Youth any elk tag for silver dollar ranch Drawn

[crazyantler]

My 12 year old son drew this tag. Now the anticipation begins for the hunt. I’ve drawn tags before and in return helped many hunt wa members with info for their special tags. Anyone willing to share their son or daughters experience with the silver dollar ranch tag or information would be appreciated! 
Thanks

[wheels]

drew the disabled last year or before didnt get the call

[dvolmer]

i don't want to sound negative but,,,,, If I was you I wouldn't say to much to your son until you get the actual call! My son drew it a few years ago and never got a call to hunt at all.  He was so excited with the draw and then when he didn't get the opportunity to hunt it became a big let down.  Really frustrating for me the father.  I contacted the game dept and asked for them to re-issue his points and they said "no way".  Really made me mad.  I understand that hunting is hunting, but drawing the tag and not ever being able to hunt at all is a scam if you ask me.  If he hunted and wasn't successful it would have been ok.  I have just heard a lot of youth get this tag and not be able to hunt.  I do also know that a few do get to hunt and they have had some amazing experiences.  I hope your son has a better experience than mine.  Or I should say, I hope your son has an experience at all!!

Also, Be ready for them to call you on an afternoon or evening and want you there in the morning.  If you live out of the area, to bad!  It might be on a weekend or weekday. I sure hope you don't live on the west side, if so you will have to drive all night to be there on time. If they call you once, they feel they have met their responsibility and they will NOT call you again.  Remember, they give these tags out so they can get bull tags from the state to sell to big money paying clients.  Silver Dollar ranch also is a group of ranches and you will be assigned a certain ranch (we were assigned the Martinez ranch).  That ranch and only that ranch will be the one who contacts you to hunt.  Some of the ranches go out of the way to get the kids hunting.  Other ranches love it when they call at the most out of the ordinary times and you cant make it.  I know four or five people that have drawn this tag in the past.  All but one got to actually hunt.  My son never got a call at all.

[Gringo31]

Had a wonderful experience there last year.  Step Daughter got her first elk (cow).  The any elk permit holder was with us and it was made clear to him "the kid shoots first".  She dumped her cow and the bull tag holder shot a decent 6pt.  It was a great shot and further out than hers was.

Don't be negative,   It is what it is!  Today, you have an opportunity.  Put it this way, I reapplied for the same tag for my kids.

Good Luck!

[Karl Blanchard]

What landowner gringo?

[Gringo31]

Blackrock

[B4noon]

My son drew the tag last year and with all the talk I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly suprised.  We were assigned the martinez ranch and the experience was nothing but first class I cant say enough about the hunt master and the land owner and how committed and excited they are to make this a success for the kids,  I know they get the tags in exchange to sell but I was told by the hunt master he wanted to try and get the kids tagged out before any other hunting happened.  I received a call about a month in advance explaining the details of the hunt and then received a 2nd call about a week before the hunt that set up a date to hunt as long as the elk cooperated.  The day before the set time I got another call saying it was on and where to meet and what time.  During the hunt he really focused on my son and let him be involved and gave us different options for us to make the hunt our own it wasn't a drive out to a field here's your elk shoot and get out of here situation he took a substantial amount of time with us glassing and finding elk and then putting on a stalk and even helped with the pack out top notch can say nothing bad about the experience or the individuals involved.  I will say that there are factors out of their control the fires the last couple years really played a role in elk behavior at hunt time.   My son was able to harvest a nice 6pt bull and the experience was priceless.  Enjoy the time and experience with your son I hope yours goes as well as our did.  Good Luck let us know how it goes.

[trophyhunt]

Good to hear!  you guys have any pics of success? 

[B4noon]

2017 silver dollar

[bigfish51]

My son drew the tag back in 2014.  He hunted the Robert's ranch.  We had a great experience and the landowner representative was good to work with.  My experience with the game department on this hunt over the years has been a positive one.  I talk to the biologist in our local office who is in charge of keeping tabs on the Hanford herd and he has always been helpful with information.  Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

[Karl Blanchard]

Roberts are great people!  Awesome bulls guys!

[Gringo31]

Looks to me like some youth tag holders are getting the opportunity at great bulls.


Congrats and thx to WDFW and these private land holders.