what are the most coveted hunting tags in the U.S.?

[WisconsinWhitetail]

Yeah, right on deadeye!

[deadeyedick]

Pennsylvania Elk tag. Residents only and only 50 tags. Nonreseident forgeddaboutit..

[Proverbs]

Arizona has three of them, which may seem strange because overall we have significantly fewer big game animals (sheer numbers) than other states. Here they are, in order of draw difficulty:

1. Desert Bighorn Sheep
2. Kaibab Mule Deer rifle season.
3. Early rifle season bull elk.

According to the published AZ Game & Fish statistics, your chance for being drawn is about 0.001%

[Gary Devine]

When I hunted for elk in the back country of Idaho, I ran into an Idaho resident moose hunter. He said Idaho gives their moose tags only to residents. I guess I should be thankful that Maine gives non residents ten percent.

[Happy Myles]

There is a publication named The Huntin Fool which tracts information on coveted State tags and includes stories and pictures. Rocky Mt Bighorn, Desert Bighorn, huge elk in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. The unique Tule elk in California. Monster Mulies in the Southwest, and the beat goes on. The magazine, for a fee, will even put in for your tags.
For decades, I put in for many tags every year, occasionally drawing one here and there. Most States have cut non-resident permits substantially, so it is getting harder to draw one.

[jay]

for 2013, there are 4155 moose permits available of which no more than 10% can go to nonresidents. Horrible odds for nonresidents but someone's got to win.

[Gary Devine]

P-h-w, Last year Maine gave out 3,725 Moose permits?
How many Moose tags went to the Maine residents and how many went to the non residents? If that is correct then I will start applying again for the Moose Lottery tag.

[FirstBubba]

I once entered myself and three amigos on a feral hog hunt on a WMA in east Texas. Wr didn't get drawn, which was okay because an ice storm hit the area.
Monday, on the news, they asked a game biologist how the hunt worked put.
"We had 104 applicants and drew 100 hunters."
We were the only four not drawn!
I don't put in for hunts, it doesn't do me any good. LOL!

[Pray- hunt-work]

Also Gary- last year Maine gave out 3725 permits with an 81% success rate.

[Montana]

My most coveted tags are a Montana moose permit for the mountains I typically elk hunt, I have seen some giant moose there. The other is an elk rifle tag for the area I live in. Been trying both for 10 years, know of one guy that has drawn the rifle elk tag 6 times in the last 10 years... no such luck for me. But hope springs eternal so I guess next spring I will try again.

[mike0714]

I would say out of state sheep tags or any other once in a life time hunt, or an out of state trophy pronghorn hunt in AZ. it takes residents 12-20 years to draw a rifle hunt not to mention how long it can take an out of state hunter. I know a guy who has waited nearly 30 years and is still waiting. Some people just have stupid luck. I know a guy who has drawn both sheep hunts in AZ, a moose hunt in Maine and a Utah moose tag in only 8 years of applying for all of them.

[IND_NRA]

Gary- you may never hit the "powerball" with that kind of luck. I applied in 2010 and got drawn, went and only saw one cow and have not spent the money to try again. Good luck. To answer the question mule deer tag on Utah's Antelope island, big money to get that one.

[jay]

There are many units that are a hard draw. Maine Moose as Gary mentioned, Unit 2 Elk in Colorado, Arizona, Utah elk units. But based on limited tags, and the price that Governor tags go for the winner has to be Desert Sheep.

[Pray- hunt-work]

Gary- my father has applied every year since 1981 and hasn't been drawn. I've applied since 1996 and have been drawn twice.

[Gary Devine]

I would say the Maine Moose tag. I tried for twenty years and never could get one via their lottery. Do you know why? Maine gave out 900 moose tags to Maine residents and 100 tags to out-of-state hunters including aliens from Canada and other countries who also applied.
You had a better chance hitting the Power Ball Lottery then getting a out-of-state Maine Moose Tag.