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Hunting Alaska – The Last Frontier // Part II – Deadline Alert!

Erik Schell
|  
  • Erik Schell
Species: Mountain Goat, Alaska Yukon Moose, Brown Bear, Roosevelt Elk, Barren Ground Caribou, Dall Sheep
Location: Alaska

Alaska Application Deadline – December 15, 2020

The deadline to apply for big game tags through Alaska’s draw system is December 15, 2020, with draw results posting in mid-February. The fact that Alaska is the first to post draw results is convenient as it allows plenty of time for planning/preparation for successful applicants as well as ample time to make alternative plans for unsuccessful applicants.  

Alaska Hunting Information:

  • Point System: Currently Alaska does not have a point system in place – everyone’s chances are the same.
  • License Purchase Yes/No: Yes, as a prerequisite of applying, a $160 non-resident hunting license must be purchased. WTA TAGS will handle this purchase for you as part of the application process.
  • Party Applications: Up to two applicants may apply together.
  • Hunter’s Safety Card Requirement: Anyone born after January 1, 1986 must have a hunter’s safety card in their possession while afield. All sportsmen (regardless of age) wishing to hunt big  game with bow and arrow must have a specific bow hunter’s safety card in their possession while afield.
  • Youth: Applicants are required to be 10 years of age by the opening day of the hunting season to apply/obtain a big game permit.

Available Species:

  • Mountain Goat
  • Barren-Ground Caribou
  • Dall Sheep
  • Alaskan Moose
  • Roosevelt Elk
  • Kodiak Brown Bear

As sportsmen it is almost a guarantee that one or more of the above mentioned species lands on each of our “bucket lists” of must-do hunts. By successfully drawing a tag in Alaska you can be assured you will be in an area with restricted tag allotments which yields a better hunting experience as well as greater trophy potential due to limited off-take.

A key point should also be noted, the state of Alaska welcomed hunters this fall (2020) with open arms as long as a negative COVID test could be produced within 72 hours of arrival. Throughout the fall WTA clients experienced zero issues entering or exiting Alaska. This fact allows me to assume the 2021 hunts will be executed as planned which cannot be said for many other areas.

Over the last 15+ years in business WTA TAGS has obtained a wealth of knowledge regarding Alaska’s draw system, up to date unit recommendations and established firm relationships with the top outfitters in each respective area. TAGS is poised and ready to assist you in drawing and executing your Alaskan dream hunt, for additional information please click the button below or give us a call, 1-800-755-8247


Additional Information on Hunting Alaska

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For Big Bucks and Majestic Rams, Apply in Arizona

For Big Bucks and Majestic Rams, Apply in Arizona

If you’re serious about trophy-class western hunting, Arizona should be a top priority. With coveted Desert and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tags, the chance to draw world-class mule deer permits, and outstanding opportunities for Coues deer, the Grand Canyon State offers some of the most exceptional big game hunting in North America. However, drawing a tag is no easy feat—Arizona’s structured, bonus point-based draw system is designed to reward persistence.

That’s where WTA TAGS comes in.

We do more than help you apply—we help you draw. And once you do, we ensure you make the most of it by connecting you with the state’s top professional outfitters, giving you the best possible shot at success.

Deadline to Apply: June 3 for Deer and Sheep. Draw Post Date: Late July for Deer and…
Dialed In: A 360-Inch Bull Elk and the Luck that Made It Happen

Dialed In: A 360-Inch Bull Elk and the Luck that Made It Happen

Winning one hunt sweepstakes through Worldwide Trophy Adventures feels like a long shot, but winning two? That’s the kind of luck I still can’t fully wrap my head around. I started entering WTA sweepstakes a few years ago, taking full advantage of their Bonus Bucks program and hoping to win someday. I’ve hunted whitetails in Minnesota’s flat woods, mule deer out West, and Sitka blacktails in Alaska’s rugged country, but this was different. When Worldwide Trophy Adventures called to tell me I’d won their 2024 Nevada bull elk hunt, just a year after winning a Utah mule deer hunt from them, I was stunned. Two sweepstakes wins in two years? Unreal. And the icing on the cake? I’d be hunting with a crew that truly knows their elk. As Erik Schell put it: “John, when it comes to elk, these guys are paid killers.” He wasn’t wrong.

I opted to drive from Minnesota to keep costs down and bring back as much meat as possible. I loaded my truck with Yeti coolers and hit the road for the long drive, stopping in Denver for a steak dinner with a hunting buddy before tackling the last 10 hours to Baker, Nevada. That stretch through Loveland Pass was sketchy with snow and ice, and on the way back I detoured through Gillette, Wyoming to avoid a 30″ Denver snow dump. Long haul, but worth it to have my truck for the meat.

Baker is a speck of a town, population 16, just shy of the Utah line. The outfitter set us up in an Airbnb called The Corner Place. It was homey, with enough beds for me, another hunter, and the guide crew. The kitchen had stacks of premade meals like casseroles and snacks, whipped up by the outfitter’s wife. We heated them up after long days, but if we got back late, we’d hit the Border Crossing, a bar and greasy spoon split between Nevada and Utah. One side had slot machines, the other a gas station. We’d grab burgers and a bucket of Budweiser, the guide Richie’s favorite, and swap stories. It was simple, but it hit the spot.

The outfitter’s team was world-class. They’d been scouting for a week, pinpointing a bachelor group of bulls in a canyon 20 miles north. That first night, we sat around the Airbnb’s kitchen table sipping beers and scrolling through their scouting videos. Three bulls stood out: a beat-up 6×6 they called Bondo, a heavy 5×5, and a narrower 7×7. We decided to hit the canyon at dawn.

Day one was no joke. Richie, my guide, led me up the mountain before light, climbing a couple thousand feet. The air was a bit thinner than in Minnesota, but Richie kept a steady pace. Two spotters, Cameron and Ryan, worked the opposite canyon rim. It felt like I had the dream team for this once-in-a-lifetime elk hunt. We eased onto a rock ledge about 400 yards above a bench where five bulls were feeding: Bondo, the 5×5, a thin 6×6, a young 5×5, and a spike. No 7×7. This was the first time I was faced with taking a bull elk, but Richie talked me through it. “The 5×5’s got 30 inches of mass per side, swords in the 20s, probably 9 or 10 years old. Scores at least 330. Solid first bull.”

I went prone on the ledge, dialing my Gunwerks Nexus in 7 PRC to 387 yards. Richie double-checked: “386 yards.” Right as I lined up, the bull bedded down. Great. I’d waited out a mule deer for five hours once, so I knew the drill. Lying on snow with a 20° northwest wind kicking up, I started shivering after an hour. Richie saw it. “You good? We can back off, build a fire, or shoot him bedded. There’s a branch over some of his vitals. Can you slip a round under it?”

I’d put in time at Gunwerks’ Long-Range University: a hands-on, no-BS school that focuses on real-world shooting conditions, not just benchrest skills. They train you to read wind, manage stress, and make clean, ethical shots in exactly the situations that hunters face in the field. I knew my rifle, my dope, and my limits. “I got it,” I said. I checked the yardage, my level, controlled my breathing, and squeezed. The bull collapsed. “You smoked him!” Richie said. When he tried to get up, a second round finished it.

Reaching the bull was an experience I won’t forget. I’ve taken plenty of deer over the years, but this 360″ elk was in a league of its own—sheer mass, thick beams, and antlers that looked heavy even from a distance. Standing over him, the scale of the hunt hit me. We built a small fire, took photos, and soaked in the moment. Then came the hard part. The canyon was steep and treacherous, slick with snow and loose shale. I took a spill on the descent, and every step down was a test of footing and balance with meat on our backs. It took over three hours to reach the canyon floor and get the bull out, but it was worth every bit of effort. Back at camp, we celebrated the way hunters do—cold beers and a good story to tell.

We caped the bull that night and packed the meat in coolers, though it was cold enough outside to keep everything fresh. I hung around a few days, spotting for the other hunter’s bull, glassing canyons, and enjoying the Nevada backcountry. No pressure, just good times behind the glass. When I left, I strapped the antlers to my truck, crammed the coolers in, and drove 24 hours straight home, still buzzing. Back in Minnesota, I vacuum-sealed the meat, enough for months of meals, and dropped the rack with a taxidermist for a shoulder mount.

This hunt was as good as it gets. The outfitter knew every inch of that country, had bulls dialed in, and gave me options. For a guy who’s now won two WTA sweepstakes, I’ll tell you straight: these hunts are real and the sweepstakes are worth it. Nevada’s elk country and that crew of “paid killers” gave me a bull and a story I’ll be telling for years.

Don’t miss your chance to enter to win this world-class elk hunt in Nevada. The entries are limited…only 1,750 total entries, giving you very good odds of winning this elk valued at $72,000!

Enter the Nevada Elk Sweepstakes
2025 Guaranteed-Tag Elk Hunts – Prime Spots Still Available!

2025 Guaranteed-Tag Elk Hunts – Prime Spots Still Available!

Spring has finally arrived in the Nebraska Panhandle, bringing warmer weather and gobbling turkeys! We’re about halfway through the 2025 draw application season, and New Mexico recently posted results. If you weren’t lucky enough to draw any elk tags this year (I wasn’t either!), don’t worry—WTA has you covered!

We still have a variety of elk hunts available for this Fall, and every one of them includes a guaranteed tag for non-residents. Whether you’re after the thrill of a September archery hunt during the rut or prefer a late-season rifle adventure, we’ve got something for you. Bonus: several of these hunts have been discounted, so give us a call today to take advantage of these outstanding elk hunting opportunities!

Premier Private Land Elk Hunt in Utah October 26–31 $1,500 Savings!

Northern Utah is the mecca for trophy elk hunting and this 36,000-acre private ranch may be near the top of the list. WTA has offered this hunt for years and the reports are always outstanding! This area has a tremendous population of elk and is surrounded by other well-managed hunting properties. Hunts are conducted 1×1 by spot and stalk and calling in the bulls. The lodging is very nice and the terrain is extremely gentle.

Learn More Southern…

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