Utah 2024 Draw Thread

[Mojave]

I put all the draws on my calendar, and I am on the rocks on Utah. I have 5-7 points for all species and I am a rifle hunter. Money isn't really a big deal. I don't live in America and I am 4-7 years from wanting to hunt Utah, when I get back to the states full time.

I am not a resident, so I can buy all the species. I will probably continue to buy antlerless points as well.

I don't think I ever realized that they only gave away 50 tags in the random for elk.

 

[Dwnw/theAltitudesickness]

The last few years it has really hit me how few NR tags are available in Utah. I remember seeing someone post an excel file years ago showing how many lifetimes (think it was over 200 years) he was away from ever being able to draw a Henry's mule deer hunt. I cant find the link to the excel- but here is the Blog:

Utah Big Game Odds: The single most helpful collection of information available on Utah draws.

utahbiggameodds.blogspot.com

Once I saw that I immediately shifted to lower end units, but I was still naïve as to how far out some of those odds are.

 

[realunlucky]

Utah is relatively cheap and there is always a chance to draw the random tag

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[wildwilderness]

Easy Answer as to why there are so few Non-Resident tags in Utah, despite allocating 10% to NR-

Hunt Expo and Auction Tags!! $FW figured out that they can "steal" the NR tags and sell them for more $ and not piss off the Residents to vote them out of the money grab!

All those tags come directly from the NR allotment.

 

[LFC911]

I thought i heard on Randy's/GoHunts strategy YT video he said they gave away 300'ish tags but there were like 115 years of points to go through if no one new jumped in?!? Maybe i misheard which isn't impossible.

 

[HoytHntr4]

Somebody has to draw. I drew a random bull tag last year with about .1% odds. I can almost guarantee I’ll never experience a better elk hunt. Like others have said, it’s fairly cheap to apply even though the NR odds are slim

 

[Mojave]

Yeah, I'll keep with it. 4 or 5 years and I'll be a little farther up the line. though not much since there is an endless number of people with max points.

 

[ddavis_1313]

I’m leaning on putting in for Utah just to do something different for me and my wife. We had a private spot in Colorado but lost it. I have zero points in Utah nor does my wife. I’m certain it would be blind luck if we drew. The sad part is we didn’t know until recently so I missed out on almost every other state within reasonable driving distance to Texas.

I have no idea how the draw system works other than I heard it’s a hybrid between pp and lottery. Is it even possible to draw a tag with zero points and being that we would be putting in as a group/pair?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sled]

I’m leaning on putting in for Utah just to do something different for me and my wife. We had a private spot in Colorado but lost it. I have zero points in Utah nor does my wife. I’m certain it would be blind luck if we drew. The sad part is we didn’t know until recently so I missed out on almost every other state within reasonable driving distance to Texas.

I have no idea how the draw system works other than I heard it’s a hybrid between pp and lottery. Is it even possible to draw a tag with zero points and being that we would be putting in as a group/pair?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, but highly unlikely. Think of 0 points as 1 chance in hat and 10 points as 11. Your 0 points averaged out is still 1 chance. Since you applied as a group it's still one chance. Now depending on the tag you applied for, there may only be one tag. If that's the case, you are wasting your time and money.

 

[Sled]

For those that don't know. Here's the system in Utah:

How bonus and preference points work

Utah's bonus point system has been put in place to increase your chance of drawing a big game permit. Every time you apply for a limited-entry, CWMU or once-in-a-lifetime permit, and you don't draw one, you receive a bonus point for that species.

wildlife.utah.gov

 

[ddavis_1313]

Yes, but highly unlikely. Think of 0 points as 1 chance in hat and 10 points as 11. Your 0 points averaged out is still 1 chance. Since you applied as a group it's still one chance. Now depending on the tag you applied for, there may only be one tag. If that's the case, you are wasting your time and money.

I have not put in at all. I have no idea what units are draw and what aren’t. I have some work to do looking up draw odds on units. If I miss out I guess I’ll go pound it out on Colorado OTC with the rest of the crowds…. Womp womp


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sled]

I have not put in at all. I have no idea what units are draw and what aren’t. I have some work to do looking up draw odds on units. If I miss out I guess I’ll go pound it out on Colorado OTC with the rest of the crowds…. Womp womp


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We used to call the Utah general elk tags OTC. They sell out quick enough while they are technically OTC they move in that first day. Maybe look at setting up an online account and buying a couple of those if you want to hunt Utah particular. If not, I hear Colorado's nice that time of year.

 

[Mojave]

I am probably 5 years from hunting it, I think I said above I have 5-6 points for most species and 1-2 poitns for female species.

I live in Europe and will for the next 18-30 months, I am supposed to go back to New Mexico when I leave here.

I don't want New Mexico as an option, because of crime, drugs, border, but the hunting is ok if you can draw a tag.

I do not have an interest in moving to Utah at all, but my work may take me there for a few years if I get "unlucky". Utah is 100% nicer than New Mexico, but it has thrice the population.

I know I am not realistically banking points in Utah. I might have higher odds than the guy that has 1 point, but as a non-resident I know that number is a joke.

What they should do is get rid of the preference draw and give 30% of the tags totally random. Then do 70% of the tags with points as a bonus points lottery. But I don't live there and they don't care what I think.

What I do like is that you only get the one tag if you draw a premium tag. So that decreases competition. I wish more states would do that model. Even if only for non-residents. Most non-residents don't need more than one non-resident tag. Especially if they live more than a state away.

It is a hard state to schedule around, as you are applying now and who the hell has that much vacation time to have more than 3 or 4 tags? Even if you live in the west.

So you draw an ok tag, have your Wyoming tag or a landowner voucher and then the wife is pissed because you are burning Christmas vacation kid time on 3 tags. Happened to me many times. Kind of went in the weeds there.

Still not sure how I feel.

 

[realunlucky]

What they should do is get rid of the preference draw and give 30% of the tags totally random. Then do 70% of the tags with points as a bonus points lottery. But I don't live there and they don't care what I think.

Only the general deer and anterless tags are issued by preference.

Limited entry tags have bonus points. 50% of these tags are reserved for those with the most points and the other half of the tags go in a random draw.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[ddavis_1313]

We used to call the Utah general elk tags OTC. They sell out quick enough while they are technically OTC they move in that first day. Maybe look at setting up an online account and buying a couple of those if you want to hunt Utah particular. If not, I hear Colorado's nice that time of year.

I’ve hunted CO every year for 7 years. Mostly private. I know of some areas where elk are almost every year on public but ya gotta have horses to get to them. And you better get on them first few days before they are pushed onto private. No bueno for this guy. Packing an elk 4+ miles isn’t something I’d choose to do just for meat and risking massive spoilage.

I though general tags in Utah were unlimited


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[realunlucky]

I’ve hunted CO every year for 7 years. Mostly private. I know of some areas where elk are almost every year on public but ya gotta have horses to get to them. And you better get on them first few days before they are pushed onto private. No bueno for this guy. Packing an elk 4+ miles isn’t something I’d choose to do just for meat and risking massive spoilage.

I though general tags in Utah were unlimited


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Archery tags are unlimited but the vast majority of units restrict you to spike or cow.

Rifle tags are on a quota system - any bull and spike only. Both reach thier quota and sell out in a few days. Again the vast majority of utah is spike only units

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[CorbLand]

I’ve hunted CO every year for 7 years. Mostly private. I know of some areas where elk are almost every year on public but ya gotta have horses to get to them. And you better get on them first few days before they are pushed onto private. No bueno for this guy. Packing an elk 4+ miles isn’t something I’d choose to do just for meat and risking massive spoilage.

I though general tags in Utah were unlimited


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

General archery elk is, not sure if they are for nonresidents.

 

[Sled]

I’ve hunted CO every year for 7 years. Mostly private. I know of some areas where elk are almost every year on public but ya gotta have horses to get to them. And you better get on them first few days before they are pushed onto private. No bueno for this guy. Packing an elk 4+ miles isn’t something I’d choose to do just for meat and risking massive spoilage.

I though general tags in Utah were unlimited


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

first come first served. all but archery have limits

 

[nm_nomad]

Will Utah results be coming out earlier than last yr? I received my email last yr on May 25th, however I thought I saw something about May 16th this year?

 

[CorbLand]

Will Utah results be coming out earlier than last yr? I received my email last yr on May 25th, however I thought I saw something about May 16th this year?

DWR webpage states they will be out by May16.

Cards will probably start getting hit around a week before that.