Hard luck tag drawing stories

[quarterhorse]

What's your hard luck story of missing on an easy to get tag?

I was unsuccessful in a deer unit with 120 tags. 122 applicants. Glad it doesn't always happen like that!

 

[Wild Bill]

oooof. Been there.

I attempted to burn 4 Wyoming pronghorn points in 2017. The unit I applied in drew I think 98% at greater than or equal to 4 pts and I didn't draw. The subsequent years included a couple cross country moves, a couple kids, and a bunch of other hunts which lead to strictly building points up to 11 pts. I used those 11 pts to draw a good tag and had a great time with my dad and brother. The caveat is the tag I drew at 11 pts drew in 2018 at 5 pts. So I basically waited 7 years to draw an equal tag, but I paid a bunch more $$ in points to draw it. Gotta love point creep.

That one always sticks out.

I've missed out on a couple easy deer tags too being in the very slim minority <3-5% that didn't draw with the necessary points.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

I had a 99%+ chance of drawing a Montana combo tag 4-5 years back and did not draw.

 

[Mattff200]

I'm a wyoming resident and had a party app for elk last year. My girlfriend was originally going to apply for the party and be the 6th person. She decided to apply on her own and let her what is now former friend their first elk. That tag had 70% actual draw odds. The party application that I creates drew the tag and she didn't draw the tag.

 

[Deez Nutz]

I have 6 points for doe antelope. Didn't know that was even possible putting in for the unit that I do. Most draw in 2 or 3. At this point its a game to see how many bonus points I can get. haha Damn I hope I don't draw this year so I can get another.

 

[NY_BLUES]

I applied in a deer unit in Colorado as a NR, and 16 of 17 NR drew, guess who the 1 person was who didn't draw....

 

[JLDemo]

A number of years ago I put in for a deer tag here in Wyo, something around 90 of 93 applicants drew. I was one of the unlucky bastards.

Meanwhile, researching units this spring and ran across this stat;

 

[Wild Bill]

A number of years ago I put in for a deer tag here in Wyo, something around 90 of 93 applicants drew. I was one of the unlucky bastards.

Meanwhile, researching units this spring and ran across this stat;

View attachment 408309

The ultimate kick in the shorts.

 

[HappyCamper]

We hunt an antelope unit that is historically been a guaranteed draw every year. My wife’s first year applying she was one of 5ish people out of nearly 400 who didn’t draw. She missed out last year as well, although, the odds dipped closer to 70%. Others I know and myself have never failed to draw the unit in that same timespan.

 

[brocksw]

I’ve never in my life drawn a tag I wasn’t statistically supposed to draw. Which I categorize as 70% or better odds. So, if I don’t have at least 70% draw odds, I assume I ain’t drawing the tag…have yet to be proven wrong. But like an idiot I still go into every draw with high hopes and a can do attitude!

 

[belshawelk]

Holding out hope to draw the (1) NR tag available for desert bighorn in CO.

I think its rigged, no way I couldn't draw in 30 years. Got another 30years I hope to keep giving them money

 

[TheGreek]

The local deer unit we hunt in NW Co was a 94% draw rate for zero PP last season for 3rd rifle for residents. Three of us drew it. Our one buddy didn’t. I would’ve been pissed if I was in the losing 6%.

 

[brymoore]

My misses aren’t as extreme.

Son and I missed out on an elk tag with 83% draw odds.

Mountain Goat: 7 apps for 1 tag.

I cleared the bases enough times to ignore my misses.

 

[Zim]

I’ve not drawn a tag in a random system since 2012 = 35 x 15 = 525 lotteries, with twelve in the 1-2% range. But several every year in the 3-30% range. This year includes 4@3%, 4%, 3@5%, 3@7%, 9%, 10%, 12%, 27%. This has been very typical of the previous 15 years. Still not one tag. That’s almost impossible.

I've hunted, but exclusively on preference based systems where they HAD to give me the tag. This year have two remaining realistic chances, Colorado deer & elk. But due to the looming 2028 system changes, who knows how many point savers will emerge? Based on previous records, I should draw both these, but I highly doubt it this year. If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have none at all.

 

[Randy11]

I have 6 points for doe antelope. Didn't know that was even possible putting in for the unit that I do. Most draw in 2 or 3. At this point its a game to see how many bonus points I can get. haha Damn I hope I don't draw this year so I can get another.

Not that it's a competition...

 

[grizzly63]

Hell I'm happy with 1-3 odds. At least there's hope.

 

[grizzly63]

Last year, there were two of us with 22 preference points for an elk tag, the other holder got it. Come on baby, this is my year, I hope!

 

[Nuts]

I dont know zone but my 2 uncles had 20+ points built on a very limited draw hunt. They finally got drawn. They discovered when they arrived to hunt that there limited draw had been 20x. No longer a limited draw. Disappointed to say the least.

 

[Chad Gus]

995 applicants for 990 tags, i was one of the 5
Colorado deer, around 85% drew at my point level, I was one of the 15%

 

[BuzzH]

Couple that come to mind.

One of my buddies, myself and my buddies dad applied for turkey tags 25 issued, 28 put in. My friends Dad and I didn't draw.

Had a 3 year stretch where I didn't draw a 98%+ odds pronghorn tag in Wyoming 2 of those 3 years.