Unhunted tags

[dgwoody]

I've been a little curious how many of you get tags that you don't ever hunt with? It seems like every year, I start off in January in hunt acquisition mode and do what i can to give myself as much opportunity as possible, but come fall I have three, four sometimes five tags and one of them inevitably is a low priority that i don't so much as go for one evening. Usually these are Utah spike tags or a general archery deer tag that lose priority to an out of state tag in a better unit. Is this common, or am I the only one "wasting" money every year?

 

[Deerlove]

dwr likes it

 

[grosventrehunter]

I always try to use a tag if drawn. Sucks for the guys sitting home wishing for tag while others have them and never go out. With that being said I had a cow elk tag last year I never tried to fill.

 

[lostinOregon]

Over the years there has been about 3 tags that I couldn’t get out to hunt. Mostly due to unforeseen circumstances of life and work. I try to plan the best that I can. I have had the issue of not having enough tags more times than having too many. It is however, getting harder and harder to predict what tags a person is going to draw so this might happen a bit more.

Rich

 

[X7ahunter]

I drew three tags last year and couldn't hunt any of them. I've got 3 this year and I am going to use em, even if I have to quit to hunt.

 

[elkfromabove]

Statistically, it happens more than you might imagine. That's especially true of General tags, though it also occasionally happens with LE and OIL tags. Sometimes it's just personal issues or scheduling and sometimes it's bad weather or fires or access. I also suspect there are even some anti's involved who want to save animals. In any case it was about 5% to 10% before unit hunting, but it's now closer to 10% to 20%

Random Examples: 2018 Gen Rifle Buck Deer:

Cache- 2876 tags-2555 hunters afield = 11.2%
Kamas- 1253 tags-1002 hunters afield = 20.0%
North Slope- 1404 tags-1204 hunters afield = 14.2%
South Slope-Bonanza/Vernal-520 tags-458 hunters afield = 11.9%
LaSal Mtns- 686 tags-567 hunters afield = 17.3%
Nebo- 1742 tags-1419 hunters afield =18.5%
Oquirrh/Stansbury- 1231 tags-1115 hunters afield = 9.4%
SW Desert- 391 tags-338 hunters afield =13.6%
Beaver- 1427 tags-1280 hunters afield = 10.3%
Monroe- 532 tags-449 hunters afield = 15.6%
Thousand Lake- 109 permits-88 hunters afield = 19.3%

The same thing happens with Antlerless deer, Bull elk, and Antlerless elk. Hunting just isn't as high on the priority list as it used to be, I guess.

Edited- FWIW, the DWR calculates success rates based on the hunters afield, not the tags. In other words, the success rates are lower when based on the number of tags issued. Keep that in mind when you decide which unit to hunt.

 

[dgwoody]

Elkfromabove, that's great info!

 

[woodturner]

Sometimes.....Life just gets in the way.

 

[Butts]

I know it happens to me more than I would like.. I really do try and correspond points and what hunts are on the radar first.

 

[Vanilla]

I didn’t hunt my general deer tag one day last year. Well after I had tag in hand I got two work trips scheduled that encompassed the entire hunt. I was only home 2 days of the hunt, and decided to spend them at home.

I hunted 8 days on other people’s hunts in other seasons with them though to make up for it.

Even in really busy times I’m usually able to get out for a day or two on a tag.

 

[nvguy2]

Most tags I’ve ever had needed to be drawn so I understand over the counter, but I can honestly say there is not a single tag I have ever had in my hands, that I did not hunt. I’m 42 and have hunted every year since I was 12, with the exception of 2 or 3 years that I can think of that I didn’t get a tag of some sort. Lucky, I guess.?

 

[Pinlard]

Depends on the tag. I often have a bear and wolf tag with no real plan to “hunt” them. They are more “opportunities” to me. I learned when I lived in Alaska you never know what you will find when you come back to camp. Better to have the tag as a backup.

 

[Founder]

I hunt with most of my tags, at least some. My wife however draws an archery tag nearly every year and rarely hunts unless I’m available to take her.

 

[mmwb]

I consider my annual lion and bear tags charitable contributions to game and fish. They are over the counter and I don't specifically hunt them, but sure enough if I didn't have them, I'd see one or both while hunting deer and/or elk.

 

[hossblur]

dg,

Ill assume your not married?

I guarantee if I have tags, especially out of state, im hunting them, or there will be a "discussion" next year

 

[EVILNR]

Been there done that. Most years just hope to draw ONE tag.
Could not hunt a NM Coues tag last year because my son and I
both drew Javelina. I was not backing out of that promise.

 

[dgwoody]

dg,

Ill assume your not married?

I guarantee if I have tags, especially out of state, im hunting them, or there will be a "discussion" next year

Haha, I am married to a VERY supportive woman. I most definitely hunt my out of state tags whenever I have them. It’s the instate, general tags that usually fall out of priority when I draw something better.

 

[tailchasers]

A drawn tag going unused is opportunity wasted taking said opportunity away from someone else who may go without. Greed IMO. Ain't no different than the toilet paper shortage we had this year. "Just might want it or think I might use it". See it all the time. Not thing one thing one can be done, just the way it is. We don't waste tags here unless some sort of emergency. General tag or OTC, then knock yourself out.

 

[roadrunner]

Only twice. First was an OTC javalina that was a good idea at the time, but when it came down to it, wasn't enthused enough.

Second was a Sept archery mule deer in NM and had an archery elk in a separate unit. NM you put in and hope to get something. That year drew each in different units. That same year was in the middle of a house addition/remodel and only had Labor Day weekend to hunt and chose elk.

 

[elkdozer]

I drew three tags last year and couldn't hunt any of them. I've got 3 this year and I am going to use em, even if I have to quit to hunt.

I've quit 2 jobs to go hunting, and 1 marriage to go fishin... It's called priorities!

 

[X7ahunter]

I've quit 2 jobs to go hunting, and 1 marriage to go fishin... It's called priorities!

That's awesome!

 

[OpeningDay]

I purchase a Multi Season Elk Tag every year. I have opportunity to harvest every year but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Mostly an excuse to get up in the hills with a weapon and enjoy the mountains. Oh, and last year I had a cow tag and chose to fill that instead of the bull tag.