OYOA Whiteboard 2012

[Big Fin]

Been getting a lot of requests for this thread, so I figured I would show what it looks like right now, having already done the AK moose/caribou, AZ elk/antelope, and WY elk apps.

We need ten episode, which usually means I better book 11 to 12 hunts, knowing something will go snarewire on a couple of them.

So much will depend on schedules. Got lots of OTC options, so I think I will be able to fill the gaps.

Already counting on AZ and WY elk, given the points we have with the group I applied with. Barring some change to drawing odds from last year, I am hoping for those two.

Add MT elk and deer to CO elk (Over the counter) and CO deer, and we are sitting pretty good. Gonna do a bear hunt in ID or MT this spring and use that towards next year.

AK moose will be the big one. If we draw, we will get two episodes. Last year, our third choice was 100%, so I hope we can pull that off. If we don't draw, I am researching where we will do a general tag moose hunt.

I really like archery hunting mule deer. All my mule deer apps will be archery this year. If I don't draw a limited tag in NV/NM/ID, I plan to do an ID general archery tag.

I always want to do Coues deer. I hope to do it as an October leftover tag this year. If I draw some amazing tag that conflicts, obviously I have to do the limited draw tag, given the October Coues can be had over the counter most any year.

Hope to do another wolf episode this year, also. Need to do some antelope, for my own personal pleasures, so have to figure out where I will fit one of those.

Every year when we do this, the whiteboard looks a whole lot different in July than it did in January.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

looks like your gonna be missin on some antelope?hope you pull some loper tags.

 

[pseshooter300]

Looks like a busy year

 

[pointingdogsrule]

You should be able to draw an Iowa whitetail tag. I believe your stated hat you had 2-3 points.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[T Bone]

Have you given up on the Idaho big 3?

 

[Big Fin]

Have you given up on the Idaho big 3?

No, I haven't given up completely. Since we already have AK moose on the docket, I am thinking that will take one of the Big 3. So, going to try some long shot elk odds and archery mule deer odds in ID.

If I read the regs correctly, even though I drew a limited rifle deer tag last year, I can still apply for a limited archery mule deer tag this year. If not, I might change my plan in ID and go with sheep, as long of a shot as that might be.

You should be able to draw an Iowa whitetail tag. I believe your stated hat you had 2-3 points.

I do have that many points, and I could draw. That draw is later in the spring, actually in May. I will see how we are sitting for hunts at that time. If we have an opening in early December, it might get filled with IA shotgun. Right now, our second choice AZ elk is a guarantee and would have us in AZ at that same time, unless we draw our first choice, which would have us there in October.

Not sure where in the schedule I will fit my MT sheep tag.

 

[1_pointer]

Good luck! I want to have a board like that for me someday. Congrats on turning an avocation into a vocation!

 

[dustinf]

I'll be spending a couple weeks in Idaho for general tag Mule deer archery hunt.

Unless, I get lucky in the Nevada Mule deer draw. Then, it'll be a week in Nevada and a week in Idaho.

 

[wyoming556]

No love for the Midwest? Lots of tv sets out here. Would love to see an Oklahoma or Nebraska hunt to contrast Kansas the last two seasons. The Dakotas or Iowa would be cool as well. Might be good to show a inexpensive diy hunt with OTC tags in Nebraska considering the cheap tags. Deer, antelope, and turkey for $500.

Regardless where you pick keep up the good work.

 

[Big Fin]

No love for the Midwest? Lots of tv sets out here. Would love to see an Oklahoma or Nebraska hunt to contrast Kansas the last two seasons. The Dakotas or Iowa would be cool as well. Might be good to show a inexpensive diy hunt with OTC tags in Nebraska considering the cheap tags. Deer, antelope, and turkey for $500.

Regardless where you pick keep up the good work.

Part of that is sponsor-driven; acutally quite a bit of it. When sponsors decide on a show, they do so with the idea to try reach a certain market segment. They buy into show in the midwest, shows filmed in Africa, Alaska shows, western shows, all with the notion they will get coverage to certain audiences.

With us, the primary focus is western hunting. That is what they ask us to deliver for both their western customers and their eastern and Midwestern customers who want to some day come and hunt out west.

They do not restrict us from going to the Mid-west. They do not restrict or require anything. They just expect we will follow the general outline that was discussed when they agreed to sponsor.

When you meet to show them what you did for them in the last year, you don't want to show them a bunch of footage that they already got by being involved in a different show. Then they have allocated marketing budget too heavily in one area, when they really wanted it spread over multiple targets.

We are always told we do a great job of meeting the agreed upon expectations. I am sure they get frustrated when they buy into a show to reach the whitetail hunter, only to see the host really want to shoot an elk in a Reservation, a black bear in Canada, and a sheep in Alaska. All of a suddent, they are short in their whitetail coverage and redundant in their coverage of expensive hunts the whitetail viewer may not relate to due to lack of interest, or lack of money and time.

That, along with our accessible land gig, makes the western states a way better fit. There are 450+ TV shows, with only a handful being western shows. Of those western shows, only OYOA is exclusively self-guided and accessible lands.

Long explanation, but I hope it helps people understand why we hunt where we do and chose to film the hunts we end up filming.

 

[TheTone]

No, I haven't given up completely. Since we already have AK moose on the docket, I am thinking that will take one of the Big 3. So, going to try some long shot elk odds and archery mule deer odds in ID.

If I read the regs correctly, even though I drew a limited rifle deer tag last year, I can still apply for a limited archery mule deer tag this year. If not, I might change my plan in ID and go with sheep, as long of a shot as that might be.

Only if the tag you drew last year was either sex or the one you are applying for this year is either sex. If last years tag was antlered only then you aren't eligible to apply for anterlered only this year regardless of the weapon choice. I know a fun long shot elk tag if you'd like to give it a whirl

 

[6speed]

If you're already going to put in for a tag in ID and have to buy the license anyway why not get an antelope tag to go with them. There are several good places to go within the unlimited archery draw units. I may even be willing to show you around for the price of some of your pronghorn wisdom. I've been watching these critters since I was a kid but could never draw. I started archery hunting last year and got my first chance to actually hunt them last fall. I made it 80 yards from a decent buck but ran out of cover so I just watched as he and his mates huffed at me for a while. Just don't tell anyone, so far we have stayed below the radar and usually don't get mentioned as even having the critters.

 

[huntRme]

Looks like a good year. 2011 was interesting in that there weren't a lot of animals killed. Hopefully 2012 will be different. But, if you ever want to do another "unsuccessful" hunt, just come to Oregon after columbian blacktails (much different from sitka blacktails, which would be a good one to do some time, too). I can almost guarantee you'll go home empty-handed...kind of a guaranteed hunt working against you.

Looking forward to the new season.

 

[krshntr81]

It looks like an exciting up coming year, I can't wait to see the Alaska combo hunt.

 

[huntbux]

Fin, have you drawn a Nevada Pronghorn tag in the last 5 years? Or have you even though about Nevada for Pronghorn? I noticed it wasn't on your board that is why I ask.

 

[2rocky]

So, Randy would you consider an OTC Archery Coues/Desert MD/Javalina tag in AZ in Dec/Jan? There are some unique aspects to that tag that many folks with cabin fever don't know about. Success rate could be low though. Others could comment on this hunt more with actual experience,but it has intrigued me for some time.

 

[mtlion]

So, Randy would you consider an OTC Archery Coues/Desert MD/Javalina tag in AZ in Dec/Jan? There are some unique aspects to that tag that many folks with cabin fever don't know about. Success rate could be low though. Others could comment on this hunt more with actual experience,but it has intrigued me for some time.

I just returned from AZ, my buddy and I both had jav tags and he had the otc archery deer tag. Both jav tags were filled, and filling them was tougher than I expected. The deer tag is currently unfilled but as neither of us had taken a jav we focused on those primarily, and my buddy is working on filling his deer tag as I write this. We did chase a few bucks around when I was there with the best one being a nice 3x4. For an OYOA I would highly recomend the AZ january hunts, it's a slow (and cold!) time of year elsewhere, the weather is nice and some of the country I hunted in would make for some beautiful tv. For an out of stater who wants to hunt something new and different on a shoestring budget the javelina hunts in AZ can't be beat. The area I hunted was 75% public land and I never saw another hunter out on foot!

 

[MNElkNut]

With respect to your comments about staying in the west, if you ever decide to do a Midwestern whitetail hunt that is different than most, think about a northern Minnesota hunt. Loads of public land, big buck potential if you get back off the roads and different than you see in the shows on TV now. Sitting in a woodlot treestand in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, etc is pretty much all the same. Northern Minnesota is not the same. But I hear ya, if the sponsors expect west, there are plennnnny of great shows to be made out west!

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

any update on how your white board is lookin???

 

[Big Fin]

any update on how your white board is lookin???

So far, got AK moose and AZ elk to go with CO OTC elk, MT elk, MT deer. Will try to get it rearranged in a legible format and post a pic next week.