'm like 13 for 14 on elk in Idaho including this year almost all otc and most archery bulls. I still don't think I'm a very good hunter and if we hunted together I'd be trying to learn from you. What I'm saying is congratulations but keep your eyes open there's so much more to learn.
