First timer for big game

Todd98SE

New Member
Feb 26, 2018
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I've always been a upland game hunter (IV dove, pheasant, and quail) but finally decided to venture into the world of Big Game. Picked up archery early last year so this is my first year entering for tags (0 points). Thoughts?

Deer: 1st-A16, 2nd-A20, 3rd-A22
Sheep: 504 Orocopia
Elk: 337 Lone Pine 1 Archery-Anterless
Fundraising drawing tags in for all 3 also.

Thanks,
 
Very cool. I assume the first deer choice is D16. I would recommend changing that if possible to a hard x zone and then D16 2nd you will still draw the D16 and you will get a point unless you are randomly drawn for the X zone. You want to start building deer points it takes at least 5 to start drawing some of the premier CA deer zones.
 
Truduct is correct with applying for a harder to draw unit to get a point then looking into a tag that can be drawn as your second. You don’t loose points for drawing your second choice.

Elk going with a archery tag will be your best chance but still very hard to draw

Sheep you have the right mind set applying for a unit with one tag because one tag goes to the random. Almost all your max point holders with sheep are going to apply for the multiple tag units because they have more tags available to just them. So not being max always look for a unit with one tag and lower applications. The orocopia unit doesn’t have very many mature rams but some of the largest in the state and by number of mature rams I would say maybe 5 in the whole unit.

Antelope that’s just tough all the way around but they have some archery hunts that will speed up the wait
They also offer 4 raffles not just three just so you know.
 
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Very cool. I assume the first deer choice is D16. I would recommend changing that if possible to a hard x zone and then D16 2nd you will still draw the D16 and you will get a point unless you are randomly drawn for the X zone. You want to start building deer points it takes at least 5 to start drawing some of the premier CA deer zones.

The first choice is A16, not D16. It's the X9A archery only zone, A20 is X12 archery only. Both should be hard to draw leaving me with A22 for the 3rd option which is home area anyway. Thanks,
 
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