How Many States do you Apply for?

[Timberstalker]

I'm in for AZ, NV, WY, ID, CA, UT.. Considered MT, CO, OR, NM but couldn't pull the trigger on em. Don't ask me why!

Good call passing on OR, Sheep and Mt goat would be the only animals that would be worth non res with little to no points applying for.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Always 8, usually 9, sometimes 10 states.

 

[Musket Man]

When I began my application strategy, I looked at every state, with elk in mind first and foremost.
New Mexico: because it's a completely random draw, and you get all your money back, less a few app fees.
Idaho: again, random draw, and when I don't draw, I'll hunt OTC, so I'm not really out the license fee.
Utah: costs about a quarter of the price of Nevada, when you factor in the $65 license, and the requirement to only buy it every other year. Many more available archery tags
Arizona: better season dates, more available tags, and just the desire to ultimately hunt Arizona.

For me, I'd prefer to hunt elk in the rut. I don't have much of a desire to hunt them in the late season, and since the vast majority of NV opportunity is all later hunts, I passed on it when building my app strategy.

That makes sense. Deer were more my priority when I started applying. Some of why I have stayed out of AZ and NM is because of how far away they are. Part of why I choose NV is its closer too. I do hunt ML deer in UT sometimes but its a unit that can be drawn with no points.

 

[triggertrav]

This year it will be MN, KS, WY and CO.

 

[kesand72]

WY,CO,SD,NM, and of course my home state of Illinois.

 

[Drhorsepower]

Same as umpquahunter. But not all of the same states.

 

[Eberle]

9 states! Probably about 8 too many!

 

[Alabama]

And there's a problem with general season deer?

Heck no man. I was just pointing out how hard everything else is to draw. General deer and the chance to hunt is what makes people stay in the Utah game long term to try to draw other tags.

 

[Calbuck]

Heck no man. I was just pointing out how hard everything else is to draw. General deer and the chance to hunt is what makes people stay in the Utah game long term to try to draw other tags.

I agree with you Alabama. It seems like a lot of people consider General tags as a waste of their time, but the reality is, drawing the "good" tags just don't happen often enough for me. I'd rather hunt every year than sit on the couch counting my points!

 

[Musket Man]

I would hunt a ML deer in Utah that can be drawn with 0 points atleast every other year if the season was 2 weeks earlier.

 

[Shooter]

I usually apply in 9 states but some years only 8.

 

[Alabama]

I agree with you Alabama. It seems like a lot of people consider General tags as a waste of their time, but the reality is, drawing the "good" tags just don't happen often enough for me. I'd rather hunt every year than sit on the couch counting my points!

Agreed! I'm in it for the long haul for elk but the general deer is what makes it worth it. I was going to burn my points for general deer last year but I guess I was in the unlucky 30% that didn't draw in my point class of 1. I want to go elk hunting this year so just a point for me. Next year I'll be 100% draw odds on all the general deer units except maybe a couple. A guy I met from Utah on my mulie hunt in NE, said there are about 3 general tags that rival the quality of about half the LE tags. He was a CWMU manager and seemed very knowledgeable. Only time will tell!

 

[CrossCreeks]

Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico , (never have much luck at drawing NM)

 

[grizzly]

I apply in 7 states, and between my wife and I, we apply for 44 hunts every year.

Most of my stuff is OIL and point-building. After all these years, I have a 10% chance at a sheep tag this year... Damn, this gets expensive.

 

[mnhoundman]

Wow! I feel weak, I only apply for WY. Hopefully I can start going for more soon.

 

[provoflyfisher]

I apply in 5 states.
Utah (resident)
Wyoming
Colorado
Nevada
Arizona

 

[nwwa huner]

At least 21. No joke.

 

[arwaterfowler]

New Mexico
Montana
Wyoming
Colorado
Utah
Nebraska
Arkansas

 

[Allnighter]

I'm just starting out and still in college so at this point Colorado and Wyoming only. The plan it to add Utah, Idaho, and one or two more.

 

[Zim]

I do 12:
Wyoming
Arizona
New Mexico
Utah
Oregon
Nevada
Colorado
Illinois
Iowa
Kansas
Wisconsin
Maine

However, this list is going to decrease as so many of them are taking bait-n-switching to a new level. Already quit two, and Utah & Oregon are next on the chopping block for me, as soon as I burn very high point totals. In fact, I also dumped a few select hunts within the states I listed due to their point watering for those species.