California A17 Archery Hunt X9b zone

[Camo_Man]

I must be Irish!? I put in for my first ever draw and hunt ever. I've been told it would take years to accumulate enough points to draw a premium mule deer hunt in California.

I'm in! Freeking Crazy! Being my first time hunting in CA., I had to go into the DWG office in Long Beach. Told the lady I've never hunted here and said I was just working on my points and did not expect anything. She told me,.. "Have faith", " If you believe it will happen". I said, "yah, a-ha".

In my mind...No way was this going to happen.

Well... I actually prayed about it, and ... What can I say! Prayers happened! Thank you Lord Jesus!

Well... Guess I'm heading to somewhere between Lone Pine and Bishop and beyond!

 

[Sea37]

I drew the same tag with my second choice. It's a nice zone but not a hard archery draw. A16 was my first choice for the second year I drew A17 as a second. Good luck. Saw a lot of legal bucks last year.

 

[RosinBag]

A17 is nearly a guaranteed tag. Only 26 people put in for 300 tags as their first choice last year. And it was 1 of 2 zones where third choices were issued tags. 19 bucks killed out of 300 tags so you have your work cut out for you. Good news you are hunting in a CA archery deer area, so you have a chance. Good luck to you and I hope your first CA experience is a good one.

 

[Camo_Man]

Thanks Sea37. What access road did you go in on A17?

RosinBag. I see the odds for archery are tough but about the same for my general season D14. The general season numbers for X9B look encouraging. So I guess there's a chance! Lol. Just nice to be out in a zone without 3000 other tag holders and archery!

Good hunting to both of you!

 

[blackshuk]

Thanks Sea37. What access road did you go in on A17?

RosinBag. I see the odds for archery are tough but about the same for my general season D14. The general season numbers for X9B look encouraging. So I guess there's a chance! Lol. Just nice to be out in a zone without 3000 other tag holders and archery!

Good hunting to both of you!

Hey Camo_Man, I drew an A17 tag this year do you have any advice from your hunt? You can PM me if you'd like! Thanks in advance!

 

[JRMiller]

I must be Irish!? I put in for my first ever draw and hunt ever. I've been told it would take years to accumulate enough points to draw a premium mule deer hunt in California.

I'm in! Freeking Crazy! Being my first time hunting in CA., I had to go into the DWG office in Long Beach. Told the lady I've never hunted here and said I was just working on my points and did not expect anything. She told me,.. "Have faith", " If you believe it will happen". I said, "yah, a-ha".

In my mind...No way was this going to happen.

Well... I actually prayed about it, and ... What can I say! Prayers happened! Thank you Lord Jesus!

Well... Guess I'm heading to somewhere between Lone Pine and Bishop and beyond!

Been to the Lone Pine area (base of the mtns to the west) twice last month, beautiful place

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Congrats OP. Get some boots on the ground starting now!

 

[RosinBag]

Hey Camo_Man, I drew an A17 tag this year do you have any advice from your hunt? You can PM me if you'd like! Thanks in advance!

Honestly, I would turn that tag back in and take a point. That zone hasn’t produced much in the last five years. Very few deer are killed with archery gear per year compared to the number of tags given, usually around 5 - 7% total success and one or two bucks a year that are decent.