Minn Elk Lottery

[Boss Hogg]

How many have put in for the Elk lottery? I tryed to find the statistics from last year on the DNR web site, but could not find anything. The Moose, Deer and that stuff is all on there, but nothing about Elk. With only eight permits, your chances of winning the power ball are better.

[Gissert]

I am not so sure the odds are as bad as you think.

I won the bull tag last year. There were about six hundred applicants, I was told. Better odds than most pull tab jars.

Last year was still the old mail in application - this year is the first year of ELS based lottery.

Good luck to all those who get tags. This is not an easy hunt. Out of 1 bull and 5 cow tags last year, no elk were tagged. Still, it was the most enjoyable hunt I have ever been on.

[ChuckN]

I got mine in!

[chucker34]

Mine is in as well. Took two trips to Fleet Farm. First time around they didn't know what the heck I was talking about and they second time, it took a call to the DNR to straighten things out and guide them through the application process.

Gissert's right. Better odds than playing pull tabs. Never asked but where does my $10 app fee go? I'm hoping toward the elk habitat, etc. in particular.

If I were to be drawn, I've seriously considered going with the bow/arrow. However, someone would probably smack me upside the head and I'd reconsider that route.

[Gissert]

If you get the bull tag, and the elk are rutting inside the zone - Archery would not be out of the question. I was plagued by the elk rutting outside the hunt zone. This year, the crop rotation may be different, so the bull winners may have better luck.

Fot the cow, hunt, rifle all the way IMO. THe cow hunt is probably the more difficult of the two.

[chucker34]

Thanks for the input Gissert. Would be awesome to get to put it to use! I would be extremely happy to just get the chance at either tag. I truly think archery hunting would be a blast, even if I were unsuccessful. As for the alternative option to bow hunting, that would require a major purchase unless I got a scope for my 870. But I'll worry about that when if and when it becomes a problem.

[Ely Lake Expert]

Just curious, appoximately where are these 8 elk that are going to be hunted this fall? Generally speaking

[chucker34]

Everything you need to know:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/elk/index.html

[lcornice]

There were just under 800 applications this year.

[Gissert]

lcornice -

Thanks for that!

Would love to see you at the RMEF Volunteer Fun Night in Foley on August 5!

[woodview]

I'm in.

Already got drawn for Wyoming where I'll be chasing Mule Deer in the bighorns. Best vacation possible.

Between grouse, pheasants, deer in MN, deer in Wyoming and bear season I've already run out of weekends so if I got drawn I'd probably have to quit my job.

Gissert what's the scoop on that night in Foley?

Anyone know when they do the drawing? Gissert when did you get your letter?

[Gissert]

The Foley scoop is a banquet/get together for RMEF committee volunteers and potential new committee members. If you are interested, I can put you in touch with the guy in charge.

I got my letter last year on a Saturday, the first week of August IIRC.

[Fishhawk]

With only eight permits available, your odds of winning the powerball are probably better. Unless you happen to be a RMEF committee member?

[Gissert]

Was that a shot, LOL? As far as I know, I am the only committee member to ever get a tag.

As far as odds go, I would say your odds are much, much better than Powerball.

Less than 600 put in for the tags last year, and I think the number was in the 800 ballpark this year. Those are better odds than some pulltab jackpots.

[chucker34]

I'd rather give my $10 to the DNR that spending them on pull tabs even if the odds were worse. And Gissert, I'm sure it had nothing to do with it. Though its pretty unfair a guy who really supports the cause and puts in the effort on behalf of the elk gets to go on the hunt. That was sarcasm, by the way. It think it's cool you did get to go and write about it too!