CA Application Day!
- Thread starter MasonP
- Start date
I got a D16 and D8 tag this year. Fairly new hunter but have gotten a few before. So if anybody wants to scout D16 with me before the season starts, feel free to reach out 
Points are only associated with your first choice. You do not use points for 2nd or 3rd choice. So any reference to drawing with points, even if it is zero, is a first choice scenario.
Like Kellendv said, points only matter for your first choice.
If you look at the 2021 Deer Harvest Report: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=200551&inline
Page 11, there were 3000 general tags for D14. Of those, 2700 were set aside for those with the highest amount of preference points and who listed the zone as their first choice. However, only 1860 applicants listed D14 as their first choice. So the difference (840) plus the 300 set aside for the random draw left 1140 available for all other applicants. According to the report, you needed to have listed D14 as at least your second choice to have a crack at the tag. No one who listed the zone as their 3rd choice drew a tag.
It doesn't say how many people listed D14 as their second choice, but seeing as it sold out, it looks like D14 isn't guaranteed as a second choice as it is for a first choice.
Every single applicant who listed D14 as their first choice got awarded a tag. There were 1860 such applicants.
According to GoHunt, among these applicants, 195 of them ranged from having 8 points to .5 points. They were drawn first out of the 2700 tags set aside for applicants with the most preference points.
2505 tags for those with the most preference points now remain. The next "highest" amount of preference points was those having 0 points and who listed D14 as their first choice. According to GoHunt, there were 1665 such applicants.
That leaves us with 840 tags left for those with the "most" amount of prefernce points and listed D14 as their first choice. Problem is, no such applicants exist. Additionally, that means there's no such 1st choice applicants to award any of the 300 tags set aside for the random draw. Remember, there's 3000 tags for this zone total, not 2700, the remaining 300 are those set aside for the random draw.
That being the case, they move on to those who listed D14 as their second choice. The original 300 tags that were set aside for the random 1st choice draw are added back to the general pool. So there are now 1140 tags left to be awarded to anyone who listed D14 as their second choice. These 1140 are chosen randomly. California doesn't list how many second choice applicants there were, only how many were awarded, so it's not possible to calculate these odds unfortunately. Since every remaining tag was awarded to a second choice applicant, one can infer that demand must have execeeded supply.
So if you REALLY want a D14 bad enough to list it as your first choice, you will get it. If you KINDA want a D14, but only enough to list it as your second choice, there's no guarantee but it seems like there's a decent chance you might get it. If you MAYBE want a D14, but only enough to list it as your third choice, sorry but you won't get it.
According to GoHunt, among these applicants, 195 of them ranged from having 8 points to .5 points. They were drawn first out of the 2700 tags set aside for applicants with the most preference points.
2505 tags for those with the most preference points now remain. The next "highest" amount of preference points was those having 0 points and who listed D14 as their first choice. According to GoHunt, there were 1665 such applicants.
That leaves us with 840 tags left for those with the "most" amount of prefernce points and listed D14 as their first choice. Problem is, no such applicants exist. Additionally, that means there's no such 1st choice applicants to award any of the 300 tags set aside for the random draw. Remember, there's 3000 tags for this zone total, not 2700, the remaining 300 are those set aside for the random draw.
That being the case, they move on to those who listed D14 as their second choice. The original 300 tags that were set aside for the random 1st choice draw are added back to the general pool. So there are now 1140 tags left to be awarded to anyone who listed D14 as their second choice. These 1140 are chosen randomly. California doesn't list how many second choice applicants there were, only how many were awarded, so it's not possible to calculate these odds unfortunately. Since every remaining tag was awarded to a second choice applicant, one can infer that demand must have execeeded supply.
So if you REALLY want a D14 bad enough to list it as your first choice, you will get it. If you KINDA want a D14, but only enough to list it as your second choice, there's no guarantee but it seems like there's a decent chance you might get it. If you MAYBE want a D14, but only enough to list it as your third choice, sorry but you won't get it.
Hey all, looking for some advice on points and the draw. I have only ever gone for over the counter tags and never really educated myself on the points other than reading the regs and what I've read on forums. I have been extremely unsuccessful with my OTC approach coming in with 1 deer in 15 years
This year my oldest is 12 and will be his first time able to hunt deer. I'd like to start hunting in more preferred locations and help him be more successful than I have. Any tips on how I/we should proceed for the next 4 years while he is still eligible for youth hunts? I'm in socal so looking to hunt anywhere south of Sacramento.
Thank you!
This year my oldest is 12 and will be his first time able to hunt deer. I'd like to start hunting in more preferred locations and help him be more successful than I have. Any tips on how I/we should proceed for the next 4 years while he is still eligible for youth hunts? I'm in socal so looking to hunt anywhere south of Sacramento.
Thank you!
Looks like if we want to go junior hunt I am sticking to J10-J15.
If we put in for a Junior hunt as his first choice then that basically makes it so we cannot apply as a party for other general hunts, correct?
If we put in for a Junior hunt as his first choice then that basically makes it so we cannot apply as a party for other general hunts, correct?
Look at the draw stats in the big game book on pages 24-27..if I was you I'd start building points, you and your son, and by the time he's 18-20 years old you guys should be able to draw really good tags... My son is 6 so I'm half way there of you man.. I'll start building points in a couple of years... But by the time my son is 18 point creep might be a bitch
I'm not opposed to it, but are the success rates in those zones much better than D14?
So does, Stefanie........
Darryl, that was a damn great day and some fine bucks from the "16".....
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