joelweb
Well-known member
Alright guys. Here is one that I chew on every year and I'm curious what others think.
I put in for all the trophy tags in Montana (as well as in two other states) and I never seem to draw anything special. I enjoy hunting mule deer and elk general units so it's not heartbreaking, but I'd like to hunt moose, sheep and goat some day while I'm still fit and able.
I'm always torn between the top tier hunts with miserable draw odds and the less desirable limited hunts with realistic draw odds. Take moose for example: With my 12 Montana points, I have about a 3 percent chance of drawing a stellar unit where I know I'll see lots of nice bulls and have a good chance at finding one over 45". Or, I could put in for a less desirable unit with 9 percent draw odds where I would likely have to spend many days in the field just to find a couple bulls, regardless of size.
While my draw odds will continue to climb, 3 percent is pretty bad. I'd love to hunt a great unit, but I'd also like to hunt moose at some point. 9 percent is way more realistic. With that said, I'd hate to hunt a mediocre unit, see nothing much, and be frustrated that I burned all of my points. Therein lies my dilemma. I'm near the top of the pack now and I don't want to sacrifice my position, but being near the top of the pack guarantees me nothing.
How do other folks approach this?
I put in for all the trophy tags in Montana (as well as in two other states) and I never seem to draw anything special. I enjoy hunting mule deer and elk general units so it's not heartbreaking, but I'd like to hunt moose, sheep and goat some day while I'm still fit and able.
I'm always torn between the top tier hunts with miserable draw odds and the less desirable limited hunts with realistic draw odds. Take moose for example: With my 12 Montana points, I have about a 3 percent chance of drawing a stellar unit where I know I'll see lots of nice bulls and have a good chance at finding one over 45". Or, I could put in for a less desirable unit with 9 percent draw odds where I would likely have to spend many days in the field just to find a couple bulls, regardless of size.
While my draw odds will continue to climb, 3 percent is pretty bad. I'd love to hunt a great unit, but I'd also like to hunt moose at some point. 9 percent is way more realistic. With that said, I'd hate to hunt a mediocre unit, see nothing much, and be frustrated that I burned all of my points. Therein lies my dilemma. I'm near the top of the pack now and I don't want to sacrifice my position, but being near the top of the pack guarantees me nothing.
How do other folks approach this?