What's it like getting a special permit tag for the first time?

[fremont]

I'm getting enough preference points on different hunts that I'm starting to get hopeful about getting drawn before taking a long dirt nap.....  

I'm curious what folks' experience was like after drawing that first tag?  Was it what you expected?  Did passerby'ers give you the stink-eye as you unloaded your rifle from your rig?  As many or more shooter-quality animal opportunities as you'd hoped for?

[NWBREW]

The first time I got drawn was for a cow tag. I killed a big old fat cow elk and loved every minute of it. As for getting the stink-eye from passerbys........I don't know, didn't really pay to much attention to that.

[bowhunterforever]

Thats a good question. I have never drew a good tag either, hopefully with 7 points i do this year. The only tags i have drawn were for fall turkey and second deer tag so far.

[ICEMAN]

What do you mean by;

 

...  Did passerby'ers give you the stink-eye as you unloaded your rifle from your rig? 

[carpsniperg2]

its cool, but i have never drawn anything but elk and deer permits if i drew a oil i would probably cry

[rasbo]

when you hear a YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAW you will know I drew a moose tag..Im gonna draw this yr with 3 points

[carpsniperg2]

i got the edge on you with 4

[wastickslinger]

What do you mean by;

 

...  Did passerby'ers give you the stink-eye as you unloaded your rifle from your rig? 

I think he means having a late hunts or limited tag hunts and it might be odd to see someone hitting the hills with a gun in hand. Kinda like neaner neaner I have a gun and you have a camera. 

[Ridgerunner]

I about went into shock when I saw selected next to my name for moose.  The rest of the day was shot.  Pretty awesome feeling for sure.

[fremont]

What do you mean by;

 

...  Did passerby'ers give you the stink-eye as you unloaded your rifle from your rig? 

I think he means having a late hunts or limited tag hunts and it might be odd to see someone hitting the hills with a gun in hand. Kinda like neaner neaner I have a gun and you have a camera. 

+1 Most folks driving by probably don't even know that it's permit hunting season.

[hunterofelk]

I got my first elk permit for Peaches ridge right after the rules went to spike only so there weren't as many branch antlered bulls as there were in later years.  I was pretty happy though, being one of the few out hunting, seeing herds of elk out in the open.  When I found out I drew the tag I had visions of finally getting that trophy bull, but it is still hunting and I couldn't find a big, mature bull so I shot a spike.  Once you draw make sure you put in for vacation right away and keep reminding your supervisor and spouse that your going to be away so no one screws up the schedule.

[brew]

no joke...i got drawn in 06 for a moose tag in 49 degrees north with only 2 (yes two) preference points.  my hunting buddy called me at work to say the results of the draw were up and he was online and wanted to get my wild ID # so he could check if I got anything.  I gave him my number and after a couple seconds he started cussing like a mad man.  it took a couple minutes for me to realize what he was so upset about.  I didn't get a lick of work done after that call...just called everyone I knew to let them know the good news!  Pretty sure I had a few adult beverages that nite and was on cloud nine that entire summer. We spent 3 days before the season scouting on endouro motorbikes out of Chewelah and had a blast seeing lots of turkeys and a few moose.  First day of the season we saw 5 different bulls and two cows and shot one about 6 pm that went 42 1/2". Great thing was all 6 of us were with me when I shot it so all I had to do afterwards was drink Crown and call everyone on the cell phone while they quartered and loaded it. Got the european mount in my "man cave"....he was totally in rut and had a couple broken ribs and a big gash down his nose from fighting.  way cool

[GoldTip]

Last year when I drew the Selkirks any Moose tag, I called everyone I knew.  Documented my hunt on this site was great my best hunting buddy was right next to me and Boneaddict from this site had been stopping in camp, and was calling for me that night.  Was just simply one of my best hunting experiences.  Hope all you guys get a chance to experience it.

[carpsniperg2]

pretty sweet deal

[bowhunterforever]

no joke...i got drawn in 06 for a moose tag in 49 degrees north with only 2 (yes two) preference points.  my hunting buddy called me at work to say the results of the draw were up and he was online and wanted to get my wild ID # so he could check if I got anything.  I gave him my number and after a couple seconds he started cussing like a mad man.  it took a couple minutes for me to realize what he was so upset about.  I didn't get a lick of work done after that call...just called everyone I knew to let them know the good news!  Pretty sure I had a few adult beverages that nite and was on cloud nine that entire summer. We spent 3 days before the season scouting on endouro motorbikes out of Chewelah and had a blast seeing lots of turkeys and a few moose.  First day of the season we saw 5 different bulls and two cows and shot one about 6 pm that went 42 1/2". Great thing was all 6 of us were with me when I shot it so all I had to do afterwards was drink Crown and call everyone on the cell phone while they quartered and loaded it. Got the european mount in my "man cave"....he was totally in rut and had a couple broken ribs and a big gash down his nose from fighting.  way cool

Thats awsome brew Any pics of your moose?

[SI Eagle]

Wouldn't know. 14 pts for Elk, Deer, Moose, Sheep and Goat. I can tell you what disappointment feels like. 

[Woodchuck]

The big issue is that with that many points, when you do pull that tag you have always wanted is the pressure to fill it 

[SI Eagle]

I would like to have that worry!

[dreamingbig]

I would love to have the pressure!  Bring it on!!!

[littlemac]

The first time I got drawn was for a cow tag. I killed a big old fat cow elk and loved every minute of it. As for getting the stink-eye from passerbys........I don't know, didn't really pay to much attention to that.

My first application was for antlerless elk in 328 during the last cross over season between deer and elk.

I got a 2 point mule deer and an antlerless bull that year.  The elk I took on the last of the three days in the afternoon.  Not much stink eye then, no one else was around since it was the end of deer season and general elk season hadn't opened yet.

The old timers then told me I wouldn't get another elk.  Well, they may have been right in Washington, that was '95 and was/is my only Washington elk.  Most of my serious elk hunting I do is in New Mexico where I have gone five for five on my trips down there.

[elk311]

Got my one and only bull elk permit in 1992. Blue Mountains Peola "A". I think that there were 2 or 3 permits that year. First time applying, first time elk hunting and after 9 days of hunting I got my 6x6 bull !

With 7 points and counting I'm still waiting for my next bull permit, 18 years later ! 

[bobcat]

I drew a late buck permit for Teanaway in 1992. I hunted one day, it was too foggy and so I didn't see many deer, gave up and went pheasant hunting for the rest of the week instead.   

Special permits just weren't that big of a deal back then.

[brew]

here are a couple pics (hopefully) of my 06 moose from 49 degrees north drawn with 2 preference points.  first pic is a small bull we saw a couple evenings before the opener.  the second is me messing with him.  we saw 4 bulls and 2 cows opening morning but it was so thick i couldn't get a shot.  that evening we were heading over to the area we saw the small bull when we ran into this guy.  hindsight i should have shot him with my bow as he was only 40 yards but the .338 did the trick. momma is happy.  it took 4 of us to put him on his back to go to work.

[brew]

funny ender to the story was one of the guys with us that trip had to go back home that day due to a previous engagement.  that night he was talking to another buddy of his at home who knew someone else who had got drawn in the same area.  he told him about the encounter with the small bull, the road we saw it on and the exact mile marker on the road.  that info got relayed to the hunter and a few days later the hunter was rolling up the road at the spot and saw some cars parked along side the road.  the hunter got out to see what was going on and some people were taking pics of a bull moose in the creek alongside the road.  you know the rest of the story...the camera operators got a ringside seat to a moose harvest.

[bowhunterforever]

Nice bull brew Hope i draw this year.

[billythekidrock]

I'm curious what folks' experience was like after drawing that first tag?  Was it what you expected? 

It was like hot apple pie!

[boneaddict]

with a touch of cream.......

Its unreal for awhile.  Takes awhile to set in.

WDFW (outdoor central)tried to ruin it with their draws and re-draws, but when you have the slip in your hand....

[Skyvalhunter]

It was like hot apple pie!

covered with ice cream!!

[julzzz]

I drew my first permit in 09 for Margeret bull and was very excited, went up opening day and found out the gates had been open 2 weeks before so most other permit holders were sitting on their bulls. Not to mention the amount of people coming in from winston creek (just wanting to see elk) thats what they said.  Saw about 30 vehicles a day in there, only 18 permits were given out, lots of lookers. Hang in there I waited 11 years, did get a decent 5x the wait was worth it.  I passed up more than 30 respectable bulls before i shot mine.

[Ridgerunner]

Moose hunts are AWESOME!!!!!  Much better than apple pie with ice cream.

[rb2506]

I drew a late buck permit for Teanaway in 1992. I hunted one day, it was too foggy and so I didn't see many deer, gave up and went pheasant hunting for the rest of the week instead.   

Special permits just weren't that big of a deal back then.

does that piss you off a little for not trying a little harder?

[CastleRocker]

Hope to find out someday before I'm too old.  I have a point in each category.  Just started putting in last year.

[bobcat]

I drew a late buck permit for Teanaway in 1992. I hunted one day, it was too foggy and so I didn't see many deer, gave up and went pheasant hunting for the rest of the week instead.  

Special permits just weren't that big of a deal back then.

does that piss you off a little for not trying a little harder?

Yeah, just a little.    I just didn't realize how good a hunt that could have been. And I was just getting serious about big game. I had always been more into bird hunting, and I had a new dog, and thought I should take her pheasant hunting instead.

I don't know what I was thinking

[rb2506]

doh

[Curly]

That was pre-internet, so it was harder to get good information on a permit or even general season.  The internet is a curse and a blessing......

[NWBREW]

I just want to know what it's like to get one a second time.  

[NRA4LIFE]

I have no idea......

[MtnMuley]

A little sad in a way, as you have to start all over again.

[jager]

Well.... over the years I have been drawn for cougar, and a Cheney elk tag when it was permit only....connected on the cat but no elk.
Those were pretty exciting to get....until.... a couple years ago when I got drawn for sheep here in Washington.
Freakin' awesome! The anticipation was almost unbearable..... easily the most fun I've ever had on a hunt....oh, and I got one.   

[bobcat]

Yeah, I can see it in your avatar. What unit? Looks like you got a good one.

[jager]

I guess I'm cool to say now that the permit deadline has passed.... 

Cleman A.

I posted a huuuge story on this site about the hunt!
Here's a bigger pic.

Man, I love lookin' at those pics!

[GoldTip]

I guess I'm cool to say now that the permit deadline has passed.... 

Cleman A.

I posted a huuuge story on this site about the hunt!
Here's a bigger pic.

Man, I love lookin' at those pics!

I remember that story and the pics.  Great animal right there, congrats.

[carpsniperg2]

yeah what a sweet sheep! thats always my number 1 choice right there

[billythekidrock]

I'm curious what folks' experience was like after drawing that first tag?  Was it what you expected? 

Honestly, I guess it depends on what you draw.

I have drawn a few doe permits and they are really no big deal.

The first time I drew a big bull permit I was pretty stoked. The second and third bull permits were not as exciting even though they were the same unit as the first.

Cow elk permits are not exciting to draw either.

First spring bear tag was exciting. The second and third spring bear tags were not so exciting. Fourth spring bear tag was a hassle.

[FWilliams]

I have no idea......

i just laughed out loud.......sorry

[rasbo]

well for me it was ahh,like the first time I......

[carpsniperg2]

you left it open so i get to fill it in.

the first time you sliped into a freshly made soft warm mole skin thong

[rb2506]

last year I got to hunt the rut in the desert with a buddy, 1 of 4 tag it was good but I think we missed the rut by a weak

[banannaclip]

well i ran around ya-hoo in for a good hour,then i scouted  my area ,then  opening day came, then ka-booom  4minutes 35 seconds into the hunt 6x7 collared bull  ,faster than losing my virginity