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It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's... Super Tags!
New license drawings are great deals for hunters

Lynn Seibold of Nampa, Idaho, never considered himself especially lucky. His luck changed in 2004, however, when he won Idaho’s super tag drawing for elk, allowing him to hunt any hunt area in the state. A twenty-year veteran of elk hunting in Idaho, he focused on a good area and harvested a 6x6 bull scoring over 300 Boone and Crockett points.

Lynn was one of a growing number of lucky hunters successful in state “super tag” drawings. Super tags are the latest gimmick allowing cash-starved wildlife management agencies to raise funds for special programs. These programs vary from state to state, but if you’re not participating, you are missing your chance at the hunt of a lifetime.

All programs are a little different, but most provide the winning hunter, resident or nonresident, a license and tag, and opportunity to hunt any open area in the state.  Even hunters who have previously harvested a once-in-a-lifetime species can generally compete for a second opportunity via the supertag raffle. Winners of Arizona’s Big Game Super Raffle don’t even have to worry about season dates--they can hunt 365 days a year. 

In addition, all of the money raised through these program is generally put right back into programs to benefit all hunters. Even administrative costs aren’t deducted in Arizona (they come from an optics package donated by Swarovski). Proceeds from Idaho’s Super Tag go to “Access Yes!” program that uses funds collected from sportsmen to purchase hunting easements on private lands.  Montana’s program supports hunting access and law enforcement, while Washington uses funds to support species-related management activities.

Not all of the information for 2007 seasons was available at press time, so hunters should check out each hunter they are interested in. Here’s a state-by-state rundown as of late in 2006:

Arizona: Big Game Super Raffle chances for bighorn sheep $25, elk $20, antelope, buffalo, Coues deer, and mule deer $10 each; black bear and turkey $5 each. A hunter can purchase one of each plus a chance at a Swarovski optics package for $110. Ticket sales end June 25, 2007.  For details, call 602/996-4867 or arizonabiggamesuperraffle.com.

Idaho: Super Hunt packages include single species permits for elk, deer, antelope, and moose, plus one combination package with all four species. Single-species applications are $6.25 each; applications for the Super Hunt Combo are $19.95 each. Two separate drawings, one June 15 and a second August 15; raffle tickets must be purchased by May 31 and August 10.  Details are available by calling 800-554-8685, 800-824-3729, or fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/superhunt.

Montana: SuperTag lottery chances for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, and deer. Hunters must purchase a conservation license to apply. Chances are $5 each. Deadline is July 6 for moose, bighorn and mountain goat, and August 3 for deer and elk. SuperTag winners who also draw a controlled hunt permit for the same species will have to forfeit the drawn permit. Purchase via Montana’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks online applications service. 

Oregon: Big Game raffle permits for bighorn sheep, pronghorn, mountain goat, deer, elk, and a deer and elk package. Raffle chances $11 each. Applications can be obtained through the Salem headquarters office at 503/947-6117 or 6113; details at: dfw.state.or.us/AH/raffle_auction/raffle_counts.com.asp. Deadline for purchase May 20 in 2006; call for 2007 deadline.

Washington: Raffle permits for bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, deer, elk, and turkey.  Raffle tickets $4.93 each except bighorn sheep at $10.40.  Extended seasons (Sep 1-Dec 31) for some hunts. Raffle tickets and information available at 866/246-9453 and fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Deadline Aug 6 in 2006; call or check online for 2007 deadline.

In addition, Texas raffles ten Big Time Texas Hunt packages at $10 a chance; deadlines for these hunts occur in November. Call 800/895-4248 or see tpwd.state.tx.us/licenses for details. Also in November, Utah offers big game raffle permits for residents only.  For information, call Utah Division of Wildlife Resources at 801/538-4700.

As for Lynn Seibold, he’s a believer. After winning in 2004, he bought a single ticket for elk in 2006--and won a second time! Convinced that bulls larger than his 2004 bull were available, he returned to the same area and harvested a 380-point bull on the first day.-- Dale E. Toweill