There is not a lottery for gratis deer tags. If they get the app in before the deadline they get a tag for any legal deer. If they get it in after the deadline the tag is only good for a doe. If a landowner puts in after the deadline and there are no tags left anywhere in the state, a tag will not be issued.
i am not so sure that is the case in units like 2E where gratis applications exceeded allotted tags. i guess i could be wrong. but, i heard numerous stories of landowners in 2E who got their applications in and did not get a gratis tag this year. i any other unit where there were more tags than gratis applications, i know they don't end up in their own lottery and are guaranteed a tag. but, in 2E for example, they gave out 300 buck tags. had to have been more than 300 gratis applications. maybe they gave out more tags than were allotted. but, that seems unwise.