Poll: How many OIL tags have you Drawn in the Last 20 years of Applying

[TexanSam]

I once drew an early archery elk tag in Arizona two years in a row.

 

[Mica Man]

After my sheep hunt in 2019, I had to make the choice of returning to WV to watch my daughter play middle school volleyball or going with @Mica Man on his goat hunt. I returned to WV. I still regret missing out on a hunt for a goat in a unit that is primarily wilderness. I am sure the pack out would have been grueling, but what an experience I missed.

2019 was a great year. I was extatic that you let me tag along on your sheep hunt.

 

[Jdan9]

This goes back a bit farther than 10 years. All as a non resident of any western state.
Some hunts were drawn with preference points.

Montana unit 410 Breaks Rifle Elk tag
Montana unit 313 Gardiner Late Rifle Elk hunt..Jan/Feb Yellowstone migration hunt.
Montana Elk Supertag.
Montana Breaks Bighorn Sheep Tag

AZ Early Rifle Elk tag unit 22
AZ Archery Elk Unit 27
AZ Archery Elk Unit 1
AZ Archery Elk Unit 8
AZ Archery Elk Unit 7W
AZ Archery Elk Unit 5BS
AZ Strip 13B Rifle Deer

Utah Henry Mountain Deer Any Weapon
Utah Early Rifle Elk Indian Peaks, now SW Desert

Colorado Unit 201 Archery Elk
Wyoming Moose

 

[cgasner1]

This goes back a bit farther than 10 years. All as a non resident of any western state.
Some hunts were drawn with preference points.

Montana unit 410 Breaks Rifle Elk tag
Montana unit 313 Gardiner Late Rifle Elk hunt..Jan/Feb Yellowstone migration hunt.
Montana Elk Supertag.
Montana Breaks Bighorn Sheep Tag

AZ Early Rifle Elk tag unit 22
AZ Archery Elk Unit 27
AZ Archery Elk Unit 1
AZ Archery Elk Unit 8
AZ Archery Elk Unit 7W
AZ Archery Elk Unit 5BS
AZ Strip 13B Rifle Deer

Utah Henry Mountain Deer Any Weapon
Utah Early Rifle Elk Indian Peaks, now SW Desert

Colorado Unit 201 Archery Elk
Wyoming Moose

You ever buy powerball tickets?

 

[Drake4]

This goes back a bit farther than 10 years. All as a non resident of any western state.
Some hunts were drawn with preference points.

Montana unit 410 Breaks Rifle Elk tag
Montana unit 313 Gardiner Late Rifle Elk hunt..Jan/Feb Yellowstone migration hunt.
Montana Elk Supertag.
Montana Breaks Bighorn Sheep Tag

AZ Early Rifle Elk tag unit 22
AZ Archery Elk Unit 27
AZ Archery Elk Unit 1
AZ Archery Elk Unit 8
AZ Archery Elk Unit 7W
AZ Archery Elk Unit 5BS
AZ Strip 13B Rifle Deer

Utah Henry Mountain Deer Any Weapon
Utah Early Rifle Elk Indian Peaks, now SW Desert

Colorado Unit 201 Archery Elk
Wyoming Moose

Dang....here's the winner.

 

[Forkyfinder]

This goes back a bit farther than 10 years. All as a non resident of any western state.
Some hunts were drawn with preference points.

Montana unit 410 Breaks Rifle Elk tag
Montana unit 313 Gardiner Late Rifle Elk hunt..Jan/Feb Yellowstone migration hunt.
Montana Elk Supertag.
Montana Breaks Bighorn Sheep Tag

AZ Early Rifle Elk tag unit 22
AZ Archery Elk Unit 27
AZ Archery Elk Unit 1
AZ Archery Elk Unit 8
AZ Archery Elk Unit 7W
AZ Archery Elk Unit 5BS
AZ Strip 13B Rifle Deer

Utah Henry Mountain Deer Any Weapon
Utah Early Rifle Elk Indian Peaks, now SW Desert

Colorado Unit 201 Archery Elk
Wyoming Moose

Okay - how do you calculate odds?

 

[Hem]

No matter the statistics and this and that, I would bet the nearly 50% who havent drawn anything are not boomers.

 

[mtmuley]

I want to kill the big three in the valley I grew up in. My strategy might change. mtmuley

 

[WildWill]

By the criteria put forth I've only drawn 2.

1) 2023 The first was a draw tag in Texas for exotics on Devils River SNA. Not sure of the exact odds put the average is about 6000 applicants for 10 or 12 tags. They do have a squared bonus point but I believe I had 2 or 3 when I drew. Pretty sure that's way below 2%. Saw some axis and killed 3 aoudad was a amazing hunt.


2) 2025 I won a raffle tag (my first ever) for a NV pronghorn tag. Bought 2 tickets of the 300 sold. Had a great time and shot my biggest pronghorn yet.


I've also drawn a Oklahoma pronghorn doe tag in 2017. While I'm pretty sure the odds where much higher then 2% it is a true once in a lifetime tag. If you draw any pronghorn or elk tag either sex or doe in Oklahoma it's your only one harvest or not.

 

[Mule Kick]

2025 MT moose and sheep! The odds of that happening in the same year are basically impossible.. Only had 14 points.
Honorable mention is a 2017 MT deer tag that I think had about 2% odds back then— worse now.

 

[BAKPAKR]

2019 ID sheep:

View attachment 408187

2018 WY moose:

View attachment 408183

If I go back 20 years, I also had:

2013 ID mule deer, late season Hells Canyon (my dad had just been diagnosed with late stage cancer so I put in for deer instead of sheep).

2009 ME moose (my wife was 8 months pregnant)

2008 ID leftover moose (who would have thought?)

2007 NH moose (let my dad shoot a bull as my sub-permittee)

2006 ID sheep - unsuccessful

If I go back 35 years:

1999 ID sheep - unsuccessful

1999 Montana moose

1997 Montana goat

1991 ID moose (solo with a recurve in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness)

 

[2rocky]

The Two that come to mind are:
1)Valle Vidal Bull Elk New Mexico 2015
2) Tule Elk in an Archery hunt that will remain unnamed because IYKYK. 2010

Both hunts came the year after being skunked on a couple really good tags. So my advice is that things even out, and just like gambling, you have to keep feeding the machine and it will pay off eventually.

I've determined though that my planning horizon has become shorter than the likely draw date for many OIL opportunities. I will however support my friends and family in their pursuits and contribute my camp and pack stock where I can be of service.