N297 is taken. It's currently assigned to a 1990 Halsted Barry BH 1 registered in Sequim, WA.
See the full aircraft record →A tail number only frees up if the owner deregisters the aircraft or moves it to a different N-number — and even then the FAA holds it before releasing it to the public.
Tails one nudge away from N297 that aren't assigned or reserved: