Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: sterlryu on February 25, 2020, 07:36:16 PM

Title: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: sterlryu on February 25, 2020, 07:36:16 PM: Hi everyone, not that I'm likely to draw one in the next decade, but what's the difference between a quality hunt tag and a bull elk tag?

Do quality hunt tags let you hunt areas before or after the general season? And bull elk tags let you hunt in areas during the general season that are antlerless only or closed for hunting?

Thank you in advance.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: Caseknife on February 25, 2020, 07:44:10 PM: Read through the regs, quality hunts are for a short time during the peak of the rut and the regular bull hunts are during the general season but usually start a few days prior.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: Stein on February 25, 2020, 07:51:28 PM: Quality tags are more sought after for some reason, aka more of a "quality" experience. That could be timing, amount of other seasons open at the same time, area, etc.

Bull tags can be quite good, but the experience will generally be lesser due to more crowds, less sought after areas, coincidence with other seasons, etc.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: dreamunelk on February 25, 2020, 07:55:26 PM: When looking at the permits look for season overlap. Sometimes deer overlaps with the season. Thus you will see a lot of deer hunters. Or it is not a unit where you will find a lot of large bulls. Do your homework there are a few bull tags that have a good change of getting a toad if you are willing to work for it. Only put in for areas you have scouted as they are not all the same.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: Old Man Yager on February 25, 2020, 08:14:35 PM: Another thing for you, you might get a better opportunity with a quality or bull elk tag, BUT do not expect it to be a slam dunk, one day hunt where you get out of the truck and shoot a record book bull. It happens sometimes, but Nothing will give you a better chance than making sure you research the areas you are applying for( might be a walk in only area, or big country that takes a lot of effort to get a bull out of)and spend as much time as you can scouting.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: sterlryu on February 26, 2020, 10:19:56 AM: Thank you everyone, this helps a lot as I'm just starting to do research on what to put in for the coming autumn.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: HikerHunter on February 26, 2020, 10:36:59 AM: Biggest difference is price.

Only halfway kidding...
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: Crunchy on February 26, 2020, 10:38:10 AM: Im at 17 or 18 points for bull elk. Put in for a permit for the first time last year and didn't get drawn. I want to burn the points and call it good for bull elk. Not as many hunts offered interest me.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: Pathfinder101 on February 26, 2020, 11:40:30 AM: It constantly occurs to me that if I had back all of the money that I have spent not being drawn here in WA... I could pay for a guided hunt someplace... :P
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: jackelope on February 26, 2020, 12:50:40 PM: Quote from: Caseknife on February 25, 2020, 07:44:10 PM
Read through the regs, quality hunts are for a short time during the peak of the rut and the regular bull hunts are during the general season but usually start a few days prior.

This isn't entirely accurate. It's a timing thing or a herd quality thing or a trophy potential thing. There are quality permits in late October with a rifle. That's well past the rut. I always attribute it to the trophy potential a unit has, but that's not always the case. I.E. the Blues bull permits are 95% quality permits, mostly because there are some huge bulls. There's a Mission quality rifle permit that runs from 9/21-9/29. There's a Mission bull permit that runs concurrent with the general rifle season. Good bulls, but the bull category hunt isn't the same quality experience when you're sharing it with all your true spike hunting buddies.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: huntnnw on February 26, 2020, 12:56:06 PM: Complete BS! All bull elk tags need to be in 1 category. All about a money grab. They have made it harder to draw a bull tag over a quality, good job wdfw
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: bobcat on February 26, 2020, 01:00:00 PM: Quote from: huntnnw on February 26, 2020, 12:56:06 PM
Complete BS! All bull elk tags need to be in 1 category. All about a money grab. They have made it harder to draw a bull tag over a quality, good job wdfw

Exactly.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: Stein on February 26, 2020, 02:17:30 PM: I wouldn't be surprised if they divided it up even further, east and west. At some point, you are collecting points instead of collecting tags. For anyone looking at getting into the system, the best advice is to take your money, put it in an envelope and buy a tag elsewhere when you have saved enough. That's arguably the best advice for people like me who have points but are likely to never draw.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: huntnnw on February 26, 2020, 03:31:28 PM: But with that mindset I would have never drawn moose, spring bear , quality deer and 2 quality elk tags in WA. I play allot of other states than just here. More apps in better chance at a tag and here is the cheapest as I am a resident
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: Stein on February 26, 2020, 04:04:17 PM: Things are much different now compared to when you drew your first quality tag. Tag numbers are down incredible and the number of points in the draw has gone the other direction.

With 20 points, I didn't see any quality tags that had odds over 6%, many that are mentioned here are in the 1-3% range, again with 20 points.

At least with Powerball, the odds don't get worse every year.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: WSU on February 26, 2020, 04:09:31 PM: I just plan my general hunt and then put in for tags. I certainly don't count on drawing. But everyone few years someone in my family draws something and we have a fun hunt. It's a nice bonus and works great if you don't count on drawing.
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: huntnnw on February 26, 2020, 05:07:37 PM: Drew quality deer last year. Elk 2 and 4 years ago . Moose well it’s moose with horrendous odds
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: 1Guy on February 26, 2020, 09:58:52 PM: With the extremely low deer and Elk numbers there almost isn't any quality tags anymore :twocents:
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: Bango skank on February 26, 2020, 10:24:52 PM: Quote from: 1Guy on February 26, 2020, 09:58:52 PM
With the extremely low deer and Elk numbers there almost isn't any quality tags anymore :twocents:

Quality bear tags :dunno: and theyre otc
Title: Re: Basic question about quality hunt tag vs bull elk tag
Post by: huntnnw on February 27, 2020, 01:01:48 AM: I’d still take a quality elk tag in the blues over a general tag