What is the hardest big game tag that you were able draw?

[bballard]

In 2004 I drew a moose tag in Montana (area 20 miles from my home)
Shot a 43" after 5 weeks of beating the brush!
Have been applying for a sheep tag for over 50 years(have max points) still no luck!

50 years? Wow!

 

[The Oregonian]

My son (14) drew a bighorn sheep tag in Oregon last year in I think his third season of applying for tags and this year I drew the Colorado non-res desert sheep tag.

 

[rlshrumva]

I recently drew a big horn sheep tag in my home state of South Dakota. As you can imagine, I feel like the luckiest guy on the planet. I was just wondering what other difficult tags members on the forum have drawn? It took me 14 years to pull this tag. What say you?

Elk Unit 45 in Wyoming - 14 years… absolutely ridiculous! It worked out okay though:

 

[dennisinaz]

My guess is that nearly every Game and Fish management for every state is overwhelmed as indicated by the information related in these threads. I have stopped even attempting to draw tags in Arizona since the probability is non-existent.

They don't take your money up front. The majority of the tags are given away in the random draw.

I drew a December mule deer tag in '23. Only 10 tags, i drew #8. Odds were <1%.
The 10% non-resident cap hurts if you're not a resident. I have a lifetime license so even though I'm a non resident, I'm not hindered by the 10% cap.
In all the permits I've applied for in Alaska, I've only drawn ONE. Alaska has no bonus points, no non resident cap.

 

[sable tireur]

Well Dennis, we had to pay ahead and get reimbursed minus a handling fee when I was putting in. They banked our money then charged fee. Screw AZ.

I've been a resident for 35 years and that cap never helped the residents.

The majority of the tags are given away in the random draw.

Never saw it, never heard of it. But I work 6 days a week...

Have a great day!

 

[Varmintnv]

Right now it would be Nv. Resident Antelope. I had 9 points going in this year and drew a goose egg. My son and wife drew the tag in 2017 with only 3 points each.
And next weekend I'm relocating to Tn, so I will never draw another antelope tag in my "home state". Been applying for Nv. Mtn Goat and all 3 bighorn species for years and never drew. Only special tags I've drawn in the last 35yrs is an area 072 bull tag in 2020. We manage deer tags every 3-5yrs. It's sad that Nv does such a poor job of managing big game herds. It used to be a great state for big game hunting, but mis management and the mid 2000 population explosion has just killed it.

 

[sambo3006]

Congratulations to you guys who have beaten the odds!
I haven't drawn diddly against the odds. I now have 20 desert bighorn points in Utah, will probably never draw.
I did once beat the odds by not drawing a tag that had an over 80% application success rate. Not to brag or anything.

 

[Marksman LLC]

Non resident New Mexico Pronghorn Rifle tag in 2021

I know it ain't much but the odds were less than 1 percent and it was a wonderful hunt that ill remember forever

 

[Will.284]

Montana late hunt February 1st-4th 2001 season Gardner,Mt . My 1st time applying and I got it , haven't drawn it since . Shot a 385 class6x6 bull elk

 

[AGGRO]

Try drawing a tule elk bull tag in CA. I've been applying since the 1970's without success.

I don't even bother anymore. Even if you drew one where would you hunt.

 

[Ckleeves]

I once struck out on a deer tag that drew out at 99.3%. How's that for luck? I can't seem to hit that .7% when I try!

 

[WYO300RUM]

I don't even bother anymore. Even if you drew one where would you hunt.

Exactly. Have max points before this year. 22 pts. Now a non res. 1 tag. Last year $2200+ really ? Extortion at its finest.

 

[littlebighorn]

I've been willing to play the points game in multiple states for many years. It has come at significant expense, but between my son and I, we have drawn 2 Utah Desert sheep tags, 2 Wyoming Bighorn sheep tags, a Wyoming moose, and some really good Colorado Deer tags.
I've found the law of supply and demand requires everyone to pay to play. I'm still sitting on lots of points that may never cash in.

 

[memtb]

I've been willing to play the points game in multiple states for many years. It has come at significant expense, but between my son and I, we have drawn 2 Utah Desert sheep tags, 2 Wyoming Bighorn sheep tags, a Wyoming moose, and some really good Colorado Deer tags.
I've found the law of supply and demand requires everyone to pay to play. I'm still sitting on lots of points that may never cash in.

With the cost of a non-resident license for highly desired game…..I'd be very afraid that I might actually draw one! memtb