How to Draw Tags - Western Application Systems Explained
How to Draw Tags - Western Application Systems Explained  
Podcast: Drawn West
Published On: Tue Feb 10 2026
Description: If you want to hunt the West, drawing a tag isn’t a detail—it’s the entire game.Western tags aren’t “grab one on the way to deer camp” — they’re a 6–12 month planning game, and this episode breaks the whole thing down in plain English. You’ll hear a listener question from Josh (Tennessee) who’s trying to get himself and his son out West this fall for mule deer or antelope with zero points, and we use his situation to walk through what’s actually realistic (and what’s just internet noise). From there, we lay out the four core draw systems (OTC, random/no-points, preference points, bonus points), why “easy to draw” often means “hard hunt,” and how point creep can quietly bury your long-term plan. Then we turn it into an actual strategy: short-term vs mid-term vs long-term rotations, plus a simple “application stacking” method to swing at multiple states in the same year without ending up with overlapping tags.Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram.If you enjoyed this, leave a 5-star rating and share the show with a friend.Looking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latest article: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/articles/getting-into-trappingFREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest Have Questions or Comments? Send an email to Brian@getdrawnwest.com!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT GearShop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10% onMaverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestRTIC Coolers– Keep Your Meat Cold!https://bit.ly/RTICCoolers00:00 – Why “draw a tag” is step one