Idaho Deer and Elk Draw Odds... How low will you go?

Picture yourself as a new big game hunter who has never hunted elk or deer much at all and is looking at controlled hunts in Idaho and just wants to go hunt and not hold out for glory tags. Do you bother applying for tags with 20% odds? Or just apply for units with >40% odds? What about a unit with 70% private land but 60% draw odds and 60% success rate with most bulls taken via outfitter help? Would you apply?

I realize there is a lot of OTC opportunity in the state of Idaho and no points system which benefits a young gun like me. Just curious what application veterans out there think about this matter. Im sure this varies from state to state and species to species so lets just focus on ID for the moment. Thank you for your input!

How you apply in ID will depend on how you applied in other states. Being a newcomer to the points game ID is a big part of my plans as well.

Working under the assumption you have no other hunts planned whatsoever, and that you archery hunt, I would look towards tags more in the 10%ish range (most are rifle, maybe 6-10 dedicated archery hunts) and have your fall back be an otc archery tag in a zone with no otc rifle tags. But thats making some serious assumptions as stated earlier.

If you want to hunt deer or elk in Idaho, Idaho has lots of OTC opportunities. So, whether or not you are hunting is not the issue. Now you have to determine how you will determine success. Some count antlers to define success while others count steaks. You decide but be honest with yourself or you will make bad choices. (Apply for a bull tag when you said you wanted meat). If you want meat, it's hard to beat a delicious dry cow. Apply for a cow permit or simply hunt in 1 of the units with an open general cow season. Rifle cow tags are not gimmies but almost.
If you want antlers you have to decide if 5x5 is alright or if 320 is your baseline. If a 5x5 is alright, apply in the bull hunt that gives you the best odds of drawing a tag in an area you are familiar with.
If you want a big one, roll the dice. Someone wins every year. You always have the general season as a backup plan.
Also, drop $20 or $50 in the super hunt drawing if you are inclined. You might catch lightning in a bottle. I am waiting for someone to take a cow with one of those tags.....
If I wanted a big bull I would put some $$ into the super hunt and also try to draw a limited entry tag. You still have the general. If I wanted meat, I would apply for a late season cow tag and still have the general as backup.
Good luck to you.

Young Buck said:

What about a unit with 70% private land but 60% draw odds and 60% success rate with most bulls taken via outfitter help? Would you apply?

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I think I know this unit; its a crap show but does a great job keeping an outfitter employed off a public resource. Couldn't pay me to waste an application applying there.

If I really wanted to just go hunt I would look at antlerless tags, some have great odds of drawing and success. When I was applying for elk and deer I typically swung for the fences knowing I had OTC to fall back on when I didn't draw.

Brn2hnt said:

How you apply in ID will depend on how you applied in other states. Being a newcomer to the points game ID is a big part of my plans as well.

Working under the assumption you have no other hunts planned whatsoever, and that you archery hunt, I would look towards tags more in the 10%ish range (most are rifle, maybe 6-10 dedicated archery hunts) and have your fall back be an otc archery tag in a zone with no otc rifle tags. But thats making some serious assumptions as stated earlier.

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I appreciate the feedback Brn2hnt. So far I am set up to hunt with a rifle as I don't have a bow yet but I do realize the great opportunities that present themselves to an archer whether they by controlled or OTC. Who doesn't want to hunt bulls in the rut right? I should've prefaced by saying that I am an Idaho resident who is justing starting a career in physical therapy and am trying to learn all i can about big game hunting and don't have a ton of income yet to apply in other states. I also don't have any other hunts planned at this time. I imagine that I will start to when I know how my schedule and income fit in to the equation.

the nikster said:

Now you have to determine how you will determine success. Some count antlers to define success while others count steaks. You decide but be honest with yourself or you will make bad choices. (Apply for a bull tag when you said you wanted meat). If you want meat, it's hard to beat a delicious dry cow. Apply for a cow permit or simply hunt in 1 of the units with an open general cow season. Rifle cow tags are not gimmies but almost.
If you want antlers you have to decide if 5x5 is alright or if 320 is your baseline. If a 5x5 is alright, apply in the bull hunt that gives you the best odds of drawing a tag in an area you are familiar with.
Good luck to you.

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I appreciate the kind words and info Nikster. Gotta love all the OTC opportunities ID has to offer.

You are wise to advise about making sure a person knows what their expectations are and acting accordingly. As far as my expectations, I would be tickled with the harvest of anything but I am going to try for harvesting a bull. I am not so hell bent on getting meat that if I don't harvest a bull or buck, Ill be in a meat crisis. I would be proud of any bull as I have never harvested one before. Right now, its about learning all I can about elk/deer patterns and where they call home because I am such a green horn. I will have to take a look into the super hunts as well. You are right to say that someone wins every year and in ID everyone has the same chances which benefits me greatly.

Happy hunting

TheTone said:

I think I know this unit; its a crap show but does a great job keeping an outfitter employed off a public resource. Couldn't pay me to waste an application applying there.

If I really wanted to just go hunt I would look at antlerless tags, some have great odds of drawing and success. When I was applying for elk and deer I typically swung for the fences knowing I had OTC to fall back on when I didn't draw.

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Thanks for the input Tone, kind of sounded like a cluster but wasn't sure what other people thought about it. I will look into the cow elk hunts as another good option. Always comforting to know I have so much OTC opportunity to fall back on.

If you think the odds are low for you as a resident, you should see it from the NR side. It seems there are more and more applicants every year. It just doesn't seem like it's worth it for the $154.75 non-refundable license and $14.75 per species app fees. The tag prices are reasonable but that's a lot of money to roll the dice for less than 10% odds.

I would spend most of my effort/time coming up with a plan for an OTC tag and then shoot the moon on the LE draw.

Young Buck said:

I appreciate the feedback Brn2hnt. So far I am set up to hunt with a rifle as I don't have a bow yet but I do realize the great opportunities that present themselves to an archer whether they by controlled or OTC. Who doesn't want to hunt bulls in the rut right? I should've prefaced by saying that I am an Idaho resident who is justing starting a career in physical therapy and am trying to learn all i can about big game hunting and don't have a ton of income yet to apply in other states. I also don't have any other hunts planned at this time. I imagine that I will start to when I know how my schedule and income fit in to the equation.

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That does change things a bit. In that case I would wholeheartedly recommend anterless hunts. As a new hunter your biggest need is experience. You need to get animals on the ground. Hard to duplicate the experience you gain from taking care of your first few animals. As for which antlerless hunts, I would look for the closest units with decent success and access. If you haven't already been looking, Idaho's hunt planner is the best I've found of any western state I've been to. Sure you could shoot for the moon and maybe get lucky and draw a good tag for ID, but you won't know what you're doing and be able to fully utilize the tag until you get some experience and animals under your belt. Especially as someone also starting their career, I can tell you the closer the unit the better, time off is precious, the less of it you have to spend driving the more you will go, the more you go, the better the odds etc. Good Luck!

Mike

I pretty much hunt all OTC units...... there all good if you figure out the animals and there habits..... I use my draw luck for the big 3, hoping for a Moose tag this year, and hey you always have the 2nd draw... Good luck,
Matt