Landowner tags, are they a good idea and how do they work?

[Freeborn]

Hi Group,

I'm looking for your advice and opinions on using land owner tags. I live in Minnesota and have hunted my whole life. I have taken several western trips, do it yourself, Drop Camp and one fully guided hunt with mixed results. Unfortunately like allot of guys I work too much and have family demands so getting the opportunity to travel west to scout is not realistic. I'm thinking of trying a landowner tag so I can get opportunities on better animals.

What is the best way to find quality landowner tags and in general does the landowner normally provide advice on hunting their land? I have in the past belonged to the hunting fool but have never used their services but did read their publication. I would like to try a Mule Deer hunt probably in Colorado and would like a shot at a 170 animal.

Thanks for the help.

FB

 

[BPKHunter]

FB,

I can appreciate when you say you don't have time to scout on top of trying to make a long distance western hunt. I can not help with Landowner Tags, but I do have some advice for what it's worth.

I moved to Idaho in 2004, having never hunted outstide the crappy big game mecca of N Calif at age 37. Even living and scouting here, I can tell you that the only time of year to really know waht hunting in a certain area is going to be like is the time you will be hunting. Mule deer, and elk too, act and move differently in July than August, than Sept, than Oct, than Nov.

I has taken me years to get to know areas, in part based on the different weather at the time.

So my advice is pick an area that you can hunt annually. I even advise that you pick an area you can do OTC general hunts and also have an opportunity to put in for late season or early season LE hunt for. Before you know it you will get to know the topography, migration routes, build contacts of others you can share info with, etc. etc.

Granted 170 buck's will never be a given in any unit, not even during the rut. Yes I'm sure there are many ranches that can almost guarantee 170 class bucks will be there, but I doubt they will be very "affordable".

I imagine Colo is much more location friendly than Idaho, and they seem to have lot's of opportunitie to hunt annually there, but if you want to discuss Idaho PM me.

Brian

 

[Freeborn]

Thanks Brian,

I appreciate the input. I agree the best approach for learning an area is to repeatedly hunt it. I very much like that idea but getting my hunting buddies to make an annual trip will be impossible. This would leave me hunting solo which I am a little leery of. I am coming to the realization that I need to find like minded hunters who are willing to commit to learning an area. I haven't figured out how to find a regular place to hunt yet but I enjoy western hunts and would like to do that.

You commented that you doubt landowner tags are affordable, how much are they to get into a decent area? Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about but can't you get a landowner tag for $1000-$1500?

Thanks again for the advice.

Jerry

 

[travishunter3006]

$1000-$1500 is a very reasonable price...if you are looking to shoot a doe or cow elk.


A friend of mine gets "left over" CWMU tags every year at a close-out price of $1500-that is if there are any left over from all the other fellows buying them at premium 3K+ ranges.


The price of these tags have increased across the board. You may find a land owner that would sell you the right to trespass on his property (trespass permit) for $1000-$1500.

 

[Pcjr21]

I spent a lot of time looking at the same think your looking at, I never ended up buying at tag, but I was in your boat and thought it was I good idea. It's all about how big of a buck you want, and how hard you want to work. Co is the best place to buy one because their is go many landowner tags. I would call "trophy chasers"
That's where many people I know get tags. I've talked to the guy and he seams like a really good guy. $1500 will get you a tag that would be like a 2-3 point unit. And if your buying tags for a group their is a good chance it will come with some privet to hunt on. Not saying the privet is any good but it could be. Most of the time your buying the tag to hunt the unit not to hunt on a good ranch. A tag like the one your talking about will cost you $1500 more for a good place to hunt. Keep in mind you still have to pay a state fee of $500 along with that tag. There is no secret about it, the less you have to work the more money it will cost! It's all what you want to kill! But in the end, like the first response said, learn one spot and you will find out that many people over look some of the units that are general tags in places like ID. If I were you I would call the guy at Trophy chasers and tell him what you want and he can tell you what to expect. I do know some places in Co that you can kill 150"-160" buck for $1500. PM me if you more info.

 

[BPKHunter]

>You commented that you doubt landowner
>tags are affordable, how much
>are they to get into
>a decent area? Maybe
>I don't know what I'm
>talking about but can't you
>get a landowner tag for
>$1000-$1500?
>
>Thanks again for the advice.
>
>Jerry


Jerry,

My comment on affordability was more about the cost of a hunt you would expect to find a 170 buck on. 170 bucks are very difficult to find. Very very few fully guided $4500 hunts would guaranty you an "opportunity" at a 170 buck, so I doubt for $1500 you would expect more than say a 10% probability of seeing a 170 buck, let alone a high probability that you would take one.

I honestly think your best opportunity at taking buck over 150" regularly is to get to know an area over time. Otherwise, plan to spend a lot more or wait until you can draw some good LE hunts. Again, maybe Colo is better than Idaho. Technically Idaho does not offer landowner tags.

Good luck.

 

[Freeborn]

BPKHunter - PM Sent.

 

[BrowningRage]

I have never had one, but some friends of mine had landowner tags before... One guy had an elk tag. The landowner told him not to bother coming out to hunt until the elk had migrated in. One morning, my friend gets a call from the landowner saying, "the elk are in here". he drove out there and shot a 340"+ bull the next morning...

The other friend had a deer tag, and the landowner basically told him the best places to go on the property. Before the hunt, the landowner had photos of previous bucks taken and my friend had reasonable expectations of a 160-170 class buck.

In the end, it will come down to people. It would be time well spent to chat up the landowner for a while before buying the tag. Try and get a sense of the kind of person you are dealing with. Money talks, and if you are one of the "big money" guys, you will probably get as much respect as the landowner can give. My friends were not the "big money" guys, but were dealing with decent human beings, and it paid off for them...

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24

 

[Willametteriveroutlaw]

Do your research and network, I bought damage elk cow tags this year for 500.00 a piece.

Chances are the ones you see on craigslist aren't worth buying. The really good deals are only found through the grapevine. I am on a waiting list to buy one of the best tags in oregon for Mule deer for 2500.00 a piece. Trust me, if I ever get my spot, it will be a yearly purchase.

 

[muleymaddness]

Freeborn - I'm sending you an email...

 

[Freeborn]

>Do your research and network, I
>bought damage elk cow tags
>this year for 500.00 a
>piece.
>
>Chances are the ones you see
>on craigslist aren't worth buying.
>The really good deals are
>only found through the grapevine.
>I am on a waiting
>list to buy one of
>the best tags in oregon
>for Mule deer for 2500.00
>a piece. Trust me, if
>I ever get my spot,
>it will be a yearly
>purchase.


Good Advice Williametteriveroutlaw.

I agree that networking is the best method for obtaining what you want. I think if it is easy its probably not such a good deal. If you have advice on how to get visibility to the grapevine let me know.

Good Luck on landing your place to hunt, I agree if its the spot you are looking for $2,500 is worth it.

For me I'm not a big money guy but I can make $2,500 work and if I can find the right place I would do the same.

Good Luck and thanks for the adivce.

FB

 

[Camper_A1]

FB,

It is buyer beware for some of the landowner tags in Colorado. A friend and I bought one 2 years ago and when we showed up the Landowner comment was I was hoping you wouldn't show up. He let us hunt his 200 arces but there wasn't any hay fields like we were lead to believe and no deer. Then we meet a couple other guys at the motel who had just came into town with tags for the same property and starting asking us about the hay field etc. This last year had a friend buy a tag from a well known tag pimp on here and it took 3 days to get him to give him the landowner name. Then kept telling us he didn't know where the property was which turned out to be bullshit. Another friend bought a tag in a different unit and the property it came with was a plowed field. A lot of time you are buying a landowner tag with the intent of hunting the whole unit not the property of the landowner. Just make sure if you buy one it is good for the whole unit and not just for the private property of the landowner. I'm sure there are some good tags just expect to pay more for them. One friend paid $2500 so you never know.

 

[oilcan]

If your looking to hunt the property you definitely need to do some research.
I was looking to get one last year and talked to 3 of the more well known Brokers when doing my research.I found 2 for the unit i was looking for one guy would not give me any information on the property at all including what part of the unit it was in.I wound up buying mine from the Hunting Fool it cost a little more but they gave me the number of the land owner and i was able to call them several times before purchasing the tag and i was able to get a feel on wheather the land owners even wanted me hunting on there property.Everything worked out find and it was a good experience overall.

If you just wanted to hunt public just buy the tag and go hunting.

 

[Freeborn]

Rip-off Artists are one of the major detractors of hunting the west. Not only do they take your money but they steal your valuable time and make you distrust those who are honest.

I agree Caveat emptor ?buyer beware? is in order when judging unfamiliar services. I dislike this part of planning a hunt the most but it's part of today?s environment.

If I buy a landowner tag I'm interested in finding a landowner who actually has land I can hunt. If I don't buy a landowner tag I'll need to invest the time into learning an area I can regularly hunt.

Right now I have 3 points in Colorado which I want to keep for the future so I need to find a decent unit I can get a general tag for. What units have decent animals I can draw a tag for considering I'll have to select the unit as a second choice?

Thanks for all the help and the reminder about buyer beware, I appreciate it.

FB

 

[wildwilderness]

If you don't want to scout you have to look at guided hunts.

Most people I know aren't going to give up the contact info on a land owner so someone else will out bid them. Brokers don't like to give info either (even though its illegal not to) because they don't want you buying straight from the LO the next time and cutting out their fee! Most people i know who get vouchers just want to hunt the unit. all a land owner needs is 160acres to get a voucher so generally its not enough land, and the deer are seasonal. Any big ranches will most likely have an outfit or something on it since hunting is a big economic boost here.

Not many good 2nd choice tags unless you can scout or want to pay a tresspass fee. That might be your best route to hunt private land.

 

[tx_packmule]

My advice would be to go for a unit-wide tag over the PLO tag. I would also say to find a unit that you can afford to hunt for consecutive years and get to know some of the landowners in the area, even if they don't have the acreage available to ever be able to offer you a tag.

 

[Freeborn]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-06-13 AT 05:58PM (MST)[p]Thanks for the good advice group, I very much appreciate it!

I have been on both the Colorado and Wyoming wildlife sites trying to determine where I might go every year so I can learn the area. I am looking at both Mule Deer and Elk. One thing I can't do is determine the quality of animals in a particular area/unit. I assume the areas with most difficult draw odds are the most desirable but is there information anywhere on the general average quality of animals in an area?

I'm also trying to compare areas between states which is particularly difficult.

Thanks Much.

FB

 

[Pcjr21]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-06-13 AT 07:01PM (MST)[p]The easy way is to look on the sites website for each state some of them have % of 4 point bucks killed in a unit. Another way is to check the B & C record books for the amount of good bucks coming out of certain areas. No one is going to tell you the good general units that produce every year. For sure not on this web site because everyone can see it. What I can tell you is if you want to see a lot of deer find a unit that has a lot of irrigated land in the valleys and public land next to it with good access. You will not find the biggest bucks there but you will find a lot of deer. If you want big buck in a easy draw unit than you need to pack in or walk. a lot B & C bucks come out of good public land that are general tag units in places like Idaho.