Possible worse draw odds ever!!!
Elk
After what originally started out as a feasibility study 22 years ago has transitioned into elk in Wisconsin no matter what. So now that the Clam lake herd has reach around 200 animals, ya that’s right about 200 head after 22 years. Certainly not as prolific as the Kentucky reintroduction of over 11,000 in 21 years. Albeit Kentucky doesn’t have the wolf or Indian or poaching issues and they have far more range habitat and a milder climate. So this year it was decidedto have a hunting season for the Clam lake herd with 5 tags going to the Indian tribes (they have been shooting them in previous years without a goverment set season), 1 Tag to be raffled by RMEF and five tags available to residents of Wisconsin. That drawing has recently been conducted there were over 38,000 applications.
WoW! 38,000 applications for 5 tags. Apply! Apply! Apply! Somebody has to draw no matter what the odds. Holy! Moely! Them are some astronomical odds. Don’t matter 5 people will get a chance to put the first legally killed Wisconsin elk in the record book.
Better odds perhaps buying into the RMEF 1 raffle tag. Or maybe getting an inside line to one of the five Indian tags if they willing to be transferred, would be better odds but more $$$$.
So now the wolf’s will have a little competition for there elk suppers.
Is there a big game tag drawing anywheres, sheep included, that has worst odds? I don’t think so.
5 tags ........38,000 applicants, thats 12,000 short of my 50,000 estimate. I thought that near 10% of the 600,000 licensed deer gun hunters would apply. Maybe next year as there is no preference point system, YET.
There's 5 happy guys in WI though that would not have had the chance previously!
was there a non refundable fee to apply? and if so what was it?
10 bucks, with all or most of the funds going to assist in the reintroduction, even if it doesn't pan out at least they tried. I put my name in the hat, its a drop in the bucket compared to what I pay for points out west. Odds are horrible indeed, and I couldn't care less than I just "wasted" 10 dollars on further reintroduction efforts.
Unless all of those $10 donations are going to predator control they might as well just buy dog food for the wolves.
Considering there was well over 500,000 deer licenses sold last year, I thought the number of applicants would have been way higher
Sounds like they have been using elk for wolf food for 20 years...great management plan!
California has about 13,000 elk in 22 herds...watch those numbers drop like a stone when the Wolves arrive. There is already a small pack in Siskiyou County. :^/
Here is a comparison with Michigan who allows an limited elk season.
30,000-40,000 apply each year
cost of application is $5.00
license available= 100 plus depending on herd numbers
of that 100----- 30 bull tags, and 70 anlerless tags.
cost of tag if drawn, $76.00
odds of drawing, less that .2 percent BUT better odds than winning the Mega Bucks Lottery.
Quote: "Is there a big game tag drawing anywheres, sheep included, that has worst odds?"
Those are indeed poor odds, but yes there are actually worse odds. Namely in the states that square bonus points. An example would be Breaks Sheep in Montana. For a NR with just a point or two, draw odds are far worse than that. But that fact probably doesn't help ease your pain ;-)
Huntcell - Did YOU apply? I think it's a positive that we're (Wisconsin) creating this season. As Brotsky said, now there will be 5 happy people getting to hunt elk this Fall. Are there wolf problems in Wisconsin, yes. Are there other problems that we deal with here in our state, absolutely. Do people question the direction the DNR is going, of course. I am just a frustrated with our state as the next guy...but this, I think is the start of something positive.
I thought I would also point out that my daughter beat odds of 16,000 to 1 to draw her elk tag last season! There's always a chance!
Sticksender beat me to it. Montana sheep odds are worse for the breaks units for early low point applicants, but someone draws every year!
I think new hunters in SD (with their genius cubed bonus point idea) will see as bad or worse odds for certain hunts.
Paul, my mom drew a cow tag when I was in high school. One of two people that year from the UP to draw tags. That was a very cool experience for her.
"I think new hunters in SD (with their genius cubed bonus point idea) will see as bad or worse odds for certain hunts."
It's funny you say that because even with our genius cubed points a guy with only a handful of points drew a SD mountain goat tag this year. One of only 2 available. As long as it is a random draw there is always a chance.
I didn't mean that to be disrespectful to anyone from SD. Your daughter's hunt last year was my favorite hunting story of the year by a long shot. I want to see more like that! I suspect a lot of jaws will drop if the true odds for a new hunter are ever calculated with the new SD system. They probably won't be far off from the WI odds.
I applied as well, also thought there would be alot more than 38k that applied.
No worries nowiser, I certainly didn't mean it to come off that way and didn't feel disrespected or anything. Just pointing out that lightning can and does strike regardless of the odds! You just have to keep playing!
For 20 years now I have simply had the mindset that OIL tags have long odds and there’s nothing I can do about it.
So if I ever wanted to draw a sheep, moose, or mountain goat tag in the Lower 48 I was just going to have to put in for them and simply consider the $$$ spent as donations to the various wildlife departments for conservation.
Or else not put in for them at all.
Those were my only options. Just the way it is. I could do about 20 threads on each draw about how long the odds are, how unfair it is, how each system could be better, and on and on and on. But what would it matter? Whatever tweaks the states do will make someone unhappy. Example: make the cost and hassle less - more people apply and the odds get even worse. See: Colorado. Example: increase the costs and folks complain about the high costs of applying and the “regular Joe” being left out. See: Wyoming.
Guess what? Few tags and a lot of demand for them means most are going to be on the outside looking in no matter what. There’s nothing to be done about that. Again, just the way it is.
Guess what else: I’ve drawn 3 OIL tags over the last 15 years (moose, sheep and mountain goat). Did I get super lucky? Yes. But I’m sure glad I decided to put my name in the hat because it’s meant three wonderful hunts that can never be replaced in my memory banks.
Arkansas is in the same boat as you. 1983 i believe they introduced elk. We still only have 500 elk and there are about 6 public land bull tags and 2 of those are youth. 4 tags isn't many for the whole state!!! I think there are about 18,000 entries last I heard but my son drew on in 2014!
Worse odds. There aren't five tags. There are only 4 tags through the draw and 1 raffle tag
.Four tags will be awarded to Wisconsin residents through a random drawing. No preference point system is available. One additional tag will be awarded to a Wisconsin resident through a raffle conducted by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Application and license fees, as well as proceeds from the RMEF raffle, are earmarked for elk management and research in Wisconsin.
Long odds for sure. I put me and all the kids in--more horses in the race! Heck, I even put my wife in and she doesn't even hunt (YET!)! (and I'm thinking I'll probably wait until she actually draws before I surprise her with the good news!)
So let me get this straight - cause I'm just a Canadian.
Last year there were 0 tags, this year there are 5. This year there was an additional $380,000 generated most of which are supposedly going to help the reintroduction. And you're complaining this year? Maybe I'm the eternal optimist but if I was in your shoes I'd say things are trending upwards and getting better!
