While reading and researching, I collect nuggets of information and file them for future reference. My filing cabinet holds a treasure of ideas for planning quality, low-cost hunts across the U.S.

You might think the only way to assure a quality out-of-state experience is by laying down serious money for a guided hunt or a private ranch hunt. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, there are great outfitters and fabulous private lands. However, many top-quality hunts take place on public lands, open to anyone with a valid license. The key is to acquire that license through the state’s drawing process. States like Arizona, Utah, and Nevada manage their wildlife for trophy quality second to none, and because of stingy tag allocations, hunting pressure is light. When you draw a limited-entry tag in one of these states, you can look forward to an outstanding experience.

You can call each state to get license information, but your best strategy is to use a combination of the Internet, books, and magazine articles. For years I have kept files on every hunt in every state I apply for. Whenever I find a new piece of information, I file it in the appropriate file. Over the years, I have built incredible databases that serve me well when I’m lucky enough to draw tags.

Another approach is to subscribe to a licensing service such as Cabela’s T.A.G.S., Western Hunter Application Services, and Carter’s Hunter Services. For a nominal fee per license, these services do all the work of applying and researching hunts for you. I subscribe to Carter’s “The Huntin’ Fool” to gather information and ideas, but I still fill out the applications and do the research myself.

Most quality hunts have low drawing odds. That’s why I apply for as many hunts as possible. A few years of applying will at least get me in the ballgame, and with a little luck, I’ll start drawing at least one quality tag per year. Generally, I apply only for hunts with at least 10-percent drawing odds, which statistically means I can expect to draw the license within 10 years.

I do apply for some once-in-a-lifetime hunts with drawing odds of 100 to 1 or poorer. In the case of mountain goats and bighorn sheep, the odds don’t get much better than that. I hope to draw at least one of these tags someday, but to expect more than one would be unrealistic.

TO MAXIMIZE YOUR ODDS for drawing premium tags, keep a couple of points in mind. One, as I’ve mentioned above, apply for as many hunts each year as you can afford. If you have out enough applications, you’re bound to draw sooner or later.

Two, consistently acquire bonus points and preference points in states with point systems. Points are given at the rate of one per year for every year and species you fail to draw, and points accrue until you draw a license.

Most states now offer the option of simply buying points without actually applying for a license. This enables you to plan and to avoid drawing multiple tags in years when you’re short on hunting time. I personally would rather spend more time and hunt for a quality animal than to have multiple tags in one fall and not do any of them justice. Thus, when I’m short on time, I just buy points, rather than applying for licenses.