What is your fall back tag?

[Drhorsepower]

When you strike out on the tags you applied for, what is your fall back tag? I'm looking for ideas to expand my hunting opportunities and chances to improve my hunting skills.( us Nevadans typically can't get out in the field every year unless it's helping a buddy out or going out of state)

I am going OTC archery elk in Oregon along with Arizona OTC archery deer later in the year.

 

[Montana]

Mine is Idaho... Pretty expensive for the quality of game but it does allow me to get the "jitters" out of my system and then I can be a little more patient for my home state of MT. It also allows me to do spring bear hunts. It's only 31 miles from house so it's a dream in that aspect.

With the combo of the 2 states our hunting dates range from August 16th to Jan 15th. Then a small break until end of March thru June 30th and then another 6 weeks and hunting again. Drive my wife nuts

 

[Muleys 24/7]

My fall back for deer is my backyard zones here in CA haha, I look forward to the out-of-state hunts.

 

[Doe Nob]

PM sent.....

 

[Timberstalker]

Ususally for elk its archery OTC and deer its Blacktail rifle OTC. Im switching it up this year, OTC archery mule deer and OTC Casacde rilfe elk, all Oregon. Oregon's seasons are very early this year so I'm counting on some post rut activity for the elk, and I just want to hunt mule deer. I'm 42 and have only drawn one rifle and two muzzy mule deer tags in my home state! If I don't get it done on the mulies I can hunt late season Blacktail with the archery tag. I am looking at other states, but don't have the extra $ to start that process yet. I have gone to Idaho twice for Whitetail, I may do that again someday.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

That's cool Montana! Your luck to have that opertunity. Maybe not so much as far as the wife goes tho! Hahaha

Mine has always been ID. But is a min of $1k just for elk and a 12 hr drive from Reno were we would hunt. The payoff is some of the most beautiful country I've seen and getting out in the woods is good for the soul. The down fall is there are always alot of hunters and the Elk are small usually under 300".

I've also did some high fenced TX whitetail deer SHOOTS its not a hunt IMO but still was a good time.

One of my hunting buddy's grew up in MO and his folks still live there so I've gone there a couple times for whitetail as well.

 

[Old Hunter]

I can always get a cow elk tag, and I can always get a private land deer tag. So, I guess those are my fallback tags. Not hunting is never an option for me.

 

[Elkoholic307]

(1) General any deer
(1) Second choice any late-season whitetail
(4) Doe deer

(2) Leftover any antelope
(4) Doe antelope

(1) General any elk
(1) Cow elk
OR
(2) Cow elk

This has been my game plan the last few years since I can't draw anything. I'm thankful to live in a state where the opportunity to hunt is still there even if you don't draw. I get to kill a lot of animals; just not many trophies. Gotta work a lot harder for those on leftover and otc tags.

 

[kcaves]

(1) General any deer
(1) Second choice any late-season whitetail
(4) Doe deer

(2) Leftover any antelope
(4) Doe antelope

(1) General any elk
(1) Cow elk
OR
(2) Cow elk

This has been my game plan the last few years since I can't draw anything. I'm thankful to live in a state where the opportunity to hunt is still there even if you don't draw. I get to kill a lot of animals; just not many trophies. Gotta work a lot harder for those on leftover and otc tags.

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[Fink]

I'm pretty fortunate to have excellent whitetail hunting here, and with an archery season from Sept 15 through Jan 15, and a 9 day Nov gun season, I can find ways to stay busy each fall. Missouri allows us to kill three bucks a year, 1 in the early archery season, 1 during the November gun season, and 1 after gun season. For me, any Western hunt I draw is just icing on the cake, and a good way to spend late September/early October, when the whitetail hunting isn't very good.

Add in duck and goose season, after I quit deer hunting, and I'm good until the end of January.

 

[meathunter]

Usually I fall back on the wife and daughter that like to hunt. Daughter has moose tag this fall, if I don't get drawn for elk, lope or deer, they wife will usually draw. I don't have to be the one pulling the trigger. If all else fails, then OTC elk & deer for us, Idaho is good for many opportunities. Not a trophy guy here, just like to get out and put good meat on the table. Have a hard time trying to schedule hunts so they don't overlap and to spread out the fall time.

Does anyone know when Idaho draw results post?

 

[HuskyMusky]

If I strike out it means I'll just be hunting IL whitetails this fall.

Part of me feels like a fall back tag would mean an avg tag at best, and I'm done making a road trip out west on an avg tag anymore. If I lived in the west that may be a different story.

 

[Old Hunter]

Definitely a different story.

 

[sjsmallfield]

For me it's an otc CA general tag or two and a bear tag. Also I'm either going to CO otc second season rifle or AZ otc archery in Jan. Looks like it's time to make up my mind and get to planning.

 

[Wild Country]

OTC archery elk, still have not made the decision to archery or rifle black tail...I will wait to see what my cameras produce before I decide. I have also gone to Idaho the last 9 years for whitetail and am 7 of 9 and it wasnt going to be an every year thing but it is now.

 

[Big Sky]

OTC rutting mulies in MT for me.

 

[In God We Trust]

OTC archery elk in Colorado and some sort of leftover Nebraska deer tag or leftover Wyoming Antelope tag.

 

[wapiti66]

I always get either sex/species archery deer tag for ks. then it's otc archery elk in co. i also buy otc archery antelope for ks every year and spring turkey. after that's it's predators.

 

[Zim]

Mine was going to be one of the leftover Montana combo tags. Was set to pull the trigger when instead I pulled a rabbit out of my hat with a New Hampshire moose tag with 1% draw odds. Set for October.

Also, when I could see things weren't going my way early, I decided to burn my Iowa deer points so I will be there in November. So my plate ended up full after all.

 

[BobT]

I usually only apply for pronghorns in Wyoming, my fallback has been left over tags. I can get otc deer tags here in Missouri 1 antlered deer and unlimited doe tags so I get to hunt something every year.

Bob