Yet another LEH question...

[scoutlt1]

Just as a carryover from a different thread... (and yes, I know this has come up for discussion before :) )

I have, over the years, applied for a few "hail mary" draws. Draws that have pretty good odds, mostly because of difficult access and not very high game numbers.
I've always applied for those hunts with the plan that should I get the draw, I'm going (short of a health/family emergency) no matter what!!
I can't imagine putting in for a draw that I wasn't sure I would go on if I was successful.

Question.
Would you apply for an LEH without doing at least some research into the area, and without the full intention of going on that hunt if you get the draw?


Personally, I think it's pretty selfish to do so, as you'd be diminishing the odds of someone who is fully prepared go. Just my $.02 though.....

[Fella]

No I wouldn't. When my group chose our draw we applied to an area that at least some of the guys had hunted before. I have every intention of giving it my best shot. It's selfish to apply for an area that you know you will not hunt.

[wos]

Last year my dad had a sheep draw. There should have been 5 other hunters in the area
and 5 the previous week. No sign of any hunters prior or during our hunt. So in my opinion
lots of leh hunts go unused. For some its about winning the lottery not getting an animal.

[dog812]

I always put in for areas I have never been, but that's just cause I like the adventure.
Couple years ago me n a buddy put in for elk in elkford. Never been there but we liked the name.. Ha. Both got draws.
Got some really great advice on this site and even had a member come out and meet us and give us some really helpful spots..
Don't be afraid to try new spots.

This year my group organized a fly in hunt on our own to a area we have never been. And we got 3 grizzly tags out of the 7 of us... Hopefully another new area will pay off.
It's more about the adventure for me then the guarantee of meat / trophy.

[Buckmeister]

I have a friend who got one of those "gimme draws" for moose last year, somewhere north of PG. He applied for it because the odds were soooo good. Doesn't know the area at all. Didn't have anyone to go with. Things came up and he almost didn't go. But he did go after all and I think he hunted some FSR for a few hours on the last day of the draw.

So in the end what did he end up succeeding in???? Becoming reduced odds for the next three years, that what!

[375shooter]

Just as a carryover from a different thread... (and yes, I know this has come up for discussion before :) )

I have, over the years, applied for a few "hail mary" draws. Draws that have pretty good odds, mostly because of difficult access and not very high game numbers.
I've always applied for those hunts with the plan that should I get the draw, I'm going (short of a health/family emergency) no matter what!!
I can't imagine putting in for a draw that I wasn't sure I would go on if I was successful.

Question.
Would you apply for an LEH without doing at least some research into the area, and without the full intention of going on that hunt if you get the draw?


Personally, I think it's pretty selfish to do so, as you'd be diminishing the odds of someone who is fully prepared go. Just my $.02 though.....

That's not my style either. If I apply for an LEH, I make sure beforehand that I research the area and make sure I have a way to access it as well as make certain I have the time available to do the hunt.

[scoutlt1]

I think that "planning" a hunt, whether it be with LEH or GOS, that is full of "unknowns" is pretty cool. Lots of adventure etc. associated with that.
I've just read about, and know of too many people who apply for and get an LEH draw, then start doing some research, and think..."holy crap, that's a ton of driving and the odds are pretty slim of even seeing something".
GOS, no worries. Decide not to go, no loss. LEH that one applies for....different story.

Not a fan of that way of thinking......

[Gateholio]

I won't apply for something I know I can't make due to time commitments or access that I can't manage. No problem applying for an area I don't know much about. That's called adventure! :)

[BTF]

I always research the area just enough so that I know it is doable. I don't want to over analyze it because I may never be awarded a draw. If I get drawn I drop everything else and the adventure begins! If the odds are 0.1 -1 you know it will most likely be a gong show to get there.

[billjc33]

Easy to tell lots of people do this by the numerous " I got a moose draw in 7-** never been there before, I don't want any honey holes but if you could point me in the right direction" threads that will be coming out for the next 2 months.

[Gateholio]

Easy to tell lots of people do this by the numerous " I got a moose draw in 7-** never been there before, I don't want any honey holes but if you could point me in the right direction" threads that will be coming out for the next 2 months.


Thanks for the reminder, I should post one for Island Elk in 1-10 :)

[Paulyman]

I put in for areas I've never been or researched almost every year, it's no big deal. I pay my money for the lottery chance just like everyone else and if I get drawn I do whatever it takes to make that hunt a success.

[itsy bitsy xj]

Nope why take away from someone who will use it if they got it

[Brian011]

Why not? Then when you get a draw in an area you've never been to or don't know anything about the area you can just start a post on HBC asking for all the info. Then decide if you want to go or not.

[Fisher-Dude]

The number of draws takes into consideration the number of people that don't go.

Your odds are directly related to the AAH of the hunt, not by people who don't go after they draw a tag.

[RugDoctor]

^^. Not sure I understand this....a stretch I know... How would anyone know who won't go? How can they take into consideration who won't go?

[rides bike to work]

They use data collected from hunter surveys. I haven't been to a lot of the places I apply for but will 100% go on the hunt. There is always a way to access land to hunt. That is big part of the adventure. I don't mind if someone doesn't use there tag that just means an extra animal in the bush and getting a year older for when I get out there.

[two-feet]

I usually have a given, specific amount of time to hunt in the fall, 10 days end of sept or whatever. Leh is not a given. So i will apply for a variety of species in several different areas all for the same time frame hoping i get drawn. If i get 2 or more successful draws? I pick one and let the others slide. And this type of thinking is built into the system, kills vs successful draws.

[Caribou_lou]

I put in for bighorn sheep draws every year. I've never hunted them and don't live in the region. But if I happen to draw you can bet I'll be there and hunt hard!

Last year I applied for cow elk and was only intending to use it if my group didn't harvest a couple moose. I ended up using the tag and was glad I had it.

A couple more questions that needs to be asked is "How many anti hunters apply for Grizzly tags?" You can bet this happens every year. 6$ is cheap to obtain a Grizz permit. And in their minds... Saving a bear.
Also, "How many outfitters apply for LEH tags in their own areas?" Questions that need to be asked.

[scoutlt1]

I usually have a given, specific amount of time to hunt in the fall, 10 days end of sept or whatever. Leh is not a given. So i will apply for a variety of species in several different areas all for the same time frame hoping i get drawn. If i get 2 or more successful draws? I pick one and let the others slide. And this type of thinking is built into the system, kills vs successful draws.

Personally, I can't agree with this. I would never let a draw "slide" if I applied for it.
Seems pretty damn selfish to me. I've applied for at least 3 species a year, and haven't drawn for ten years.
If I knew someone drew 2 or more draws in one season and let more than one go I'd be f**cking pissed!

[two-feet]

Personally, I can't agree with this. I would never let a draw "slide" if I applied for it.
Seems pretty damn selfish to me. I've applied for at least 3 species a year, and haven't drawn for ten years.
If I knew someone drew 2 or more draws in one season and let more than one go I'd be f**cking pissed!

You are not understanding the way that the draw works. They are assuming that people that are drawn will not go and issue more tags accordingly. The end result is the same for you.

I also put in on hunts with really good odds so getting drawn is not a once in a lifetime event. Last year I got drawn for goat and moose, but the area I was hunting moose has a GOS for goat. I did not go on the goat hunt. The odds for that one were about 1.3:1 if I recall.

This year I put in for nothing as I will be hunting in the GOS.

[KodiakHntr]

Do you get pissy if someone wins the 649 and then gives the money to charity as well? I mean, why didn't that guy
Just give you the money so you could've used it?!?