Outdoors - Hunting and Fishing

POSTED: Tuesday, Apr. 21, 2009

HUNTING NOTEBOOK: 'Tis the permit hunt drawing season

The first of April is a good time to take stock of your pre-season preparations for fall 2009 hunting seasons.

Options for controlled hunt opportunities are dwindling as states such as Wyoming have wrapped up their special permit lottery cycle for the year.

But other states are still halfway through their annual process of awarding 2009 big game limited-entry tags and thus you still have a fair selection from which to choose.

Also don't assume that you still have plenty of time in Washington. The state fish and wildlife department here, which once had one of the latest deadline and drawing schedules for deer and elk permits, has moved up its timetable by a month this year.

In many cases, controlled hunt opportunities, though they may run concurrent with general seasons are distinct from them. Choose carefully as these types of hunts may not be quality or trophy opportunities, but are, in fact, damage or low percentage hunts.

In this day of the detail, would-be hunt applicants are well advised to:

? Get and read the 2009 general hunting regulations and seasons pamphlet for your intended state and big game species.

? Use a worksheet to prepare the specifics for your controlled hunt application.

? Record information such as hunt number choices carefully, errors generally disqualify applications.

? Pay attention to the deadlines for purchasing a special hunt tag, which you may have drawn. Lateness in claiming often means forfeiture.

? Learn about the application procedure. What once could be done on paper, must now be done by phone or online.

Though the process details for each state are far too complex to lay out in this story, here are some key specifics for controlled hunt drawing options in Northwest states.

WYOMING

The Cowboy State is among the earliest of western states to dispense its big game controlled hunt permits for elk, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and moose.

Application periods for various species drawings start Jan. 1 and all close by Mar. 15 with drawings sprinkled from February to through late June.

Even though the big permits are virtually gone, Wyoming still has several special tag opportunities or application periods remaining that are of significance to non-residents.

Controlled hunt preference point purchase applications are accepted starting Wednesday, July 1. Wyoming is also cautioning hunters that the left-over tag drawings may not be held as they are going to a first-come, first served issue-after sales system this year. Full price tags will be offered from July 7-20, thereafter reduced price sales continue.

If you are already locked into a Wyoming fall hunt and want to add a special turkey tag, fall permits and landowner fall turkey drawing applications also are accepted starting July 1.

Wyoming's non-resident online portal is gf.state.wy.us/fiscal/license/draw/2009/index.asp.

OREGON

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife application period for controlled hunt tags for antelope, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, deer and elk is underway with a firm deadline of May 15 for entry. You may, however, submit changes or corrections to your application up to June 1.

You also have the option of claiming or buying the tag for the limited entry hunt for which you were drawn up to the day before the hunt starts.

Oregon's online source for controlled hunt drawing information is at dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/big_game/controlled_hunts/. You may apply by hardcopy form as well as online this year.

MONTANA

Non-resident applications for elk, deer or other combination licenses must be submitted by March 16 now. But if you are a Big Sky State non-resident license holder, the deadline for special permit drawing applications are mainly June 1 for most big game species.

As with Wyoming, Montana offers opportunities to hunt bison that are usually lottery allocated, but the drawing entry deadline has not been announced.

Montana's online links for special permit information and applications are //fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licenses/availableLicenses.html or //fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licenses/default.html.

IDAHO

The Gem State's controlled hunt application period for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat is underway through April 30. For deer, elk, antelope and fall black bear, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game accepts drawing submittals from May 1 to June 5. There is a second application period, Aug. 5-15 to dispense other permits.

Out-of-state would-be applicants should check carefully the special permit hunt allocations since by rule in small tag pools, Idaho puts significant restrictions on the number of nonresident tags that will be issued.

Idaho has an over-the-counter contingency for the sale of leftover tags in late August, too.

For details on IDFG controlled hunt applications, check online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/apps/ch/apply.cfm.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Canada's westernmost province does not accept non-Canadian resident applications for any special big game hunt drawings.

Also to pursue all big and some small game quarry in B.C., out-of-state hunters must secure the services of a registered guide.

However, if you do establish landed-immigrant status as an alien resident you may after a qualifying period become eligible to apply.

ALASKA

The first of Alaska's two annual big game drawing periods, the winter draw, is long past, but hunters still have the spring draw and tier II application period from May 1-31.

Application booklets detailing these late controlled hunt offerings will be out the first of May.

If you are not familiar with Alaska hunting rules governing nonresidents, you can check them out on the ADFG webpage devoted to permits hunts detailed in the winter supplement pamphlet.

For those up to speed on the Alaska permit hunts lottery process, ADFG authorities warn that they will be returning to a one pamphlet, one application period for all permit hunts starting with the 2009-2010 season.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game permit drawing link is wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=permits.supplements.

WASHINGTON

The deadline for making controlled hunt applications for deer and elk in the Evergreen State is now May 20.

The 2009 Hunting Seasons and Regulations rulebook is due out the middle of this month.

You may start submitting entries online or by telephone beginning Monday, April 20, but you must have bought an electronic application form before hand.

Doug Huddle, the Herald's outdoors correspondent, works in the Wildlife Program of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and has written a weekly hunting and fishing column for the Herald since 1983 that appears Saturdays. E-mail him at doug.huddle@bellinghamherald.com.