OUTDOOR TIPS OF THE MONTH
Some of Alaska’s most epic hunts are only obtainable through the state Department of Fish and Game’s draw lottery system. Our Arctic sportsman Paul Atkins applies for several of these each year – nowadays digitally – so he understands the process, along with the frustration of often not being drawn. (PAUL D. ATKINS)
TALKING TAGS FOR DRAW HUNTS Editor’s note: In this new column, our Paul Atkins will offer sportsmen and -women tips for making the most out of their Alaska fishing or hunting adventure. With the application period opening this month, he details putting in for draw tags. BY PAUL D. ATKINS
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ugust, September and October have come and gone. Your freezer is full of moose and caribou and you remember what great hunts both were. Rifles are cleaned and
put away, gear has been stored and you’re thankful for the hunting you did get to do. It’s time to settle in for winter. For most Alaska hunters, this is the cycle of life, but if you’re like me and hunting is truly your passion, then you’re already starting to think about next season and what you will be hunting – or would like to hunt. Whether we live here in Alaska or in the Lower 48, many of us find ourselves wanting, or sometimes wishing, we could hunt a particular species in a particular area. What might be common for some
might be a dream for others, whether it’s Dall sheep in the Chugach, goats in Southeast or maybe a coveted brown bear on Kodiak. All are obtainable with a little luck, while some require long-term planning. However, some of these hunts require a certain tag that can only be obtained through a drawing of some kind.
LUCK OF THE DRAW
Each year the state of Alaska has a permit drawing. As in most states, hunters can apply for certain tags to hunt a particular species in a specific
aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2021
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
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