Anybody get lucky in the elk draws?
Contributors to this thread:South Dakota
From: grizzly
31-May-19
Just more dear loser letters for me. Does not seem to be as many leftover antlerless tags either. People cashing in those points to get some meat. Hope you faired better.
From: Griz34
31-May-19
No luck for me or my kids or my brother or his kids. My dad finally got out of the penalty box this year, so he decided to get a cow tag. At least we will be elk hunting this fall. I failed to draw in Arizona, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico. Oh well, I decided to cash in my antelope points in Wyoming this year so that should be lots of fun.
From: SteveG
06-Jun-19
No luck for use, but with cubing the points we never expect to draw. An interesting thing to look at is the change from 2018 to 2019 for archery cow tags in H2. It will only get worse and within short order there will be no leftover cow tags as people realize their odds of ever drawing a bull tag are impossible. On a side note my chance for a deer tag are looking good if the repetitive emails from SDGFP are any indication. I'm sure if enough people miss the draw deadline and complain they will just run it again, but a boy can dream.
From: Head hunter
20-Jun-19
Pulled an any elk tag after 10 years. H2a
From: Brotsky
20-Jun-19
10 years? Those are rookie numbers, I have 16 and no tag for H2! Ha! Congrats on pulling a great tag. If you need any help or advice don't hesitate to ask, I spend a lot of time out there. Good luck!
From: Head hunter
20-Jun-19
Thanks for the offer Brodsky! Actually it was just nine, now that I really think about it. Believe me I was surprised to see the envelope yesterday.
From: SteveG
20-Jun-19
Head hunter, You drew one of only six tags drawn by someone with under ten points. Out of 5,000. The odds of that are 0.0012 which doesn't even take into account the 2,000 or so people who dropped down into the below 10 category.
H3 archery LO was 10 for 163 in 2018, this year over 700 applied for 3. People are using their points more and more.
From: Griz34
20-Jun-19
It's crazy to look at how many people are participating in the 2nd elk draw compared to 5 years ago. I got lucky and drew a leftover rifle cow tag. It's going to be a busy fall for me, especially compared to last year.
From: Seabear
20-Jun-19
Finally!!!! 19 years with this years app.Long time waiting..
From: Seabear
20-Jun-19
Manitoba bear. Spring hunt. 324 lbs.
Manitoba bear. Spring hunt. 324 lbs.
From: Seabear
20-Jun-19
Oops. Supposed to go in photos.
From: grizzly
20-Jun-19
congrats to you folks that drew. Two more blanks for me. Cant win if you don't play. Next year I become eligible for rifle again. I'll just start applying for cow right off the bat. That's where we are headed. There may not be a second drawing someday. I know Brotsky, I'm helping your odds. I kinda like the taste of elk meat. Ill have nine for archery next year so ill keep plugging away at that one. No guarantees with any of them.
From: Sdbugler
21-Jun-19
Our family didn't draw anything in the first draw, but my son burned 12 points for a leftover cow tag. he is going to become a non-resident so decided to burn them rather than lose them. Sucks to waste all those points (and $ invested) 12 points each for sheep, goat, all the elk options, etc. I had been applying all three of my sons since they were 12 but this is the second one now to move away after college.
From: Brotsky
21-Jun-19
That sucks Brian, but at least you'll get a chance to hunt elk with your boy. My daughter drew the H2 any tag with 3 points in 2017. That was beating incredible odds. Some of the best memories of my life are hunting elk with her, she still talks about it all the time. Hopefully some day we'll get to do it again. Until then I'll hunt elk in other states patiently waiting my turn.
From: Sdbugler
21-Jun-19
I can't complain. I have had several good hunts in the hills. My dad and I both drew archery tags back in 1989 the first year we applied after I got out of college (of course there weren't many elk in the hills then). Since then I have drawn the rifle tag and the archery tag again as well as a late season CSP archery tag. My dad drew the rifle and archery tags in back to back years and I got to go along with him. Glad we did that as he passed away on opening day of the east river deer season last year while hunting.
At least I will get to chase elk with my son even though he won't be able to shoot any of the great bulls that our hills have. And I still have one more son in college at SDSMT who may get lucky and draw a tag. I have been putting all three boys in for tags/points in numerous states so we will have lots of great hunts elsewhere too. Good luck to all those that did draw a tag this year. Should be a good year for antler growth!