CA Golden Op. Tag

kilowatt · Feb 8, 2005

Anyone heard of this tag, seems I recall hearing of it?
Was told yesterday by an old time Blacktail Hunter with 70 years that the holder of this tag in 2004 took a BIG BT in the Yollo Bollies that scored at 183, anyone heard of this buck/hunter?

Brian

Blueoak · Feb 9, 2005

I think you have to buy it at auction. In is in the yearly tag book I think.

Devlin · Feb 9, 2005

I haven,t heard anything but a buck that big should have the rumors flying...Devlin

norby · Feb 9, 2005

The Golden opportunity tags are sold at auctions. This tag allows hunting without regards to the season. There are at least five golden opportunity tags auctioned. The tags are good through out the state.

Also auctioned are open zone deer tags, these allow hunting in any zone while the season is open. At least five of these tags are auctioned.

Sheepshooter · Feb 9, 2005

Brian , was typical or non-typical ?

kilowatt · Feb 10, 2005

I forgot to ask him, but I believe he was talking typical because he showed me a picture of the two big BT that they took a couple of days before when the storm came through there.
Hopefully there will be some pictures or maybe even a report later in the CDA News Mag.

Brian

RACKMASTER · Feb 10, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-05 AT 05:39AM (MST)[p]its sold to highest bidder! 30k plus dollars! good from
june til june next year! the buck on that tag was taken on a ranch up north not the wilderess!
jack

theridge · Feb 11, 2005

NEVER has a CA Gov tag sold for over 25K! The program has been in effect for 8 or 9 years. The 5 tags are auctioned off at different fundraising banquets throughout the state. The tags have been autioned off for as low as 7K and as high as 25K. Most years the tag holders kill 2 or 3 bucks. So, consequently there is no large effect on the herds. So far this year, only one tag has been auctioned in Reno for less than 20K.

theridge · Feb 11, 2005

And, the tag is good from July until December 31st each year.

Sheepshooter · Feb 13, 2005

Brian sent you a PM .

manny15 · Feb 19, 2005

I know the guide who put him on the deer, usuall sends me pics of their bucks but hav'nt heard from him this year, he used to log on here but he didn't get no respect...so he left...

Rick Jones was his name....Yolla Bolly outfitters in chico Ca.

varmintsinc · May 12, 2005

San Jose Mule Deer foundation just auctioned off a Gov tag for $23,0000. Same guy bought it last year and shot a 25" 4x4 off of private ranch near Covelo. Beautiful buck but the horns seemed kind of thin at the bases for its size.

"..and please Lord let my bullets fly straight." CC 1996

Blacktailslayer · Aug 12, 2005

Rick Jones isn't out of Chico, he's out of Corning. That guy who gets the tag is named Dan Smith and he hunts all over the world. I've ran into him a couple of times out taking photos of BT's on their winter range, when he is trying to fill that Golden Opp. tag. Seen two of the bucks he killed before he shot them. Nice bucks, but not worth that much for the tag. If you work hard enough on foot out in the wilderness, you can find these bucks, that is where they are all summer. I've seen some of the bucks on the mountain near 7,000 ft. and then 4 months later they're down around 800 ft. Man they are sneaky though in that wilderness country.

RACKMASTER · Aug 12, 2005

chute plane Dan the lath man!
Has some sons radio too! He spends tons on hunting but,think he got trouble using a chute plane on deer!
So now he spends his biz money in CA!
RM

theridge · Aug 13, 2005

Jack, what does "Has some sons radio too!" mean?? Also, how do you use a chute plane on deer? Is there a M17 mounted on the contraption? Thanks

RACKMASTER · Aug 13, 2005

SPOT AND RADIO WHERE THAT MONSTER IS!
RACK

theridge · Aug 13, 2005

Rack, sorry, but you really don't know for sure do you??? Spreading gossip from some limp D ick envious chumps??

Blacktailslayer · Aug 15, 2005

I'm not sure who you are referring to, but I can assure you that I'm not gossiping, or am I an envious limp D ick chump.

If you're willing to drop that kind of money for a deer tag, you'd think he could find better bucks than what he takes each year.

I've been at the CDA dinner in Chico and seen them purchased by mostly guys who aren't real ethical. I "personally" know of two of them, the both use planes to scout the ranches around my town. I know one guys ranch they buzz trying to chase the buck onto the neighboring place they had permission to hunt. He ended up killing that buck and they actually called him on the phone and cussed him out for it.

I'm not sure what your take is on this style of hunting. I prefer to take my $20+ Bzone tag and just go enjoy the outdoors with the hopes of taking a decent buck each year, not drop thousands of dollars on animals I don't really even know how to hunt. If that is the view of most of the people on this board, I'm not sure I want to associate myself with that. I mean no offense to you "theridge" and I don't go around saying things about people unless I can back them up with fact.

Just not a fan of Big money hunters.