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Post by medic22 on May 25, 2016 9:31:03 GMT -5
Ive seen guys here, and elsewhere talk about banking points for out of state hunts.
This is something I should have started long ago, but I didnt know much about it.
Can someone explain this process and possibly provide a list of states that do this?
Im interested in elk, moose, and black bear hunts.
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Post by steiny on May 25, 2016 10:19:23 GMT -5
Some of the premier areas in various states allow only a few tags each season in order to maintain the quality of hunting, trophy quality, etc. Almost all of the western states have areas like this for the various species, and it is way too complicated to explain here.
You get points when you apply for the license and are not drawn. You can also just purchase the points annually knowing your odds of drawing a tag are slim. The best places take a lot of points, and some may require a lifetime of point accumulation and you still might never draw a tag.
I've never played the points game, because I want to set up a hunt in the spring knowing I'm going to be able to go there in the fall. There are numerous places you can hunt without the points, and landowners are often allotted tags that they can sell to hunters to get around the need for points.
Again ... its way too complicated to explain here, and is best evaluated on a state by state, species by species basis. There are also some private companies who will help you with the application process and acquiring the necessary points.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 25, 2016 12:50:37 GMT -5
The problem with point systems is what's known as "Point Creep." Point creep is what happens when there are more people applying and buying points, than there are people drawing tags. The result is that the more desirable tags usually require more points to draw just every year or 2. There are some people with "Max Points" (they started buying points as soon as the point system was instituted) that still cannot draw many of the glory tags because the number of people applying within their point pool is so much higher than the number of tags issued. People that are just now getting into the points game (myself included) will likely never draw these top-tier units, it's just simple math.
Points are useful though, and necessary, for most "average" tags. For example, to hunt bull elk in Wyoming on a general tag, you need at least 1 point right now to have a decent chance at drawing. Used to be, you could draw it as a 2nd choice with zero points. The creep is still slow enough on a tag like this, though, that you can still expect to be able to hunt it every 2-3 years for the foreseeable future. I recommend forgetting about the glory tags and building high point totals, and use the point system a few short years before cashing in on a mid-tier unit or general tag, then repeat. It just isn't practical to begin acquiring points now and expect to draw some of these tags within your lifetime.
If you do want to try to beat the odds and draw a once in a lifetime type tag, states without a point system that do a complete random draw (NM, ID for example) are your best bet. Odds are still extremely low, but you do actually have some chance of drawing, vs. applying for a tag out of your point pool in a state like CO.
As far as the species you have listed, elk can be hunted OTC or on leftover tags in several states (CO, ID, MT). The only state I have any points for elk is Wyoming. As mentioned previously, you only need 1-2 points to draw a general tag in Wyoming, and success rates on bulls are 2-3 times higher on average than OTC in CO. You can also get some tags in CO that are better than OTC with just a few points.
I'm not aware of any areas out west that require points for a bear tag, but I'm sure there are a few. I know some places in the east, like Minnesota, require a few points to draw. However, some of the very best bear areas are OTC, so I wouldn't bother with points for bears.
Moose is going to be a long shot regardless of where you apply in the lower 48. The point creep detailed above makes it nearly impossible for a newbie to draw a tag in a state with a point system. Your best bet would probably be Idaho, where there is no point system and you have as much chance of drawing a tag as any other nonresident. But by the time you spend money on applications, points, etc. to apply in several states over the many years it will likely take to draw a tag, you would probably be money ahead to do a guided hunt in Canada or a DIY in Alaska. Depending on how some other draws/plans work out, I'm planning on doing an AK DIY within the next 3-4 years.
Going on a hunt out west is one of the most fun and exciting things you'll ever do. You just need to understand the rules for each state and have a game plan mapped out several years in advance if you want to hunt a limited entry area.
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Post by SFC (R) B on Oct 28, 2016 4:17:21 GMT -5
Here in Colorado we have a point system. I do see some creep but find that it is not a big deal unless you are a "trophy" guy. I can hunt several seasons for multiple animals a year and STILL build preference points. I am currently building points for a deer hunts on the Air Force Academy and only have a couple of years left to wait  A big thing for me is that I value the experience of the hunt more than trophy size. Out west here the action of being out and doing the hunting is very rewarding to me. |
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A big thing for me is that I value the experience of the hunt more than trophy size. Out west here the action of being out and doing the hunting is very rewarding to me.