I hope you have better luck than we did. Last year my son drew the tag and was never allowed to hunt at all. They only took one elk off the whole place last year (or so they told me). I am still very upset with the game dept because they refuse to return my sons 5 elk points they stole from him. I can understand if he hunted and didn't get anything at all or missed a shot because that is hunting and how it should be, but to draw the tag and see him get all excited and then never be given the opportunity to hunt at all is unacceptable for me. We were assigned the Martinez ranch and when I called them they said the elk this year were on the other side of the Hanford range on the back side of Rattlesnake. I called them quite a few times over the 6 or so month season and everytime they said they would call when they were on the ranch and we never did get a call. I do not hold the Martinez ranch or the lady that runs the silver dollar ranch hunting landowners in contempt. They were nice and very easy to work with. But if the game dept is going to offer such a hunt and then not allow you to hunt at all is unacceptable to me. If you do get a call it will be for the next day or so and if you cant make it for whatever reason you probably will not be called again. this I was told by many of the people that had it in the past. The only reason they give these permits is in agreement set up with the game dept so they can have their landowner tags that they sell for a very high price (around $5000.00 or so). They would love to call you and find out you cant come and then they have met their responsibility to the WDFG to get their tags. the lady that runs the program (i think her name is Linda) will work with you and try to get you a hunt but when they call you better come quick! Good luck to you but the whole thing left me a bad taste in my mouth and a very sad 13 year old boy that was very excited to get drawn. On top of that he blew all of his youth elk points for a hunt that never happened and now will probably not get another decent shot at a youth hunt before he turns 16.
