Waiting period actually 6 yrs?

txhunter58

txhunter58

Long Time Member
Messages
8,545
They call the waiting period after drawing an elk tag “5 years”. I hunted last fall (‘23). So I was thinking I would be available again in ‘28. But website says I am not eligible again until 2029. That is six years from my hunt.

So, that would mean you are not eligible to apply for 5 yrs, and then can apply on the 6th year? That sound right? Not that I will ever get picked again, but was a little disappointing.
 
Last edited:
Yep. I never even thought about until it happened to me 😁. I always told myself it was a once in a lifetime hunt anyway. But someone told me “there’s a chance”! 🤣. I will be 71 the next time I can apply. But I plan on still be able to! 🫤

Can you also tell me where to look up the age of my bull. Was told it would be on the website under my info. Prob too soon anyway as they said probably April.
 
I think you should get credit for time served. It really is quite unfair that the 5-year waiting period applies to all that draw, regardless of how many points it took each individual. For example, if a certain elk tag takes 15 points for a bonus tag, then those bonus tag recipients had a 15 year waiting period already. They should be able to apply the following year with no additional wait. Somebody who draws with 3 points should get a 12 year wait. Tell me how this does not make sense.
 
Time to put in for LE deer or antelope for the next five draws.

I told myself I would jump back into the elk game as soon as my 5 years was up. But once it was time, it was too hard to let 5 deer points sit and wait. I told myself, maybe just one more year and I will get lucky and draw. A few years later I'm sitting on about 9 LE deer points. Still thinking I'm going to jump back into the elk game....
 
Yep. But as a NR, I never stopped getting Deer points. Unfortunately they let us apply for all species every year. Which is why our odds are in the toilet. I have 18 deer points 😳 and still years away from drawing a good tag. Hopefully before my 6 years is up!
 
txhunter58 said:
Yep. But as a NR, I never stopped getting Deer points. Unfortunately they let us apply for all species every year. Which is why our odds are in the toilet. I have 18 deer points 😳 and still years away from drawing a good tag. Hopefully before my 6 years is up!
Click to expand...
I agree.

I'm sitting on 19 elk and mountain goat points. Also have 15 points for everything else. Back when I started applying, a guaranteed tag for elk in an upper unit was achievable. And a goat tag was likely before I was in a nursing home.

Then they opened up to NR's to let them apply for everything. That just watered down the draw pools and made any chance of a random tag almost impossible.

Then last year, they added the mid season and split up the available tags which eliminated most of the units with tags in the bonus round.

I'm too far invested in the system to drop out though.
 
El_Matador said:
I think you should get credit for time served. It really is quite unfair that the 5-year waiting period applies to all that draw, regardless of how many points it took each individual. For example, if a certain elk tag takes 15 points for a bonus tag, then those bonus tag recipients had a 15 year waiting period already. They should be able to apply the following year with no additional wait. Somebody who draws with 3 points should get a 12 year wait. Tell me how this does not make sense.
Click to expand...
🤔
 
Yep. I feel your pain. Our odds dropped by a factor of 2-3x when they made that change. I literally could have hunted San Juan for elk before now if they hadn’t done that.

I would love it if they let you apply for points for all species, but only one tag application. In reality you are only applying for one species. Because you can only draw one tag. If you draw deer (that’s the first draw) you aren’t even in the elk draw for a tag.
 
El_Matador said:
I think you should get credit for time served. It really is quite unfair that the 5-year waiting period applies to all that draw, regardless of how many points it took each individual. For example, if a certain elk tag takes 15 points for a bonus tag, then those bonus tag recipients had a 15 year waiting period already. They should be able to apply the following year with no additional wait. Somebody who draws with 3 points should get a 12 year wait. Tell me how this does not make sense.
Click to expand...
This makes more sense than it should.
 
SDBugler said:
I agree.

I'm sitting on 19 elk and mountain goat points. Also have 15 points for everything else. Back when I started applying, a guaranteed tag for elk in an upper unit was achievable. And a goat tag was likely before I was in a nursing home.

Your elk and Mt goat points are far more valuable than the rest of your points. I am in the same boat only elk and moose. Have you looked at the totals for us non resident hunters that jumped at applying at all the tags? Antelope is a great example. There are less than 60 NR with more points than we have. There are 1100+ with the same points we have. Our odds suck but still I am glad we were not one year back. At least some of our odds do not start with a decimal point.
Click to expand...
 
We could always push for the youth to be ineligible for LE and OIL until they turn 18. No kid deserves a premium tag at random IMO. They need to earn that.
 
SDBugler said:
Isn't that simply a matter of longevity? Living / applying long enough, accumulating enough points (more than the rest of the smucks) to draw a tag in the bonus draw?
Click to expand...

That sounds like a preference point system where only those with the most points draw tags.

That is not Utah's OIL or LE system. It is a bonus point system where half the tags go to the highest point holders and the other half are draw at random.

I'm just wondering what I have to do to "earn" my bison tag. I'm going to get on that!
 
Not sure if you are concerned about the semantics of the the term "earned" that you are using (couldn't find anyone else on this thread using that term).
However, I think what everyone else is referring to about "earning" a tag is acquiring enough points to draw in the first round where up to 50% of the tags go to those with the most points. (so yes actually, Utah issues a portion of their tags via a "preference point style system")
 
SDBugler said:
Not sure if you are concerned about the semantics of the the term "earned" that you are using (couldn't find anyone else on this thread using that term).
However, I think what everyone else is referring to about "earning" a tag is acquiring enough points to draw in the first round where up to 50% of the tags go to those with the most points. (so yes actually, Utah issues a portion of their tags via a "preference point style system")
Click to expand...

Uhhh…I was replying directly to a post with that term.

wstrntines said:
We could always push for the youth to be ineligible for LE and OIL until they turn 18. No kid deserves a premium tag at random IMO. They need to earn that.
Click to expand...

And no, it is not a portion of the OIL or LE tags issued in a preference point system. No matter how hard we try to say it is. And thank goodness for that! There are a lot of bad tag issuing systems out there, and preference point systems are the worst of the bad.

But do you have any insight about how I can earn a tag? Because I want to do it.
 
I’m sure you have earned one. ☝️ Doesn't mean you get it though!

Not sure how it is done in Utah. As far as youth preference: I would be ok with limiting them to spikes and cows/does and let them also put in to the LE drawings along with the rest of us, with no preference, when they can. Shooting a 350 bull when you are twelve could ruin some kids or get some fired up. Hard to know which. But I do know I enjoy helping a kid get a nice buck almost as much as if I get it.
 
Vanilla - thanks for pointing that out. I didn't catch that post stating "earning" a tag. I thought you were referring to some of us old geesers that had been putting in for years and years and years and thought we deserved a tag.

I personally don't agree with the comment about youth should be excluded from the "random" drawings. The point of a random drawing is that "anyone" should have a chance whether that is a first time hunter, a youth, a spouse, etc.

I think Utah has a GREAT system with up to 50% of the tags going to those with the most points and at least 50% going in a "weighted" draw. I think it is a little better than AZ's system where the random draw is "unweighted". I just wish UT had more tags so that more units actually had a tag available in the bonus draw. (only about half of the LE elk hunts even have a bonus tag) Units like the Beaver and Monroe have 8 NR tags but because they are spread out into six different hunts, only 2 go out in the bonus and not half. (just the logistics of spreading out the pressure into more hunts / seasons)
 
Vanilla said:
There are a lot of bad tag issuing systems out there, and preference point systems are the worst of the bad.
Click to expand...
I actually think Utah's system is the worst around. In life there are many situations where the demand for something exceeds the supply. Concert tickets, raffle items, food, fuel, etc. There are 3 main systems of distributing such high-demand items. First is a random drawing. Second is waiting in line. Third is selling the items at a price that balances supply with demand. Utah uses all 3 of these methods at once, making it unfair to everyone involved.

The guys hoping to draw a random tag are getting screwed by the people in front of the line, taking 1/2 of their tags and reducing their chances. The guys at the front of the line are getting screwed by people behind them in the line, taking 1/2 of their tags. Both of these groups are also getting screwed by the guys purchasing tags. And the guys buying tags are getting screwed because only a small fraction of tags are for sale, which drives the price sky-high on those few tags. Each of the 3 groups is getting screwed by the other 2.

Either give out all tags in a random drawing, make everyone wait in line, or sell all tags to the highest bidders. If tags are to be sold then all Utah residents must be stakeholders in the profit.
 
I will agree that the amount of auction tags they hand out is ridiculous. I wish we could change that.

Other than that, I believe Utah’s is the least bad of a lot of bad systems to issue tags to hunters.
 
Vanilla said:
Uhhh…I was replying directly to a post with that term.



And no, it is not a portion of the OIL or LE tags issued in a preference point system. No matter how hard we try to say it is. And thank goodness for that! There are a lot of bad tag issuing systems out there, and preference point systems are the worst of the bad.

But do you have any insight about how I can earn a tag? Because I want to do it.
Click to expand...
Put in time and once you become an adult.
 
SDBugler said:
Vanilla - thanks for pointing that out. I didn't catch that post stating "earning" a tag. I thought you were referring to some of us old geesers that had been putting in for years and years and years and thought we deserved a tag.

I personally don't agree with the comment about youth should be excluded from the "random" drawings. The point of a random drawing is that "anyone" should have a chance whether that is a first time hunter, a youth, a spouse, etc.

I think Utah has a GREAT system with up to 50% of the tags going to those with the most points and at least 50% going in a "weighted" draw. I think it is a little better than AZ's system where the random draw is "unweighted". I just wish UT had more tags so that more units actually had a tag available in the bonus draw. (only about half of the LE elk hunts even have a bonus tag) Units like the Beaver and Monroe have 8 NR tags but because they are spread out into six different hunts, only 2 go out in the bonus and not half. (just the logistics of spreading out the pressure into more hunts / seasons)
Click to expand...

Both UT and AZ have weighted random draws; giving a random number for each point for both portions of the draw.
 
Last edited:
txhunter58 said:
Yep. I never even thought about until it happened to me 😁. I always told myself it was a once in a lifetime hunt anyway. But someone told me “there’s a chance”! 🤣. I will be 71 the next time I can apply. But I plan on still be able to! 🫤

Can you also tell me where to look up the age of my bull. Was told it would be on the website under my info. Prob too soon anyway as they said probably April.
Click to expand...
Sadly enough the reality is most LE hunts be it deer or elk, are once in a lifetime hunts. Considering it takes most people 20 plus years to draw then the wait period. And a lot people switch from deer to elk or vice versa after they draw
 
WapitiBob said:
Both UT and AZ have weighted random draws; giving a random number for each point for both portions of the draw.
Click to expand...
Can you provide a link to where this is written for Utah specifically? To be clear, I'm not saying you're wrong. I've just never been able to find clear detail on how the drawing process works in regards to points for tags that are not awarded in the max point pool/bonus draw.
 

Similar threads

Simpleton
Mule Deer Proposal
2 3
Replies
201
Views
4k
middlefork
M
Founder
Montana Mule Deer, Whitetail, Antelope, Archery Elk
Replies
0
Views
553
Founder
Founder
Bigbucks
Fillmore Pahvant vs Plateau Boulder Muzzleloader Elk
Replies
16
Views
2k
wstrntines
wstrntines

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

HUNT3894.JPG
Nino.2016.Colorado (3).jpg
P1010038.jpeg
New Mexico Coues Deer
FBE82ED3-732C-476A-BAA9-DEE729EED0FA.jpeg
DSCN1220 (2) copy.jpg
3BF8771D-8CB4-42D7-BBAA-9A91C8FA5C6C.jpeg
IMG_2644 (1).PNG
IMG_1819.jpg
20231002_235227.jpg
IMG_1356.JPG
EA2F0362-048B-4A1E-BE18-F50E2EE03ADB.jpeg
Bearpaw Outfitters

Experience world class hunting for mule deer, elk, cougar, bear, turkey, moose, sheep and more.

Wild West Outfitters

Hunt the big bulls, bucks, bear and cats in southern Utah. Your hunt of a lifetime awaits.

J & J Outfitters

Offering quality fair-chase hunts for trophy mule deer, elk, shiras moose and mountain lions.

Shane Scott Outfitting

Quality trophy hunting in Utah. Offering FREE Utah drawing consultation. Great local guides.

Utah Big Game Outfitters

Specializing in bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk, mountain goat, lions, bears & antelope.

Apex Outfitters

We offer experienced guides who hunt Elk, Mule Deer, Antelope, Sheep, Bison, Goats, Cougar, and Bear.

Urge 2 Hunt

We offer high quality hunts on large private ranches around the state, with landowner vouchers.

Allout Guiding & Outfitting

Offering high quality mule deer, elk, bear, cougar and bison hunts in the Book Cliffs and Henry Mtns.

Lickity Split Outfitters

General season and LE fully guided hunts for mule deer, elk, moose, antelope, lion, turkey, bear and coyotes.

Back
Top Bottom