Application Strategy

Application Strategy
by
by
Dave
Garth
Loescher
Carter
Hunting
Founder
Consultant
Hunting
Consultant
Landowner
Tag Specialist
E
veryone’s application strategy is
different, typically due to age, past
hunting experiences, success and financial
considerations, and what is left on the
bucket list. Being in my early 60’s, having
no children at home, trying to spend our
kids’ inheritance, and realizing that there
may be only a handful of hunting years
left, my strategies are unique, but they
may coincide with a few of the other
Huntin’ Fools out there.
Because I have been in the wildlife arena all of my working
life I have had a huge amount of hunting opportunities
with successes from Alaska and northern Canada to Sonora,
Mexico. Therefore my hunting standards and desires are
typically higher than the average 60 year old guy who is
facing retirement. For example, I will apply for hunts, buy
landowner tags, or go on guided hunts only if there is a
chance for a 380" plus elk, 200" plus Mule deer, 170" plus
Whitetail, or a book sheep. Am I spoiled? Yes I have been
spoiled by about 40 years of excellent western big game
hunting on some of the West’s premium units. Hopefully I
will get about 10 more years of hunting in.
So what is next? To obtain tags that may produce the
quality of hunt and animals I am interested in, I am very
selective. First, I have learned my lesson in trying to do my
own hunt applications, so I have our License Application
Service which just happens to be my daughter, Jenny, do
them for me. That way I do not miss any deadlines.
I am one of those guys who buys at least one chance for
every raffle tag for Governor type permits that I know of.
I like my name in the hat. If I could, I would buy at least
one of our Membership Drive ticket packages because these
hunts meet my tag requirements as well as my guide/
outfitter requirements.
I apply in every western state, even if some of those
applications are for “points only.” My philosophy is that if a
state is not producing trophy critters now, then buy points.
Something may change, and those points are like money in
the bank. I only apply for “points only” if I would not take
a tag, otherwise I apply for the actual tag. Do not wait and
apply for “points only” for hard-to-draw tags like sheep or
the best elk and deer units in the West. Try to draw those
tags every year.
For big sheep I always apply for tags in every western state
but only in the top units because if I draw, I want to hunt
16
www.huntinfool.com
a book ram. Because I am not ready to hunt Shiras moose
yet I apply for “points only” in Wyoming and Colorado and
the best moose unit in Montana. For Mountain goats I apply
in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.
When it comes to big elk, 380" plus bulls, I apply for tags in
Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico, otherwise I build
points. With that said I always buy at least two landowner
elk tags annually, typically again in Utah, Nevada, and New
Mexico. For giant Mule deer I try to draw or buy landowner
tags in Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. I also try to pick a
tag or two on an Indian Reservation, in addition to hunting
Sonora annually. Big Mule deer are extremely hard to find,
but Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada are your best
bets. Since I used up my max points status in Arizona, I now
apply for a trophy Coues deer unit every once in a while.
I typically do at least one exploratory hunt for Mule deer
and elk each year because that is where you find the new
areas for big deer and elk. Mostly these are comprised of
outfitted hunts that come with guaranteed tags that Jeff
Warren, our booking consultant, recommends. Sometimes
they work, and sometimes they do not.
In reality if I apply in all of the western states for pretty
much all of the species available to a non-resident, I will
have less than 1,000 non-refundable dollars invested. For
me that is a reasonable price to pay, kind of like the cost
of doing business, for a future of good hunts.
Application strategies go hand in hand with buying a
landowner tag or two or picking up a guided hunt once in
a while. It is all about being in the woods each fall, and it
takes tags to do that. Apply, Apply, Apply!
G arth on an E xploratory
H unt in M adison V alley
M ontana with his 2013 buck
Application Strategy
by
I
t’s that time of year again
where I start to strategize
and scheme about how I can
Jeff Warren
draw a tag or two for the next
Hunting
hunting season. With that
Consultant
being said, I don’t live and
Outfitter
die for draw tags. I am going
Specialist
to hunt regardless of my
success in the various state
draws that I get involved
with. Over-the-counter tags and landowner tags ensure
that I hunt numerous times each hunting season. Drawing a
coveted tag is merely icing on my hunt schedule cake.
In Arizona I hunt archery Coues deer or Mule deer with
over-the-counter tags. I don’t have many points in Arizona
for any species because I was too busy guiding hunters for a
living and didn’t have time to hunt if I did happen to draw
a tag, so building points in Arizona was not on my radar for
the last 20 years. Now I’m too old to worry about it!
I have drawn two great elk tags in Utah, and I can start
putting in again in 2014 after my latest 5-year waiting
period. I will put in for units with 350" potential and
not hold my breath! Utah’s general deer season is all
about going with my sons and grandsons when they draw
tags. Sadly my home state has lost my attention when it
comes to trophy Mule deer. I apply for Rocky Mountain
Bighorn sheep and expect to draw
a tag in the next 6-7 years as I
have accumulated a good amount of
sheep points.
Colorado has my undivided attention
for Mule deer. I will hunt the same
unit each year until Old Man Winter
dictates otherwise. I can draw my
favored deer unit with one or two
points. In the years that I don’t draw
I purchase a landowner tag. I will
not miss a year of hunting deer in
Colorado! Elk is an over-the-counter
archery tag unit for me, and I am
still hunting different units each
year, trying to figure out where I
want to land for good. I don’t apply
for sheep or goats as they are not
high on my list.
Wyoming is a state that I have toyed
with in the past, and I am currently
building deer points there. Hopefully I will find an area in
the future that will be worthy, in my mind, to burn some
points on. I hunted a general elk unit in 2013 and had an
exceptional hunt. I will do that again in 2014. General tags
can be drawn with 0 points, and that’s how I obtained my
tag in 2013.
I don’t apply for any species in Idaho, but I really
enjoy hunting over-the-counter areas for Whitetail. It is
something that I have done and will continue to do every
year. Montana has become my back-up plan if all else fails.
Deer tags can be purchased over-the-counter, and there is
nothing like a good deer and pheasant hunt to fill in my hunt
calendar, if needed. I apply for almost everything Nevada
has to offer, and I have enough points now that a tag or
two is somewhere in the near future. I consider the money
spent in Nevada to be a good investment on a quality hunt.
New Mexico is a landowner elk tag state for me. I don’t
apply for any species as I’m bullheaded and don’t like the
way they treat non-resident hunters in the draw. I won’t
play their game! I generally throw a few dollars at some of
the raffle tag hunts in different states for elk, deer, sheep,
and bear. You never know when you might get lucky, and
it doesn’t have to be a big investment.
The bottom line for me each fall is to simply hunt! Taking
great trophies is obviously a bonus, but I need to be out
and about pursuing the species that make my heart race.
J eff with his U tah
non - typical that he harvested
with a landowner tag
435-865-1020
17
Application Strategy
by
I
t is unbelievable how quickly time goes
by. As the curtain closes on the 2013
hunting season it is time to assemble a plan
Dave Loescher
for 2014. As hunters we need to always
Hunting
learn from previous years and research
Consultant
as much as we can to develop a new
Landowner
strategy and apply for the upcoming year.
Tag Specialist
My application strategy is probably similar
to many of yours who are reading this. In
states that consider more than one choice
and also provide a random chance to draw a tag, I shoot for
the stars on my first choice. My secondary choices are then
filled with hunts that I have a legitimate chance at drawing.
As a father of children who are of hunting age I have to
consider their points and season dates when trying to put
together my upcoming fall applications. This requires much
more analysis, and a spreadsheet has proven to be a great
tool to help visualize the points and hunt dates. Here is my
state-by-state summary of how I apply.
Arizona is what I consider to be my home state and is also
home to World Class animals of all species. This is also
a great state to get the kids involved in since they can
apply as long as they turn 10 years old prior to the hunt
you are applying them for. Personally I approach Arizona
differently than most non-residents thanks to my lifetime
hunting license that I purchased prior to moving to Utah.
Although I pay non-resident tag fees if drawn, I am not
subject to the 10% non-resident cap. Residents of Arizona
have a much higher random chance at drawing coveted
tags than non-residents. Pay close to attention to the
comments section in the Huntin’ Fool magazine to find
the minimum points needed to draw a particular hunt as a
non-resident and if any random chance of drawing exists.
I do not apply in California. With the high cost of applying
and the virtually non-existent chance at drawing a permit,
I do not see the need to apply.
Whenever I hear that someone does not apply for deer
in Colorado I cannot help but think that they are missing
the boat. The “point creep” (minimum number of points
needed to draw a tag increasing over time) is very real,
but there are many areas in Colorado that can be drawn
with a weapon other than a rifle on a fairly regular basis.
The few top-shelf elk units offer very few tags, so the point
creep is horrible. If you are
not already sitting on a pile of
elk points, then it is somewhat
discouraging to think that
you will catch up. I apply for
deer and Bighorn sheep in
Colorado, and I occasionally
purchase a landowner deer
voucher on years when I
do not draw the tag that I
am after. My kids are also
applying and building points
in Colorado.
Typically I apply for either
deer or moose in Idaho. Idaho
has some big Mule deer in
certain areas, and typically a
chance at a tag for big Mule
deer will always draw me in.
I am building points now to
draw an archery tag in Iowa on
a year that fits my calendar.
D ave with his
A rizona B ull
18
www.huntinfool.com
Kansas is a great state to
archery hunt Whitetail during
the rut. The key here is
determining an area that you want to hunt and then
securing permission, leasing a property, or hiring an
outfitter for access.
I apply for Bighorn sheep and bison in Montana. Their elk
and Mule deer have not really excited me enough to apply.
The odds of drawing a New Mexico elk tag are slim in the
better units, but I apply as no one has a bonus/preference
point advantage. If you want to shoot a big Desert sheep
one day, then you must swallow hard and pony up the
funds and apply in New Mexico. Someone will draw the tag,
and we all have the same chance. Ibex is also a species
that I am interested in hunting one day, so I apply for
it as well.
I apply for all species in Nevada. Living only 1 hour away
from the Nevada state line makes it an exciting option,
since scouting is very possible. I also apply for the Silver
State and Dream tags in Nevada. I currently do not apply
for any species in Oregon due to the high cost and slim
chance of drawing a tag.
As a resident of Utah I am forced to select one species from
deer, elk, and antelope. For me that is an easy choice, and
Mule deer is the winner. I apply for archery deer in Utah in
a limited-entry area and also for archery deer in a general
unit. I apply my kids for general deer as well but with a
rifle, and I also apply them for limited-entry elk hunts.
As a resident I can only apply for one of the once-ina-lifetime species, and my choice is Rocky Mountain
Bighorn sheep.
My kids’ applications are the only ones I fill out for
Washington each year. It is very inexpensive to apply youth
for sheep, moose, and goat tags in Washington. I personally
do not apply for any species due to the high cost and
difficulty of drawing tags.
Wyoming is a great state to hunt! I apply for Bighorn sheep,
elk, deer, bison, and antelope. I also get the kids involved
in Wyoming. Antelope are everywhere in this state, and
they are made for youth hunters!
My application strategies have changed over the years, and
I am sure they will continue to change as my kids grow and
my interests change. It is fun to put together a plan each
year, and I keep my fingers crossed and hope to see a few
tags arrive in the mailbox. Good luck!
Application Strategy
by
R
esearching and trying to
find the next great hunt
is something I love to do
Robert
and work hard at doing. I
Hanneman
spend my winter days going
Hunting
over state statistics and
Consultant
researching new areas. My
Research
strategy is fairly simple —
Specialist
apply for as many great tags
as possible and pray I draw a
few, and then fill in the rest
of the season with over-the-counter tags from Montana,
Idaho, and Oregon. A typical year for me consists of 6-10
hunts. I never worry about drawing too many great tags
since the odds are against it.
I apply for Dall sheep in the TOK and Delta units with
an outfitter in Alaska. Since I have my hunting license, I
also apply for elk, caribou, Musk ox, buffalo, and moose.
I choose units where I could go self-guided and have a
reasonable chance at a trophy animal.
In Arizona I apply for archery deer on the Strip as I am two
points behind max. I always apply for antelope, archery
elk, and Desert Bighorn sheep. I have drawn two elk tags
in Arizona, and hopefully I will have my third tag in the
next few years.
I apply for Tule elk, antelope, Desert Bighorn sheep,
and muzzleloader Blacktail deer in California. I know I
will draw my deer tag in the future, but California is the
435-865-1020
19
hardest state for me to justify. If I ever decide to drop a
state, California will be the first one to go.
Idaho is one of my favorite states to hunt. Every year I
apply for deer, elk, and antelope. I have been lucky over
the years and have drawn four great tags. My biggest Mule
deer and antelope were taken in Idaho. Years that I do
not draw many tags will find me with an over-the-counter
archery elk or Mule deer tag for Idaho.
Being born and raised in Nevada, it is my #1 state to apply
in. I apply for everything except elk as I drew an archery
tag in 2006 and cannot apply again until 2017. I apply for
Mule deer in the northern half of the state because the
draw odds are better and I am always impatient for my
next Nevada deer tag!
I apply for deer, elk, Ibex, and Bighorn sheep every
year in New Mexico. My deer application always has 2B
archery as my first choice, followed by Coues deer as
my other choices. For elk I am archery across the board.
I helped a friend a few years ago on an Ibex hunt, and it was
amazing, so I apply rifle first followed by muzzleloader. If
I ever get the time, I would love to try to hunt them with
a bow.
Utah has great animals, but unfortunately I cannot draw a
tag there. I have been applying for 15 years, but I switched
around which animals I applied for and do not have enough
points to draw anything. Since I am a non-resident, I apply
for everything. I should draw an archery elk tag in the next
few years.
Being a resident of Montana allows me to hunt elk, deer,
and bear on over-the-counter tags every year. I also take
full advantage of the draw and apply for elk, deer, moose,
goat, Bighorn sheep, antelope, and buffalo. I alternate
applying for Bighorn sheep and hunting the unlimited
Bighorn sheep units. The year 2014 will find me once again
hunting sheep in an unlimited unit. Montana has been
good to me with a moose tag in unit 102 and a goat tag
in unit 329.
I have enough points to draw any Whitetail tag in Kansas, so
I am waiting for the right time to go. I have been building
points for deer and plan on hunting archery deer in 2014 in
Iowa. In Texas I apply for Desert Bighorn sheep. The odds
are tough, but it is so cheap to apply. I apply for Canadian
moose in Maine, since I have never harvested one. The
draw odds are tough, but a good friend of mine has drawn
twice in the last 10 years. I also apply for Canadian moose
in Vermont and in New Hampshire. The odds are tough in
Kentucky, but with cheap application fees and big bulls I
apply there for elk. Pennsylvania is the same as Kentucky
but with bigger bulls, so every year Pennsylvania gets my
application fees.
As you can see I put in for a ridiculous amount of tags, but
every year I draw between one and three great tags and
then fill in the rest of my season with over-the-counter
tags. One of the main reasons I apply for such a large
variety of species and states is that I love seeing new
country and experiencing different climates and cultures.
Oregon is my sleeper state. One of my best archery bulls
was taken in an easy to draw unit. I have a lot of points
for deer and antelope, but with the way their system works
I may never draw the tag I want. I apply for California
Bighorn sheep, archery deer, archery elk, and antelope.
Years when I am light on quality tags, you can find me
chasing over-the-counter Blacktail deer and Roosevelt elk
with a bow.
In Wyoming I apply for deer, elk, antelope, and Bighorn
sheep every year. I also buy a point for moose every year
since I am close to drawing a tag and want to find the best
opportunity to harvest a Shiras moose with my bow. I have
been lucky in Wyoming over the years and have drawn
some great tags.
I apply for archery Bighorn sheep and points for elk in
Colorado. I used my points for deer in 2013 for a third
season hunt, so I will be buying a landowner tag in 2014 or
trying to draw an archery tag.
20
www.huntinfool.com
R obert with his M ontana
A rchery M tn G oat
Application Strategy
by
I
n Utah, as well as in most
states, we have different
seasons of the year. The
Drew Dockstader
season of year that I never
want to forget is the
Hunting
Consultant
application season. It always
precedes the draw season,
Advertising
Sales Specialist
which is followed by hunting
season. If you are reading
this, then you are a Huntin’
Fool member and you have
good reminders not to forget application season, but if you
do, you can forget about the hunting season unless you are
willing to buy a landowner tag or an auction tag.
For years it seemed that I was the person in my family and
among my friends whose responsibility it was to make sure
everyone submitted their applications on time. Huntin’
Fool is a very valuable tool to get the process started. The
ground work has already been done for you as far as stats
and draw odds go. I especially like looking at stats before
I apply for any given species. Whether you are looking at
them to decide which units have the best trophies or which
have the best drawing odds for a particular game animal,
studying the stats can help put Lady Luck in your favor or
D rew with his
A lberta W hitetail
can ensure that if you are searching for a true wall hanger
you are putting in for the right units.
The one smart thing I did in my home state of Utah was buy
my two sons and myself a lifetime license when they were
available. Even though my youngest son was only 6 years
old at the time we are now guaranteed a general season
deer tag and a fishing and small game license each year.
Some states still offer this license, and it is a very good
investment for your hunting future.
If you are a resident of Utah, you can only apply for one
limited-entry species and one once-in-a-lifetime species,
so most of my bonus points are for Mule deer and Desert
sheep. I have max points in Nevada for Desert sheep and a
lot of points for deer. Since some states require you to buy
a license to accumulate points, you may as well put in for
all of the big game animals you would like to hunt because
you never know when you’re going to get lucky and draw a
great tag. For example, I drew Nevada for elk in 2012 with
only 6 points.
Most of the western states have very difficult tags to draw,
but many have easy tags as well. If you enjoy hunting like I
do, you can put in for some really good units in some states
and some almost guaranteed
tags in others to ensure that
you will be in the field when fall
arrives. I have enough points in
Iowa to draw an archery tag for
Whitetail next year. I also have
enough points in Colorado to
draw a third season tag for deer
in some units. I drew a Coues
deer tag in Arizona last year,
and I have a lot of sheep and
elk points, but I will probably
either be in an old folks’ home
or dead before I draw one of
those with the way they run
their draws.
When all of the draw results
have come out and you did not
draw a tag, there are some good
over-the-counter opportunities
from states like Idaho and
Colorado that will scratch your
got-to-go-hunting itch. All
in all, my best strategy for
drawing a tag is to not forget the
application season!
435-865-1020
21
Application Strategy
by
O
Travis Roundy
Hunting
Consultant
Business
Development
Specialist
ne of the most fun times of the year
for me is the application season. I
have always been more aggressive with my
applications because I have the attitude
that I’d rather hunt more than accumulate
more bonus and preference points. I tend
to apply for areas that are relatively easy
to draw and then expect to have to work a
little harder to produce the kind of results
that I want.
In my home state of Utah I apply for the Paunsaugunt
archery buck deer hunt as my go-to choice for big bucks.
I also apply for a general deer tag in one of the southern
units close to home so I can hunt after work and with my
kids without extensive travel. I expect to have a tough hunt
and only occasionally kill a good buck. It’s mostly to teach
the kids how to hunt. I also apply for Desert Bighorn sheep
“points only.” I have enough points to draw one of the less
sought after units, but I’m waiting for a break in my work
and hunting schedule so I can draw the sheep tag and really
enjoy a good sheep hunt.
In Arizona I apply for “points only” on Desert sheep, Mule
deer, antelope, and elk. I have less than max points on all
of them, so I’m planning to draw a decent area and hunt
hard when I finally get enough points to be in the running
for a tag.
Colorado is my go to state for Mule deer. I apply for “points
only,” and I either draw a second choice hunt or purchase a
landowner tag. I do not miss the Colorado deer hunt for any
reason as I feel it’s the best place to hunt a giant buck for
the money. I also apply for Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep
and elk in Colorado. For elk I plan on using my points when
I build up to six or seven. I won’t wait long enough to draw
unit 61 or one of the other high demand units.
Wyoming is another state that I enjoy for Mule deer. I apply
for regions G or H every year. Even though the hunting isn’t
like it used to be, there are still some great deer scattered
throughout the rugged mountains. I apply for antelope
“points only” until my kids have enough points to draw an
average unit and then we go have a fun family antelope
hunt. I buy points for elk in Wyoming and plan to draw a tag
along with one or two of my kids a few years down the road.
I apply for Mule deer and elk in Idaho but only for the
premium areas. I’ve never drawn a really great tag there
yet. I apply for everything Nevada has to offer. They
make you buy the license to build points, so to get my
money’s worth I apply for a top area for every animal.
I’ve drawn deer a couple of times, and I’ve drawn a great
elk tag and one antelope tag. All of the hunts were very
high quality.
I apply for Mule deer, elk, and Rocky Mountain Bighorn
sheep in New Mexico. I rarely draw, but when I do it is a
quality hunt. I always hunt Mexico, even though it’s not a
draw. The Mule deer hunting there is my favorite hunt of
the year. It’s relaxing, and I always find a big buck or two.
I also apply for Indian Reservation hunts, but only when I
don’t have any other good hunts lined up.
As my backup plan when I fail to draw enough tags I head for
Idaho and pick up a general season deer or elk tag or I head
to Colorado and pick up an over-the-counter bull elk tag.
Now that my kids are old enough to go with me I look for
opportunities to find reduced price youth tags so we can all
go on a budget. Idaho and Colorado really take care of the
kids in that department. We can hunt on a working man’s
dollar and have a chance at some decent bucks and bulls.
I always buy raffle tickets for every drawing I can find for
sheep. I also buy tickets for super tags for Mule deer and elk
where they are offered. My thought is that someone has to
win or draw the tag, so it might as well be me.
Travis with his Nevada
Late S eason B ull
22
www.huntinfool.com
It’s difficult to plan hunts each year because there are so
many hunts to go on that you physically cannot do them
all. I really have to know the season dates and what my
chances are to draw so I can fill up my hunt schedule
with good hunts. I can study out the areas and the odds
in the Huntin’ Fool magazine and on the website, and I
usually come up with more hunts than I can fit into my
busy fall schedule.