Special Permits

[MLHSN]

This year will be my first year hunting.  Quite a few people have suggesting entering for a special permit.  Being a newbie,  I thought I might apply for a doe tag.  I thought it might raise my chances of harvesting a deer and get me a little experience.

If I figure this right, to enter a special permit for a doe tag up the Entiat, last years regs have 385 apps with 4 average points, and 40 permits available.  So if the average 4 points are squared = 16 and multiplied by 385 = 6160 and divided by 40, the number of permits available = a 1 in 154 chance I'll get a tag.

That's $7 for a 1 in 154 chance of a DOE tag.  The odds only goes up from there for other tags.  If I want to apply for multiple tags or quality tags the price goes way up for an even slimmer chance of being drawn.

Question is:  why bother?  It seems rather prohibitive to entry level hunters.  Even if I entered for 5 years I would still have a 1 in 10 chance of drawing a doe tag.

I think I might direct my resources towards trying to learn as much as I can for the regular season hunts.

[kentrek]

its $7 

i just paid $4 for a cup of hot coco..

[MLHSN]

its $7 

i just paid $4 for a cup of hot coco..

Ya, times that by 6 years it takes to be drawn = $42 and that's just for one category is my point.  Multiply that by a few species, or even a few categories, and you have hundreds of dollars for a slim chance of getting drawn on anything.

[BowForElk]

Hunt archery and shoot does in any deer units at no additional cost.   

[MLHSN]

Hunt archery and shoot does in any deer units at no additional cost.   

This is one thing I'm seriously considering right now trying to decide.  I spend a lot of time in the backcountry and love to explore lakes with no trails.  I really wanted to do some backcountry hunting.  My original plan was to do the early Archery elk hunt and the high buck hunt with rifle.  I'm really considering going both elk and deer for archery.  I noticed a number of units allow antlerless.  I run into does up close on a regular basis up the Entiat and I've run into a number in the Napeequa in early September.  I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to try and just get a doe this year in areas I have seen them up close or try to shoot something bigger with a rifle. 

[GoPlayOutside]

Your first sentence sums it up.....this is your first season hunting!  If you get bit by the hunting bug, you will wish in 3-10 years that you would have started building your points as soon as possible.

My suggestion, pay the money now...you wont regret missing $7 years down the rode.

When the bug bites you...you will laugh at $7.  You will have binders that are categorized per Species, and per State, and per weapon.
The special permit game gets to be a "hobby".

[kentrek]

its $7 

i just paid $4 for a cup of hot coco..

Ya, times that by 6 years it takes to be drawn = $42 and that's just for one category is my point.  Multiply that by a few species, or even a few categories, and you have hundreds of dollars for a slim chance of getting drawn on anything.

thats about 2 pennies a day you need to put in your piggy bank 

[Bob33]

For a doe I agree with you. For a quality buck, it is tough to do without a special permit which will probably take ten plus years to draw for the best ones.

 Of course if you do not apply your odds are 0.

[MLHSN]

Just to make sure I understand.  I don't have to pay 7 buck for every entry right?  Just the 7 for each category?  It is also like 13-14 for quality hunts and certain species like mountain goat/sheep?

[Bob33]

Just to make sure I understand.  I don't have to pay 7 buck for every entry right?  Just the 7 for each category?  It is also like 13-14 for quality hunts and certain species like mountain goat/sheep?

Per category: Quality Deer, Buck Deer, Antlerless Deer, etc. Each category is separate.

[bobcat]

If you want to draw a doe permit, there are easier ones to draw, which you could very likely draw every year, or at the worst every other year. You just have to look at the units that are nearly 100% private land.

[MLHSN]

If you want to draw a doe permit, there are easier ones to draw, which you could very likely draw every year, or at the worst every other year. You just have to look at the units that are nearly 100% private land.

That's interesting.  But I wouldn't know how to find hunting access on private lands in other areas.  Sure, around the Wenatchee area I know people all over the valley but I wouldn't know where to start trying to find a spot in a county where I don't know anyone.

[bobcat]

Look for the doe permits that are not during the general buck season. There are some in November. It's usually not that difficult to find farmers willing to let you kill a doe. There is also quite a bit of private land posted with the WDFW's "Feel Free to Hunt" signs, or "Register to Hunt."

Many of the doe hunts have recently been moved to the "2nd deer" category so you'll want to look at those hunts as well. There's an advantage to drawing a permit from that category, in that you can use your regular deer tag for a buck, and you'll have the second tag for your doe hunt. The downside is the tag will cost an extra $70. But it might be a good way for you to get additional hunting experience in a short time.

[MLHSN]

Look for the doe permits that are not during the general buck season. There are some in November. It's usually not that difficult to find farmers willing to let you kill a doe. There is also quite a bit of private land posted with the WDFW's "Feel Free to Hunt" signs, or "Register to Hunt."

Many of the doe hunts have recently been moved to the "2nd deer" category so you'll want to look at those hunts as well. There's an advantage to drawing a permit from that category, in that you can use your regular deer tag for a buck, and you'll have the second tag for your doe hunt. The downside is the tag will cost an extra $70. But it might be a good way for you to get additional hunting experience in a short time.

Sounds like good advice.  I'll check into some of the areas with higher draw rates in the "2nd deer" option.  I think I automatically counted out places I'm not familiar with.  I figured I would be better off hunting areas I have been all over.  I never really thought to look at units with second tags and then maybe do some more research on them. 

[coachcw]

You may have picked the wrong sport / hobby if your worried abot a few bucks for permits , one stop at 7-11 on your way out of town covers the permit apps.