I hate it when I'm right. (Dang you HF)

[muleman]

Last year Wyoming cow bison was 100% draw for non-residents. Then I read an article in HF about the 100% odds. After reading the article, I predicted that draw odds would go to 25%. Well I wasn't exactly right, they were 28% and I didn't draw. I guess that's what I get for grilling my bison ribeyes before the draw.

I have a love/hate position with all the information consolidation services. On the one hand HF helped me know about the 100% odds, but it also helped everyone else who subscribed. The information they presented wasn't a secret, it was freely available on Wyoming's website. How do others feel? Do you feel behind the curve if you don't subscribe to Huntin' Fool, goHUNT Insider, etc...? Or are you able to do all research on your own?

 

[weaver]

They had it in Eastman's as well. I thought about applying but I've got enough going on this year.
Its one of those hunts that I probably wouldn't have known about if I hadn't read about it.
For deer,elk and antelope I do most of my research on states' websites vs going of a hunting mag. I use Eastman's mostly to decide what units not to apply for.

 

[colonel00]

Well, you are gonna hate me as I drew one. My buddy told me about it as he saw it in HF or Eastman's or somewhere. I jumped on it this year because I figured the secret was out after last year but maybe I would still get lucky enough which I did. Now, where is that bison forum? I'm going to be looking for any and all input and suggestions to make this come together.

 

[muleman]

Well, you are gonna hate me as I drew one. My buddy told me about it as he saw it in HF or Eastman's or somewhere. I jumped on it this year because I figured the secret was out after last year but maybe I would still get lucky enough which I did. Now, where is that bison forum? I'm going to be looking for any and all input and suggestions to make this come together.

Congrats, I felt the same, guess I wasn't lucky this time around.

I'd like to see a free range wild bison forum.

 

[colonel00]

Thanks. Hopefully I can connect and get a hefty freezer full of good meat. I have a lot of research to do as this is a bit out of my wheelhouse. Luckily the season is really long and I can make a second trip if I need.

 

[HOT ROD]

That's what happened to me with my Wy elk tag. Unit showed up in a magazine and it jumped 2 points

 

[Lukem]

Had this same conversation today, was happy to see that my pronghorn unit was not listed in the new HF that showed up in the mail today. Still happy that our WY deer unit usually shows up on the bottom tier of units in both of those magazines. Hope it stays that way.

 

[GotMyTag]

I subscribe to know where not to apply. Lots of good places not in the magazines. But I also run the PointHunter app to help people not have to deal with the web sites as much. So maybe you would cuss me as well.

 

[muleman]

I subscribe to know where not to apply. Lots of good places not in the magazines. But I also run the PointHunter app to help people not have to deal with the web sites as much. So maybe you would cuss me as well.

I've got your app too.

I feel that there is a lot of beneficial info with all the services. It's just one more cost (or is it 4+ more PH, HF, EHJ, GH, etc...) Just like with equipment where does it end? I hunt a crappy general deer unit because I know it and can hunt it often. There are are always a couple bruisers that get away but we've taken our share of above average deer. That is until the mountain lion population in the area exploded. Even in my own State I have a hard enough time, to find enough time to be a dad, sole provider and scout new areas. (Let me just say I liked Utah's 5 region deer system better than 28 units for this reason and for the fact we don't have enough biologist to keep boots on the ground in 28 units.) I'm not complaining about my choices, and now I've got two hunting age kids. So hunting with them is even better if not more frustrating.

Where I get the most value from the different services is the data aggregation and analysis. I can't possibly put boots on the ground or crunch the numbers like the paid analysts do. What I wonder is like what you said, "I know where not to apply" is the better approach. If the majority is subscribing to a service, do you have to subscribe to be on equal footing? Given that I consider the majority to be people trying to get three or more big game hunts in a year, along with some other hunting thrown in. I'm just looking for ways to maximize my big game hunting and meet my other obligations.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

That's what happened to me with my Wy elk tag. Unit showed up in a magazine and it jumped 2 points

Sounds very familiar... My deer and elk area were listed in the tops and now I can't go into the area without seeing people! I guess it means we have to go bison hunting with people who have a tag.

 

[Retterath]

I subscribe to know where not to apply. Lots of good places not in the magazines. But I also run the PointHunter app to help people not have to deal with the web sites as much. So maybe you would cuss me as well.

i Got your app and its so nice getting emails on upcoming draws, great job

 

[robby denning]

muleman,
I've written about this on the Rok Blog before. It's hard to find anything out the HF and the others aren't already writing about. That's why I read their mag. Love 'em or hate 'em doesn't really matter. They spend a ton of time researching.

Hope you get a tag soon. 28% is great relatively speaking about Western odds.

 

[muleman]

muleman,
I've written about this on the Rok Blog before. It's hard to find anything out the HF and the others aren't already writing about. That's why I read their mag. Love 'em or hate 'em doesn't really matter. They spend a ton of time researching.

Hope you get a tag soon. 28% is great relatively speaking about Western odds.

Usually a HF recomendation results in lower odds. I agree, I can only atribute these "great" odds to people not willing to front a grand for a cow.

Hopefully the remaining draws and raffles will be kind to us all.

 

[wapitibob]

I have a hard time paying for bad info.

 

[muleman]

I have a hard time paying for bad info.

Can you elaborate?

 

[robby denning]

I've seen very little inaccurate info on HF. A few things I wish they hadn't printed, but not bad info.

 

[wapitibob]

HF proclaimed no NR drew a WY Special Gen Elk tag as 2nd choice last year. Absolute nonsense and a clear indication they have no idea how the NR side of the draw works.
In 2014 EVERY nr that applied for a Special GEN Elk tag drew, thru 3rd choice. The carryover dropped to the Regular GEN side and increased the odds there by a slight amount.
For 2015, odds for Special GEN were once again 100% but an additional 300 1st choice apps used half of the historical carryover and odds for 2nd choice dropped to 51%.
For AZ they did finally start publishing the NR pass thru tags so you knew which units you could draw in the 1-2 Pass. Kudos to them for that. I would be nice if they changed their unit synopses from year to year. "350 bulls, great unit, scout hard" gets a little old.


The mistakes and incorrect info from Eastmans could be fixed with some research and getting away from the cut n paste of data. They also failed to correctly list the odds for GEN tags in their own state and a 15 second glance at the NM MRS shows 0% public land for unit 36. I assume that was a cut n paste error and nobody looking at it that knows what is going on in NM.
Their PP graph shows the Regular draw is for those with no points. How hard is it to fix that? 2013 NR Elk odds for the 2015 MRS? The odds come out the same day as the results.

 

[robby denning]

Then I stand corrected!

 

[muleman]

Thanks wapitibob.

 

[wapitibob]

I think they're trying to be all things to all people. HF just needs to get their heads in it and quit spending their time trying to convince me to buy lotto tickets. Eastmans is just trying to stuff 10# of @@@ in a 5# sack. You don't need all that data they're trying to cram in the MRS this year.
Give me good stories and spend the time on a good synopsis of the unit. Every state publishes odds a kid can figure out except AZ (which is changing) and NM. Give the reader links to harvest stats, job completion reports, all that stuff and help the reader be a better researcher himself.