1 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: As a guide and hunter, I've spent thousands of days 2 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: in the field. This show is about translating my hard 3 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: won experiences into tips and tactics they'll get you closer 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: to your ultimate goal success in the field. I'm Remy Warren. 5 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: This is cutting the Distance. This podcast is presented by 6 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: Yedi Built for the Wild. Well, Hello friends, welcome back. Hey, 7 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,239 Speaker 1: it's like the second week of the new year. Just 8 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: welcome to the new Roaring twenties. I feel like it's 9 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 1: it's gonna be a good year. And if you're anything 10 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: like me, you're thinking, Okay, this coming season, I've got 11 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff on my mind. But right now 12 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: what's on my mind is what I like to call 13 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: application season. It's that time of year where it's just 14 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: I'm gonna start planning my hunts for only twenty now. 15 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: Now you might be asking yourself where do I apply? 16 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: What should I be looking for? So, whether your first 17 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: time Western big game hunter, or maybe you're just looking 18 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: for something to new, I really think this podcast this 19 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: week is just for you because what I'm gonna be 20 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: doing is I'm gonna break down the application basics as 21 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: well as some strategies to draw tags sooner. I'm also 22 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: going to touch on a few over the counter opportunities 23 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: and where to start looking for your next big game 24 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: Western hunt. If I think back to all the tags 25 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 1: I've drawn, all the hunts I've been on, probably one 26 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: of the most exciting just opening the mail and finding 27 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 1: out what I drew, was the first time that I 28 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: drew a sheep tag. Now, I drew it in the 29 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: state of Nevada, my home state, for a desert bighorn sheep. 30 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: I was about fifteen years old, and I can just 31 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: remember one how exciting it was to draw that and 32 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: get to go on my very own sheep hunt, but 33 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: also how that hunt played out was pretty cool as well. 34 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna tell you the story of my first 35 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: sheep tag in the state of Nevada. If you know me, 36 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 1: you know that sheep hunting is one of my favorite 37 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: things to do. There's a lot of reasons behind that. 38 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: One just the challenge and the type of country that 39 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: sheep take you. But the other part of it is 40 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: that drawing a sheep tag is extremely difficult in most instances. 41 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: I went on my first sheep hunt, I didn't have 42 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: a tag, but my dad drew a California big Horn 43 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 1: sheep tag in the state Nevada. So, California big horn 44 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: is just a subspecies of a Rocky Mountain big horn. 45 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: It doesn't mean a sheep in California. It's like a subspecies. 46 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: So they're a little bit smaller than a Rocky Mountain 47 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 1: big horn, but a lot of people classify them as 48 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: a Rocky Mountain big horn. They're just they have smaller horns, 49 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: so we kind of separate that subspecies out. So my 50 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: dad drew this California big horn tag in Nevada, and 51 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: I was, I think at the time, eleven years old. 52 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: I had two younger brothers and my dad. His thing 53 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: was he wanted to take us on the hunt and 54 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: he wanted us to be there when he got a sheep. 55 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: He ended up getting a ram, and as soon as 56 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: I walked up on that ram with him, I thought, 57 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: this is the coolest thing ever. I want to hunt 58 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: sheep one day. But I knew that it was extremely 59 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: difficult to get a tag. Now fast forward, I could 60 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: start applying for tags when I was twelve years old Nevada, 61 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: and a few years later, when I was fifteen years old, 62 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: is when I drew my first sheep tag. I'll never 63 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: forget the moment that I checked to the mail and 64 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: realized that I drew a tag. I was actually at 65 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: my dad's shop helping, just working, doing some prep work 66 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: for painting, and the mail had come in and he 67 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: had the tag sent to his office and was like, okay. 68 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: I went in the office and open end up the 69 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: letter that back then before you would check online. Opened 70 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: up the letter that said what we were successful for it, 71 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: and as I started reading, I saw it desert big 72 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: horn sheep. I immediately started hyperventilating. I was just that excited. 73 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 1: I literally couldn't breathe. I was just freaking out. I'd 74 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: never I don't think i'd ever experienced something that exciting, 75 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: because I never, in my wildest dreams, thought that I 76 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: would draw a sheep tag that soon. I thought about 77 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: it every day, pretty much every day in my life. 78 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: I just dreamed about drawing a sheep tag. And to 79 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: open that letter and realized that I was going to 80 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: be hunting sheep was pretty exciting. My dad ran and 81 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: thought maybe something was wrong, and then by the time 82 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: I could start talking, I said, I drew a desert 83 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: sheep dag. He started freaking out, and I was like, 84 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 1: now you gotta see what you drew. He opened his 85 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: and he drew a desert sheep tag the same year, 86 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: different unit, but we'd both drawn desert sheep tags in 87 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: the same year. That was probably one of the most 88 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: exciting moments I can ever think of. We literally just 89 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: both started freaking out. But now it was time to plan. 90 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: Because neither of us had ever hunted desert bighorn sheep. 91 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: This was something new to us, and so there's one 92 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: a big learning curve and to just hunting a species 93 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: that we never hunted, but also like a type of 94 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: hunting that we weren't really that good at at that point, 95 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: which was a lot of glassing and a lot of 96 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: tough glassing and some really open country. But we ended 97 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: up picking up some tips from some friends that had 98 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: sheep hunted before and actually ran into a guy that 99 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: had been in the unit that I drew. So I 100 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 1: drew a unit down in southern Nevada, which was on 101 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: the Nellis Air Force Base. So in order to hunt 102 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 1: my area, I had to go to a special indoctrination 103 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 1: type class and then go to a special briefing on 104 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: the base where they would give you a pass to 105 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:57,679 Speaker 1: you and the person that you were hunting with. There's 106 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: no pre scouting aloud. You just once you got that 107 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: then you're allowed to hunt that area throughout the season, 108 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: unless some portion of it got closed or whatever. Now 109 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: I drew the tag, and there was only two tags 110 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: available that year in the unit. When we applied for 111 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 1: that tag, we just kind of looked at it, looked 112 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 1: at some of the odds before just for all was 113 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: just put in for an area with very limited tags, 114 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: least there won't be a lot of hunters around. The 115 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 1: trouble with my unit was the year before there was 116 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: a drought and a major die off. It was traditionally 117 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 1: a good area, but this year things really plummeted. My 118 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: dad's sheep tag was an earlier season than mine, and 119 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: a lot further north, a lot closer to home, so 120 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 1: he ended up getting a sheep before we ended up 121 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: going on my hunt. Now, the season was right around 122 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: Christmas time, so we decided, okay, he's like pretty cool 123 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: about He thought, all right, you've got a desert sheep tag. 124 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: You can take it off pretty much as much school, 125 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 1: as long as you keep your grades as good and 126 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: don't get held back back, which by the end of 127 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: the year I ended up missing the exact number of 128 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: legal days before I would have had to retake that year, 129 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: but it didn't matter because I was a desert sheep hunting. 130 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: So we drive down to Vegas, do the Indoctrin nation, 131 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: and head out into the unit. The first couple of 132 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: days were with a guy that had hunted the neighboring area, 133 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: and he actually had some mules and was just showing 134 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: us some types of areas where we should start looking. 135 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: We talked to the biologists there, we just got as 136 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: much information as we could. But what it had amounted 137 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: to and all of the research that we've done, was 138 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: it was gonna be very, very, very difficult to find 139 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: any sheep because if there was any left, there probably 140 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: were just moving through because there was really hardly any 141 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: water left. All the guzzlers were dry. The sheep had 142 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: either moved on or died, unfortunately. So we started hunting, glassing, hiking, 143 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: looking from aread area to area. The first day went by, 144 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: we saw no sheep, but I kept our hopes high, 145 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: you know, I kept thinking, Hey, I've got a sheep tag. 146 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: I wasn't looking for the biggest sheep on the mountain. 147 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: I was just looking for any legal ram. That's all 148 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: I wanted was a ram, just the opportunity to harvest 149 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 1: my own ram. The next day went by no sheep. 150 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: The third day no sheep. After a week of hunting hard, 151 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: we had seen a total of zero sheep. Now, I 152 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: think the first living animal we saw was probably on 153 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: day seven or eight. There was a kit fox standing 154 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: out in the desert. I thought that was pretty exciting. 155 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: We'd seen no other living animals up until that point. 156 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: Is getting pretty close to Christmas now, and so we 157 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: promised my mom that we're going to go back home 158 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: for Christmas, but we've had plans to then drive back 159 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: Christmas night to keep hunting till the end of the season. 160 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: So there's Christmas to I am. Christmas Eve, we loaded up, 161 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 1: we drove home. It's about a six or seven I 162 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: was probably about a seven hour drive. Did Christmas with 163 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: the family loaded up that night, drove all night back 164 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: to the unit. On Christmas night, we get up start hunting. 165 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: There wasn't that many days left in the season, and 166 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 1: just as the week prior, no sightings of animals. I'm 167 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: not sure exactly at this point, I can't remember exactly 168 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: how many days we hunted. It was over two weeks 169 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: and we hadn't seen a single sheet. But my dad 170 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: was in it for the long haul with me. He 171 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: knew how much it meant to me. And my thought was, 172 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: if we aren't out here we can't find anything, we 173 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: won't be successful. It came down to the last day 174 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: of the hunt and there was another hunter in the 175 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 1: unit that had a tag, and we kind of decided 176 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: to just camp together and that way if somebody had 177 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: seen something, maybe we could make a play or both 178 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: make a players. Just he was down there by himself 179 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: and we had a a trailer down there that we 180 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,559 Speaker 1: were staying, and so he figured out, well, just kind 181 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: of camp and hunt together. We just met him out there. 182 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 1: Never met him before that point. So the last day 183 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: of the season and we were glassing this one area 184 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: and he was in an area further north and he 185 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: had actually spotted some sheep, but he figured with the 186 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 1: waiting period and how long it would take him to 187 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: draw again and the type of sheep that were in there, 188 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: there wasn't really a ram that he wanted to take. 189 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: So he came and found me and said, hey, if 190 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: you want to go hunt those sheep their ears and 191 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,839 Speaker 1: I said, heck, yeah, I want to go hunt those sheep, 192 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: So I went into there. Me and my dad went 193 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: into that area, parked up with our optics, started glassing, 194 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: and we picked out a band of sheep that had 195 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: pretty much moved in from a neighboring unit which did 196 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: have water. And there was a legal ram in that group, 197 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 1: just one. So my dad held back with the spawning 198 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: scope in tripod and just watched them, and I made 199 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 1: about a mile hike up and around to where the 200 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: sheep had disappeared in this canyon. I started to creep over. 201 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 1: I had my first rifle to and I started creeping 202 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: up over the top, just glass and I had pretty 203 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: bad optics at this point, but I would just creep up, 204 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: start glassing, looking as the new country below me would 205 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: start to appear. And then I saw a band of 206 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: about twenty sheep, a bunch of years, and in the 207 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: middle was a ram pushing him around across the canyon, 208 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: about two and fifty yards away. I laid down, took 209 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 1: my jacket off, patted it up and set it on 210 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: the ground, put the rifle on it, lined up on 211 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: the ram, shot the ram and he ran right underneath 212 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 1: toward me, and all the other sheep went over, so 213 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: he disappeared, and then I saw him falling down the mountain. 214 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: His legs were pretty much up in the ear and 215 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 1: he was on his back, so I thought, oh sweet. 216 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: A radioed my dad and told him that I got 217 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: the sheep. It was down below me, and he was 218 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 1: gonna come with his pack frame up there and helped 219 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: me out, and we're going to pack it out. So 220 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: I just decided to wait above the ram. He actually 221 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: ended up dying about ninety yards below me, so I 222 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 1: started working my way down. It's just these cliffs all 223 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 1: the way down there, and as I started working down 224 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: to the sheep, I kicked up a rock and it 225 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: rolled and hit the ram, which was on his back 226 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: upside down. Somehow the ram wasn't hadn't expired yet. He 227 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: rolled over and started to run. I threw the gun 228 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: up at fifty yards shot the ram one more time. 229 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: He went down for good, and I walked up on 230 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: my first big horn sheep. It was one of the 231 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 1: coolest moments ever, and it was definitely due to a 232 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: few things, but mostly the fact that we applied for 233 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: these tags and I just happened to get lucky and 234 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: draw one of, in my opinion, the best tags you 235 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: can draw. Early in my hunting career, I walked down 236 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: and I laid my hands on my first big horn sheep. Now, 237 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: if I wasn't hooked on sheep hunting before, that moment 238 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: really solidified to me that I want to sheep hunt 239 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: as often as possible. And because of that, that moment 240 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 1: of walking up to that sheep really got me thinking 241 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: of applying in other states that had sheep with hopes 242 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: of drawing a sheep tag somewhere else in the future. 243 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: And up until that point, I've never me and my 244 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: dad never even considered hunting somewhere out of state. But 245 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: after that hunt, we talked about how cool it was, 246 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: even though it was one of the hardest hunts. Still, 247 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 1: looking back to this day, that was the hardest hunt 248 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 1: I've ever been on. Every hunt after that seems easy. 249 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: Going that long without even seeing a living animal was 250 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: mentally taxing. It was physically exhausting, but I persevered. We 251 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,439 Speaker 1: were successful, and it really got our minds turning on 252 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 1: where else could we find opportunities to have amazing hunts 253 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 1: like this? And because of that we started looking out 254 00:13:52,679 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: of state. You might be a hunter from somewhere, say 255 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: Eastern US, Australia, New Zealand, whatever, somewhere where you're thinking, Hey, 256 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: I want to start hunting Western big game. I'm looking 257 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: for elk, antelope, mule deer. Maybe you think that after 258 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: hearing that story, sheep hunting might be for you. There's 259 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: so many tags out west, But it can be daunting 260 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: when you're starting, because the question arises, what state do 261 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: I apply for? What animals, what units? There's so much information, 262 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: so many different hunts, so many different rules. When you 263 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 1: first sit down, it can just seem overwhelming. Even if 264 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: you live out west and you apply in your home state, 265 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: maybe a neighboring state thought of applying for if you 266 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: live in Nevada, thought of applying for sheep and deer 267 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: in Colorado might just seem very foreign. Now there's a 268 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 1: ton of information out there now that was not out 269 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: when I started hunting. But I think that that's probably 270 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: why more people are exploring the options of hunting some 271 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: of these things in places far away from where they live, 272 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: because there's so much information now out there inaccessible. But 273 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: what I want to do is I kind of want 274 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: to break that down and just help you create an 275 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: application plan. So when you're looking at applying for other states, 276 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: I think that it's really important to have a plan 277 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: and know your goals on what you want. Otherwise, really 278 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: that whole process just seems overwhelming. In order to start 279 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: that plan, I like to say, you first need to 280 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: know what you want to hunt and what you might 281 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: want to hunt in the future. When I look at 282 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 1: my let's just call it like a tag draw portfolio. 283 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: When I look at my own tag draw portfolio, I 284 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 1: have in some states twenty one points for some animals, 285 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: fifteen for others, and I start to think, okay, a 286 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: lot of those hunts. When I started applying, I was 287 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: trying to plan those out way off into the future, 288 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: and it seems daunting when you're starting. But to be honest, 289 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: there's a lot of tags that I've drawn in between, 290 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of hunts that I've done that 291 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: require a very few years one or no years to 292 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 1: draw in more of over the counter general tag type situations, 293 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: and those are the hunts that I go on pretty 294 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: much year to year. Are the easier to get tags 295 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: some almost whatever. But in the future, those are the 296 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: tags that I'm planning on down the road and right now. 297 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: I kind of ignore the fact that it's going to 298 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: take a very long time if you're just getting started. 299 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 1: But those are the ways that I like to start planning. 300 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: First your immediate what do you want to start hunting? 301 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: And then what do you want to hunt in the future. 302 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: I think that tag draw applications can be a long 303 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: term game, but there's still so many things that can 304 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: be easy to draw. So if you're thinking yourself, hey, 305 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 1: I wanna go on my first elk hunt, well, what 306 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: I suggest to you is you look at a hunt 307 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: this year, do you want to go on, like, let's 308 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: just get you lk hunting, And then while you're doing that, 309 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: plan for maybe a better hunt, or a more premier tag, 310 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: or a different kind of hunt off into the future. 311 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: So one of the first questions you gotta ask yourself 312 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,639 Speaker 1: is what are the reasons you're applying? So do you 313 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: want to hunt a premier limited trophy unit just the 314 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,640 Speaker 1: biggest and the best bulls and bucks around, or are 315 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: you thinking of maybe more of an opportunity hunt. Also, 316 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: you gotta ask yourself, what's the amount of time I'm 317 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 1: willing to wait for a tag, and then you've got 318 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: to factor in those options into your application choices as 319 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 1: well as to narrowing down a state to hunt, because 320 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:39,359 Speaker 1: there's some states that are preference points, some states are 321 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: bonus points, some states are just completely random draw So 322 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: when we're talking about picking a state to apply in, 323 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,119 Speaker 1: we've got to know how that state operates, what types 324 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: of tags are available, and then where you should start. Now, 325 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: this might get kind of lengthy, so I'm gonna break 326 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: it down to the basics. Now, if this is something 327 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:01,520 Speaker 1: you're you do this all that's time. Keep with me, 328 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: because what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna give you 329 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 1: a few tag draws strategies in order to try to 330 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:09,120 Speaker 1: draw some of these tags a little bit sooner than 331 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: you might if you just go in blind. What I 332 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: want to do first is break down the three basic 333 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: points of every state, because every state is so different. 334 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: Then this might be one of those podcasts where you 335 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 1: want to if you're listening to it while you drive, 336 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: maybe come back after work or at work, whatever, and 337 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: really listen to a few of these things, like the 338 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: things that you key in. Now, jot down some notes 339 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: and then do some state by state research because I'm 340 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: gonna just break it down. I'm gonna start real wide 341 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: and just give you the definitions and a few of 342 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:42,199 Speaker 1: the states to think about. That I'm gonna help you 343 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: form an application strategy, and then maybe I'll just break 344 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: down a few little state by state tips. So let's 345 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 1: just break it down from the basics. First, the three 346 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 1: different types of states. I'm gonna break down into the points. 347 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: So there's a preference point system, and then there's a 348 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 1: bonus point system, and then some states have just a 349 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: combination of the two, and then some states have no points. 350 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 1: So I'm just gonna define those real quick. So a 351 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: bonus point is just extra chances you get for years 352 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 1: of applying. So states like Montana and Nevada use bonus points, 353 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: and what that is is that's just an extra name 354 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: in the hat. However, the goal of it is to 355 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 1: reward people for longer time applying. But everybody is in 356 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:29,880 Speaker 1: the draw, so everybody has a chance to draw that year. 357 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: So in my home state of Nevada, for instance, they 358 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 1: actually square your bonus points. So if you're applying for 359 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,160 Speaker 1: your first year, you go in with one point. Now 360 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: if you go in with ten points. They're squaring that, 361 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: so it's ten times ten, so you're in with a 362 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 1: hundred plus that year's application, which is a hundred and 363 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: one names in the hat. So the guy that is 364 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 1: in there the first year has one name in the hat. 365 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,439 Speaker 1: The guy that's in there ten years has a hundred 366 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 1: and one names in the hat. However, people that apply 367 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: their first year can get and draw, and guys that 368 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 1: have been applying forever may not be lucky and may 369 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: take them more years to draw, but it should just 370 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 1: reward the people that have been applying longer. Now, states 371 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: that have preference points, like Colorado and Wyoming, the person 372 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 1: with the most points gets awarded tags first. So a 373 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 1: lot of times those states are a little bit easier 374 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: to plan out because say there's a unit with three points, 375 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: you draw that tag, and when you work up to 376 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 1: three points, then you can draw that tag. The problem 377 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: with that system is there's a little bit of point 378 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,479 Speaker 1: creep in some units where there's a higher demand and 379 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 1: each year the point number keeps going up. But for 380 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: the most part, in a lot of those preference point areas, 381 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: you kind of know, okay, with this many points, I 382 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 1: have a reasonable chance or will be guaranteed a tag 383 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 1: by applying for that area. Now, a lot of states 384 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:53,719 Speaker 1: have a combination of preference points and bonus points, like Utah, 385 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 1: where a few tags are issued to top people with 386 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,880 Speaker 1: points in the preference system, and then the other ones 387 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:04,399 Speaker 1: are issued in a random bonus point draw. And then 388 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: there states like Alaska, New Mexico, and Idaho that have 389 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: no points, so everybody is on the same playing field. 390 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: I've applied in New Mexico for ash I can't even remember, 391 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: probably seventeen eighteen years, and I have just as good 392 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:23,160 Speaker 1: a chance as the guy who just decides to apply 393 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:26,639 Speaker 1: this year. So the states with no points, that's just 394 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,640 Speaker 1: everybody's in the same pool. Everybody's in a random draw. 395 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 1: And then nonresidents in all those states are given a 396 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: certain percentage of the tags, but it's not guaranteed that 397 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 1: they're given that percentage, so a lot of a lot 398 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:40,679 Speaker 1: of it might be ten percent of the tags go 399 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 1: to non residents, so up to that many could draw 400 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 1: in the random draw for that unit and then they're 401 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: shut out. But the no point states just everybody level 402 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: playing field, no differentiation, whether you've been applying fifty years 403 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:57,919 Speaker 1: or one year. Now that we've kind of covered the 404 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: different types of states and points. Here's how I think 405 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,719 Speaker 1: about it. You can't apply everywhere, so you first need 406 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:07,359 Speaker 1: to decide, Okay, what species do I want to hunt, 407 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: what's really important to me, and then you kind of 408 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: can look at where you're gonna save money by applying 409 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: for one state for multiple species or applying for different 410 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: states of different types of points systems. I personally just 411 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: apply everywhere, but over the years I've drawn very few 412 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: extremely like limited entry tags. However, I have drawn quite 413 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,640 Speaker 1: a few of what I would consider more general area 414 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,760 Speaker 1: or not necessarily over the counter tags. Some states don't 415 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 1: really issue over the counter tags, but just tags it 416 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:41,679 Speaker 1: pretty much. Maybe residents can get over the counter, but 417 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:44,679 Speaker 1: non residents have to apply for And then in some 418 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: other states, I'm building up a lot of points just 419 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 1: waiting for that one special tag that I know is 420 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 1: going to be a phenomenal hunt. So if you were 421 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,199 Speaker 1: just starting out, my advice to you would be to 422 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 1: pick say three states. Maybe one of those is your 423 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: home state, or if you're from somewhere else, maybe you're 424 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: just gonna invest in three states. And if I was 425 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: to invest in three states, I would pick one state 426 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: that has no points. I would pick one state that 427 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: is on preference points, and I would pick one state 428 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: that is on bonus points. The reason for that is 429 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: the no point state allows you a more luck based 430 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: system that you could draw any year, and within that 431 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: there might be some units that maybe you are easier 432 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 1: to draw than other places. I would also start looking 433 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,359 Speaker 1: at a preference point state, because what that allows you 434 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: to do is plan that two to five years out 435 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,679 Speaker 1: you can go to it the state websites. Pick a 436 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: unit that has relatively lower preference point options. So say 437 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 1: maybe there's a unit that takes three points five points 438 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 1: and go okay, in four or five years, I can 439 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:53,479 Speaker 1: hunt this unit, which might be a little better than 440 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: a general unit. I gotta wait a little bit longer, 441 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 1: but up until that point, I'm applying for these other places. 442 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: Then I would apply for that bonus point state as 443 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: a state that could be long term in the future. 444 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: But also you might randomly draw it one of these 445 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: years and have the hunt of a lifetime. So that's 446 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: how I would I would start narrowing it down to 447 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:16,880 Speaker 1: that way. So what I'm gonna do is, I'll go 448 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: through a list of the states, give you preference bonus 449 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 1: how that state works, and then you just kind of 450 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:25,479 Speaker 1: decide from there which state you want to pick in 451 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,159 Speaker 1: that category. And then I'll kind of divulge ways that 452 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: you can start planning and figure out where to apply 453 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: once you've picked those states. What I'm gonna do is 454 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:36,639 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna go through each state kind of an 455 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: alphabetical order, the western state and just give you a 456 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,679 Speaker 1: brief overview, maybe some little pointers on that state, and 457 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: then we'll go into the research portion of it. So Alaska, 458 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:50,719 Speaker 1: there are no points. Everybody's kind of on the same 459 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 1: playing field. Now, certain species doll sheet, brown bear, mountain goat, 460 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 1: you have to go with a guide, and you can't 461 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,439 Speaker 1: even apply for that without a guide. But you can 462 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:07,200 Speaker 1: apply for bison, musk, ox, roosevelt elk, black bear, caribou, 463 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: moose without a guide. Now, Alaska's kind of its own 464 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: thing because there's a lot of over the counter tags. 465 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,159 Speaker 1: You generally don't need to apply for a tag in 466 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:18,879 Speaker 1: Alaska to have a good hunt, and it may not 467 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: even mean that you have a better hunt with a draw, 468 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: whereas most other states, if you have a draw tag 469 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: that's limited entry, the qualities often better. The success rates 470 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: are often better. So Alaska's kind of the oddball in 471 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,639 Speaker 1: that where it's not necessarily the case because getting to 472 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 1: most the areas in Alaska require some form of logistics 473 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 1: and and planning that happens whether you draw the tag 474 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:45,200 Speaker 1: or not. But most of dryers are just around places 475 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:48,879 Speaker 1: are a little bit logistically easier, but not necessarily cheaper. 476 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,159 Speaker 1: So that's just my overview of Alaska. So then we 477 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: go to Arizona. Arizona has desert sheep, rocky mountain sheep, bison, elk, commulee, 478 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: der accused your antelope. It is a for all intents 479 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:05,919 Speaker 1: and purposes, we'll call Arizona a bonus point state because 480 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: unless you have max points, which is a very very 481 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,959 Speaker 1: small percentage. I can't even remember how many either up 482 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 1: to now, but there's you'll never obtain a tag in 483 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 1: the max point pool for the top end units because 484 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:22,479 Speaker 1: there's so many people with so many tags now. So 485 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: what they've done is they've switched their preference point system 486 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: where a few tags are issued in max bonus points 487 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,639 Speaker 1: and then a few other tags are just issued in 488 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: more of a bonus point random draw. So if you're 489 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,679 Speaker 1: nude to applying to Arizona, or don't have max points 490 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:40,359 Speaker 1: or aren't in the top few section of that max points, 491 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: you're just gonna look at Arizona as a random bonus 492 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 1: point state. California it works mostly on it's a modified 493 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: preference points. So what it is is a certain portion 494 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: go to max points and a certain portion go to 495 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: a random draw. It's a good one to plan out 496 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,480 Speaker 1: deer hunts because there are some pretty good deer hunts 497 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:05,360 Speaker 1: there where you can say, Okay, I'm gonna draw that 498 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,680 Speaker 1: in four years, five years or whatever. Um as far 499 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: as elk and sheep go. The sheep pretty low odds 500 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 1: of drawing elk antelope those. There's only one tag given 501 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 1: to non residents, so it's really not even worth applying 502 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 1: for as a nonresident unless you're already just gonna apply 503 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:24,200 Speaker 1: for the deer or the sheep or something like that. 504 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: But it is a good state as far as preference goes. 505 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: If you just want to guarantee, hey, I'm going to 506 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:31,120 Speaker 1: have a deer tag in this many years, you can 507 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: do that. Plus you have the chance of possibly drawing 508 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 1: it sooner by it being modified preference point. So Colorado, 509 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:42,080 Speaker 1: Colorado has desert sheep rocky sheep, moose, mountain goats, They've 510 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: got elk, deer, antelope. I think they have still have 511 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,639 Speaker 1: some of the highest populations of elk. It's a great 512 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,200 Speaker 1: state to put in your plan for a few reasons. 513 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: One and it probably has some of the best mule 514 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 1: you're hunting in the country too. It has a lot 515 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: of elk tags. Now a lot of people do apply. 516 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: It's closer to a lot of the states that are 517 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,719 Speaker 1: further east, but there's a lot of opportunity there and 518 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 1: there's some some good animals as well. The cool thing 519 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: about it is it is still a preference point state, 520 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:15,399 Speaker 1: so the people with the most points are awarded tags. 521 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:18,239 Speaker 1: Let's say you go into a unit and you have 522 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 1: three points. Everybody with three points gets a tag before 523 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: anybody with two points gets a tag. And if everybody 524 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: with three points gets a tag, then they start drawing 525 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,679 Speaker 1: within the two point category and so on. So you 526 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: can go on their website you can figure out, Okay, 527 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:36,399 Speaker 1: some areas how many points are pretty much needed. You 528 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 1: can build up to that point level and then you 529 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: can apply and you know you're gonna get a tag. Now, 530 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: the mouse, sheep goat in that state is kind of 531 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 1: a weighted bonus point preference point system, So you actually 532 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 1: have to apply for three years there for the moose, sheep, 533 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: goat without having any chance of drawing, and then once 534 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: you get that then it's more of a bonus point draw. 535 00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 1: So once you have three preference then you can go 536 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 1: in and it's more of a bonus point draw after 537 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 1: you've built up three years of just applying with no 538 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: option of drawing. Kind of different. But and then Idaho 539 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: no point draw there. It's just completely random. So the 540 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: thing about Idaho is you can apply for elk, deer, antelope, 541 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: so you can apply for all three of those if 542 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: you want to do a limited controlled hunt, or you 543 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:26,479 Speaker 1: can choose one of the three sheep, moose, goat. If 544 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: you apply for a sheep tag, a moose tag, or 545 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: a goat tag, you cannot apply for anything else. The 546 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: reason they do that is to just increase the odds 547 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: of people who choose to try to apply for those. 548 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: But remember there's no points. So I think that those 549 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 1: are probably some of the better states for sheep, moose, 550 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 1: and goat because you're in the same pool as everybody's 551 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:48,600 Speaker 1: been doing it for a while, and you're limiting. You're 552 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 1: weeding out some of the people that might be applying 553 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,080 Speaker 1: for deer or elk, or antelope or one of the 554 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 1: other species. So that's something to keep in mind. Montana, 555 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: that's where I do a lot of my fighting. There's 556 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 1: options for non residents for sheep, moose, goat, elk, deer, antelope. Now, 557 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: Montana is a bonus point state, and then those points 558 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: are squared each year. So if you, like I said 559 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 1: earlier in the example, if you have ten points, it's 560 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 1: squared ten times ten plus that year's application. So the 561 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:22,720 Speaker 1: longer you apply, the higher chances of drawing. However, the 562 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: cool thing is you do not have to have max 563 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: points to draw. You could draw it your first year. 564 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 1: You could draw it your tenth year. You always have 565 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 1: a chance, it's just your chance gets greater the longer 566 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: you go. So Nevada is a great state as well. 567 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: It has a bonus point system. It's also squared like Montana, 568 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 1: so same deal. You can apply. You could get it 569 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 1: your first year, you're more likely to get it later. 570 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:51,920 Speaker 1: There's great deer hunting, elk hunting, really good trophy units, 571 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 1: and it's a great state to apply for for the 572 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:58,080 Speaker 1: top end type hunts. Um. There are some good hunts 573 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: that are easier to draw, but I'd say most the 574 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: hunts and Nevada are fairly hard to draw. But if 575 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:05,280 Speaker 1: you do draw, you're gonna have a really good experience 576 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:09,400 Speaker 1: because there's fewer hunters and higher quality of animals in 577 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 1: a lot of areas. But then the trouble is getting 578 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:16,120 Speaker 1: the tag. New Mexico. New Mexico has no points similar 579 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 1: to Idaho, the odds are a lot better if you 580 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,920 Speaker 1: apply with an outfit or in New Mexico. I've drawn 581 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 1: in all the years I've applied in New Mexico one tag. 582 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 1: I drew a deer tag in archery late season deer tag, 583 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:32,880 Speaker 1: but in one of their better archery or deer units. 584 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: Now it is random draw and you do have to 585 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 1: front a lot of the license fees up front, but 586 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:41,960 Speaker 1: that what that does is that kind of cuts down 587 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 1: on your competition and the amount of people applying. So 588 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,280 Speaker 1: that's something to consider too. If you have a credit card, 589 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: you don't mind putting some of those fees on. It's 590 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: a great state to apply for because it causes a 591 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 1: little bit of barrier to entry in order to increase 592 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 1: odds for the people that do apply because there is 593 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 1: no points system there. Oregon is another state that's preference 594 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 1: for deer, elk, and antelope. A lot of the top 595 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:08,160 Speaker 1: end units extremely hard to draw. You might not ever 596 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 1: be able to catch that top preference point level if 597 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: you're just starting out, But you can also look for 598 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 1: other species and other tags in that state that may 599 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 1: not be a max point type hunt. There's black tails, 600 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 1: there's roosevelt elk. There's a lot of opportunity for people 601 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: kind of looking for those hunts. There's also some over 602 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:29,080 Speaker 1: the counter opportunities there. And then sheep and goat. There 603 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: are no points for that, so if you're just starting out, 604 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 1: another great place to think about because there are no points. 605 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 1: Utah max bonus point state. They also have a general 606 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: deer season, which is just purely preference. So what they 607 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 1: have is they've got to mix a little bit of 608 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 1: everything except for the random draw. So they have bonus 609 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 1: points where the max the person with the most points 610 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 1: gets a tag, and then after that they do the 611 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:54,680 Speaker 1: random bonus point draw and then they have the general 612 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: deer tag which is just pure preference. Point one with 613 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 1: the most tags or the most points gets its in 614 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 1: the general dear cheg drawing. Washington another bonus point state, 615 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 1: also squared just to give you an exponential gain over 616 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:12,680 Speaker 1: the guy one year behind you. And then Wyoming is 617 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:15,040 Speaker 1: just a pure preference point state, so another great one. 618 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 1: If you want to plan a few years out or 619 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: into the future, you can look at how many points 620 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 1: it's gonna take, and you've got that preference point right there. 621 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 1: Now they're they're goat and Bison has no points, but 622 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:28,320 Speaker 1: for everything else, it's all preference. Out of that list 623 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: of states, what I think you should do is just 624 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: pick a couple and focus on those states, narrow it down, 625 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: and then start doing a little bit of research state 626 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: by state. So almost every state online has some form 627 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: of in depth statistics on their phishing game websites. They 628 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 1: have draw results, draw odds, harvest success rates. That's where 629 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:51,720 Speaker 1: I start. If I know nothing about the state or 630 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 1: the area, and I'm looking for an area that's purely 631 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,959 Speaker 1: big elk and just a good hunt, I'm gonna go 632 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:00,920 Speaker 1: to the elks section, I'm gonna pull up draws, and 633 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna probably look for the area with the hardest 634 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:07,160 Speaker 1: to draw odds and then confirm how that hunt is 635 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:09,759 Speaker 1: based on the success rate. So if it's got really 636 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 1: high success rate, really hard to draw, it's probably a 637 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:15,799 Speaker 1: really good unit and it's probably going to take you 638 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:19,040 Speaker 1: a long time to draw. Now, there's also a ton 639 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 1: of other resources available out there online. There's a lot 640 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:26,720 Speaker 1: of application services and just magazines. You can join Epic 641 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:30,359 Speaker 1: Outdoors and some other ones. Just Western Hunter Magazine has 642 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:33,520 Speaker 1: some great just information in their state by state information. 643 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:37,360 Speaker 1: Maybe not unit specific like some of the other publications, 644 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 1: but there's a ton of information on exact units. I 645 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:43,040 Speaker 1: like to do my own research on the states, and 646 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 1: that's kind of what I want to touch on a 647 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 1: little bit here, is just picking those states and then 648 00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:50,399 Speaker 1: start diving into ways to narrow down your search there 649 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 1: also looking at state record books. Those can give you 650 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 1: ideas on counties to focus on for bigger animals. If 651 00:34:57,200 --> 00:34:59,239 Speaker 1: you aren't so interested in the bigger animals, you just 652 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:01,520 Speaker 1: want that opera tuning, I just want a good opportunity 653 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:03,239 Speaker 1: to go hunt. Then what I start to look for 654 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:07,400 Speaker 1: is areas with good draw odds and higher success rates, 655 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:11,040 Speaker 1: higher than average success rates. So if you start thinking, okay, 656 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:13,360 Speaker 1: an elk hunt, you look over the state averages and 657 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:17,480 Speaker 1: maybe they're hovering around. But you find an area that 658 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,359 Speaker 1: takes it's a pretty good chance of drawing, and it's 659 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 1: got thirty forty percent success rate higher than average. Okay, 660 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: that that could be an indicator of this is a 661 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 1: good area with a lot of animals. Once you've narrowed 662 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:33,040 Speaker 1: those areas down, then you can always kind of start 663 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:36,919 Speaker 1: researching that area. Talk to people on the ground, talk 664 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:41,880 Speaker 1: to other hunters on websites and forums, talked to phishing 665 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:45,879 Speaker 1: game officers, biologists, and just kind of build out an 666 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:49,480 Speaker 1: idea of what this hunt will look like. One thing 667 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:52,319 Speaker 1: that I will stress is I have a lot of 668 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:55,240 Speaker 1: points in a lot of places, but I've I've drawn 669 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:59,520 Speaker 1: very few what I would consider extremely like premium limited 670 00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:03,040 Speaker 1: entry tags. So the best of the best there's somewhere 671 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 1: I have enough points to do it, I just haven't 672 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 1: had the time to do it. But a lot of 673 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:08,959 Speaker 1: them I just haven't had the luck and drawn those 674 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:11,600 Speaker 1: really good tags. So what I do is I would 675 00:36:11,640 --> 00:36:14,800 Speaker 1: say most of my hunts are literally on general units 676 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:16,920 Speaker 1: or what I would consider as close to over the 677 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:20,560 Speaker 1: counter tags as possible. Maybe it's everybody that applies gets it, 678 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 1: but you've got to apply before this certain date. So 679 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,120 Speaker 1: when you're thinking about your tag strategy and you think, okay, 680 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 1: I want to go hunt, Let's say we're just gonna 681 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:29,839 Speaker 1: pick up a random state we're gonna hunt. You want 682 00:36:29,840 --> 00:36:34,880 Speaker 1: to hunt Idaho or Montana, let's say, and you know, okay, 683 00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:37,160 Speaker 1: I want to hunt there. But what I would do 684 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: is I would find a state where there are general 685 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,480 Speaker 1: type tags are easier to draw tags as a backup, 686 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,719 Speaker 1: so you can apply for say the same state Montana. 687 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:50,360 Speaker 1: You can apply for a tag there and try to 688 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,200 Speaker 1: draw harder to get unit, and if you don't get it, 689 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:56,719 Speaker 1: you default to a general area tag. There's a lot 690 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,480 Speaker 1: of states that have it, because if you're already fronting 691 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:01,960 Speaker 1: the money for the application fee and the license and tags, 692 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:04,440 Speaker 1: then you might as well already start to plan a 693 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:07,160 Speaker 1: hunt in that state as well. Now, when you apply 694 00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: for the permits, you're gonna get a lot of that 695 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:12,360 Speaker 1: money back, but there is a portion of that that 696 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:14,440 Speaker 1: the state retains and a lot of that goes to 697 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:17,160 Speaker 1: your license fee. So each state is different. When you 698 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,799 Speaker 1: start picking a state, looking to the license fee and 699 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 1: then look into some over the counter options there in 700 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 1: case you don't draw anything for me, like California is 701 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:28,080 Speaker 1: always one that I use as over the counter tag 702 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:31,279 Speaker 1: if I don't draw anything else. There's other states like that. 703 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:34,399 Speaker 1: Idaho is another good one for that. Montana with their 704 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 1: general tags, there's some wyoming leftover tags. Arizona has some 705 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:43,000 Speaker 1: great leftover tags. So when you pick a state, think 706 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:45,680 Speaker 1: about and research some of the over the counter or 707 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:48,920 Speaker 1: general area tags as well as they're limited entry tags, 708 00:37:48,920 --> 00:37:51,400 Speaker 1: because if you're already applying, maybe that's a way to 709 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:54,879 Speaker 1: save that license fee and use that that year and 710 00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:57,360 Speaker 1: maybe have a hunt right now while you're waiting for 711 00:37:57,400 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 1: those other hens to transpire. Because I think most people 712 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:01,680 Speaker 1: that can techt me they say, hey, look, I just 713 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:03,879 Speaker 1: want to go on my first elk hunt. There's all 714 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:07,360 Speaker 1: this application information out there, where do I even start? 715 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:10,200 Speaker 1: So you start by making a plan figuring out which 716 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:12,440 Speaker 1: you want to hunt when you apply for that state. 717 00:38:12,560 --> 00:38:15,080 Speaker 1: Pick say three states if you can afford that. If not, 718 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:17,520 Speaker 1: just pick one state and start working your way up. 719 00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:21,040 Speaker 1: Working your way up the ladder too a preference point hunt, 720 00:38:21,040 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 1: but see if there's a you can find the sweet 721 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:24,600 Speaker 1: spot where there's a state that you can get a 722 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:27,200 Speaker 1: general or an easy to draw a tag where you 723 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:30,239 Speaker 1: can just go so as promised, I want to give 724 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:33,080 Speaker 1: you guys some tricks that I've used in the past 725 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:37,279 Speaker 1: to just get drawn sooner. And I think the trick 726 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:41,160 Speaker 1: to getting drawn is a combination of persistence and then 727 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:45,239 Speaker 1: balancing opportunity and trophy quality. So what that might mean 728 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: is adjusting certain things like season dates, unit choices, and 729 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:52,879 Speaker 1: weapon choice. So I'm just I've got four tricks here 730 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:57,040 Speaker 1: that I use constantly. The first one always gain a 731 00:38:57,080 --> 00:39:00,000 Speaker 1: point if you have the option. There's some states where 732 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:01,840 Speaker 1: you can apply for a hunt and you don't accumulate 733 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:03,239 Speaker 1: a point because you don't want to spend the extra 734 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:06,359 Speaker 1: twenty bucks. It's not worth doing. If you can get 735 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:08,799 Speaker 1: a point, get a point in as many places as 736 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:11,719 Speaker 1: you can. Honestly, if you think about it, in your 737 00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:16,319 Speaker 1: application strategy, you're much better picking one place and just 738 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:19,680 Speaker 1: hitting it until you quit it, you know, just getting 739 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:23,319 Speaker 1: the points. They're building the points then going blanket broadcast 740 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:27,840 Speaker 1: effects choosing a bunch of states and not building anything anywhere, 741 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:30,759 Speaker 1: just trying to hope that random luck. You're just a 742 00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:33,120 Speaker 1: lot better picking one place and sticking to it. If 743 00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:35,640 Speaker 1: you only got a limited amount of resources, I would 744 00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:39,000 Speaker 1: suggest consistently doing the same place over and over building 745 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:41,040 Speaker 1: points so you can at least build for something in 746 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 1: the future. And within that, if you're picking a state, 747 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:46,440 Speaker 1: find a state where if you have to put up 748 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:48,759 Speaker 1: front fees and you decide you want to do a 749 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 1: more general area hunt, they have some options to actually hunt, 750 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:56,680 Speaker 1: not just to apply trick number two. Go a little 751 00:39:56,719 --> 00:40:00,360 Speaker 1: more primitive now some of the better units, say rifle 752 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:03,120 Speaker 1: tags can be hard to draw, but you might look 753 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:07,040 Speaker 1: in some of those areas and muzzleloader hunts might be available, 754 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:10,560 Speaker 1: archery hunts might be available. There's a lot of states 755 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:14,279 Speaker 1: like Arizona where to draw a rifle tag is nearly impossible, 756 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:16,520 Speaker 1: Yet you can get an archery tag over the counter 757 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:18,919 Speaker 1: and go hunt that same unit. So it's a good 758 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:21,960 Speaker 1: idea to look at what are some good areas, and 759 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,520 Speaker 1: then if I switch up my weapon choices, will I 760 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:26,560 Speaker 1: be able to get a tag there a lot easier. 761 00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:31,279 Speaker 1: Trick number three. Change the dates of the hunts. The 762 00:40:31,320 --> 00:40:33,960 Speaker 1: premier hunts, the hardest draw hunts, if you start looking 763 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:38,360 Speaker 1: through state regulations, are gonna be those rut hunts elk rut, 764 00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:42,160 Speaker 1: mule deer rut. So the September hunts for elk, especially 765 00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:44,799 Speaker 1: if the rifle, and the November hunts for mule deer. 766 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:47,959 Speaker 1: But a lot of those states have tags in those 767 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:51,480 Speaker 1: areas outside of the rut that are easier to draw 768 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:55,440 Speaker 1: and may even be considered in a general unit. So 769 00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:57,840 Speaker 1: that's something to think about. Is okay, find an area 770 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:00,919 Speaker 1: when you're doing your state research, look at it. What's 771 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:03,239 Speaker 1: an area that's hard to draw a high success rate? 772 00:41:03,560 --> 00:41:06,439 Speaker 1: And then look at other seasons where tags are available there. 773 00:41:06,719 --> 00:41:09,120 Speaker 1: You may find that a second season or a later 774 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,520 Speaker 1: season in there is easy to get a tag. Now, 775 00:41:11,560 --> 00:41:14,279 Speaker 1: it might not be is a much success, but if 776 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:16,040 Speaker 1: you have a tag in your pocket, you're gonna have 777 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:18,239 Speaker 1: a lot more success than if you don't. And so 778 00:41:18,320 --> 00:41:20,600 Speaker 1: that's a trick that I use a lot, changing it 779 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:23,400 Speaker 1: to more of an off period time where you just 780 00:41:23,440 --> 00:41:25,359 Speaker 1: gotta hunt a little bit harder. But as long as 781 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:27,960 Speaker 1: you have a tag in a good area, you're hunting 782 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:30,799 Speaker 1: the best area, just not the best season. And that's 783 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:33,319 Speaker 1: a really good trick to think about. And then the 784 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:36,359 Speaker 1: fourth trick is joining forces with other hunters that might 785 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:38,880 Speaker 1: have more points than you. If you're building up points 786 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:40,920 Speaker 1: in one state, now not every state. You can do this, 787 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:44,120 Speaker 1: but certain states, when you apply as a party, what 788 00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:45,800 Speaker 1: they do is they split the number of points and 789 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:48,680 Speaker 1: then the average them you go in is one application. Well, 790 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:50,840 Speaker 1: if you've got a buddy, you say, hey, find a 791 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:53,280 Speaker 1: state where you can build points and he can build points, 792 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:56,239 Speaker 1: and then you guys apply as a party later on 793 00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:58,759 Speaker 1: down the road where you can split the points for 794 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 1: each state's application, and it's a great way to do 795 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:03,879 Speaker 1: it a little bit cheaper. Now, you might accidentally draw 796 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:06,560 Speaker 1: your nev add a tag while building up some points 797 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:09,600 Speaker 1: on the way. Good for you, that's awesome. But you know, 798 00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:11,319 Speaker 1: five years down the road, you can say, hey, let's 799 00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:13,640 Speaker 1: apply as a party. You split the points and you 800 00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 1: both go in with three points if you had five points. 801 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:19,320 Speaker 1: So that's just a good way to think about maybe 802 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:22,359 Speaker 1: getting into a tag a little bit sooner, finding some 803 00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:24,800 Speaker 1: people or friends that have points, other places you build 804 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:27,520 Speaker 1: points somewhere else, and maybe later on down the road 805 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:29,879 Speaker 1: and decide, hey, let's apply for a party this year. 806 00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:31,879 Speaker 1: You know, we might have a good chance to draw, 807 00:42:32,400 --> 00:42:34,880 Speaker 1: and you'll have somebody to hunt with as well. So 808 00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:37,719 Speaker 1: that's just another thought. If you don't have points, maybe 809 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:39,560 Speaker 1: you can find somebody that you know that has points 810 00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:42,439 Speaker 1: somewhere else, asked to start applying with them, because look, 811 00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:44,600 Speaker 1: it's gonna save them money and they're gonna have somebody 812 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:46,279 Speaker 1: to hunt with when you go to split the hunt 813 00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:49,360 Speaker 1: costs and the travel costs to get there. It's always 814 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:50,960 Speaker 1: fun to hunt with a friend or a buddy. So 815 00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:53,320 Speaker 1: talk to people that you know. Maybe they've been building 816 00:42:53,360 --> 00:42:56,520 Speaker 1: points somewhere else and it might be beneficial for you. Guys. 817 00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:58,520 Speaker 1: The team up and apply as a party. And now 818 00:42:58,840 --> 00:43:00,920 Speaker 1: I should talk about cause some people think, oh, if 819 00:43:00,920 --> 00:43:02,839 Speaker 1: you apply as a party, you go in you get 820 00:43:02,840 --> 00:43:04,799 Speaker 1: more chances in there. That's not true. You go in 821 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:07,959 Speaker 1: is one application and if that one application is drawn, 822 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:11,160 Speaker 1: then you both get tags. So it's the same odds. 823 00:43:11,239 --> 00:43:14,600 Speaker 1: But the guy with lower points can sometimes get higher points. 824 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:16,280 Speaker 1: That you can help your friends out, or your friends 825 00:43:16,280 --> 00:43:19,440 Speaker 1: could help you out. While it might seem like a 826 00:43:19,440 --> 00:43:22,560 Speaker 1: lot to digest over a podcast, really just start thinking 827 00:43:22,560 --> 00:43:25,319 Speaker 1: about the states right down a couple and then start 828 00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:28,000 Speaker 1: doing your research on it. That's where you start, and 829 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:30,200 Speaker 1: then you narrow it down onto a unit, and you 830 00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:32,880 Speaker 1: narrow that unit into an area. So you start big 831 00:43:33,440 --> 00:43:36,360 Speaker 1: and then you start focusing in. That's the way that 832 00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:39,680 Speaker 1: I plan my hunts every year. I've done it for years, 833 00:43:39,719 --> 00:43:41,640 Speaker 1: and when I started out, it was difficult because there 834 00:43:41,680 --> 00:43:44,279 Speaker 1: wasn't so much information out there. If you're just new 835 00:43:44,320 --> 00:43:46,800 Speaker 1: to it, subscribe to something where they give you a 836 00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:49,520 Speaker 1: little bit more information about it. But honestly, you don't 837 00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:52,120 Speaker 1: have to because you can get all the information that 838 00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:55,759 Speaker 1: all these services use is free information. It's out there 839 00:43:55,880 --> 00:43:58,320 Speaker 1: on the state websites. You can do your own research 840 00:43:58,840 --> 00:44:02,600 Speaker 1: the fishing game. State web sites are incredible resources. I 841 00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:06,560 Speaker 1: go through every state's website every year, looking at data 842 00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:09,920 Speaker 1: points that they put out there, you know, researching units, 843 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:13,279 Speaker 1: looking at draw odds, looking at harvest success rates, and 844 00:44:13,320 --> 00:44:16,200 Speaker 1: then I plan my hunts based a lot around that 845 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:18,719 Speaker 1: and then talking to people on the ground. What you 846 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:21,279 Speaker 1: gotta do is you just gotta pick those places and 847 00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:24,959 Speaker 1: start applying, because the application seasons now and the hunt 848 00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:28,680 Speaker 1: that you have this fall may be dependent on what 849 00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:31,879 Speaker 1: you did in the research you did. Right now. This 850 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:34,279 Speaker 1: time of year, a lot of the deadlines are gonna 851 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:36,560 Speaker 1: start coming up, and they're gonna come up fast, So 852 00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:39,000 Speaker 1: make sure that you pick your state, you figure out 853 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:41,640 Speaker 1: when the deadlines are, what you need to apply, how 854 00:44:41,719 --> 00:44:44,120 Speaker 1: much it's gonna cost, and then start narrowing it down, 855 00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:47,319 Speaker 1: doing some research and finding your area for your hunt. 856 00:44:47,320 --> 00:44:52,200 Speaker 1: This season, there was a lot to digest. There, a 857 00:44:52,280 --> 00:44:54,400 Speaker 1: lot of things to think about, a few things to 858 00:44:54,520 --> 00:44:57,480 Speaker 1: write down, and a lot of good homework before the 859 00:44:57,520 --> 00:45:01,439 Speaker 1: season comes. But I can probably have broken that down 860 00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:05,080 Speaker 1: into five podcasts and gone months and months, but by 861 00:45:05,080 --> 00:45:07,480 Speaker 1: that point the application season would be over. So I 862 00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:09,879 Speaker 1: just want to give you my best tips, the best 863 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:13,080 Speaker 1: things state by state, and go from there. You know, 864 00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:15,960 Speaker 1: feel free to reach out with some of your ideas 865 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:20,160 Speaker 1: on your applications. I cannot get to everyone. If it's 866 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:23,080 Speaker 1: a quick answer for me, odds are I will probably 867 00:45:23,320 --> 00:45:25,160 Speaker 1: shoot your message back. I try to get too as 868 00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:27,719 Speaker 1: many as I can. But yeah, thank you guys so 869 00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:30,960 Speaker 1: much for listening in. I can't wait to see how 870 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:34,120 Speaker 1: your success pans out. And I also love hearing from 871 00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:35,920 Speaker 1: guys that are just like this is my first l 872 00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:38,360 Speaker 1: kunt I'm going on my first trip. Here's what I'm thinking. 873 00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:40,440 Speaker 1: You know, I can tell you if you're on the 874 00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:42,520 Speaker 1: right path, and I think that if you once you 875 00:45:42,520 --> 00:45:44,840 Speaker 1: start diving into the research and doing some of this stuff, 876 00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:47,359 Speaker 1: just go with it, man, don't be afraid you're doing 877 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:50,880 Speaker 1: something wrong. There are no wrong answers. Nobody has a 878 00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:53,520 Speaker 1: secret formula, but you'll pick up a few things once 879 00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:55,640 Speaker 1: you start doing it a couple of times. I know 880 00:45:55,680 --> 00:45:58,040 Speaker 1: it can be daunting at first, but you really just 881 00:45:58,080 --> 00:46:00,799 Speaker 1: have to pick something and dive in. It's the first step. 882 00:46:00,880 --> 00:46:04,520 Speaker 1: Just pick something, focus in, do some research, and then 883 00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:07,600 Speaker 1: run with it. So until next week, I hope that 884 00:46:07,640 --> 00:46:11,239 Speaker 1: you guys get some applications out there. Just start thinking 885 00:46:11,320 --> 00:46:13,520 Speaker 1: about how what do I want to do? This is 886 00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:16,279 Speaker 1: the year. If you've been thinking about it, now is 887 00:46:16,280 --> 00:46:18,280 Speaker 1: the time just do it. It's not getting any cheaper, 888 00:46:18,280 --> 00:46:20,480 Speaker 1: it's not getting an easier, it's not getting any better. 889 00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:23,000 Speaker 1: We're in the golden age of it right now. So 890 00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:26,480 Speaker 1: get your apps in there, start planning your elk hunt, 891 00:46:26,520 --> 00:46:29,439 Speaker 1: your deer hunt, your sheep hunt, and get it going. 892 00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:34,960 Speaker 1: Maybe odds be ever in your favor. That was its audios. 893 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:37,600 Speaker 1: I like to say, audios