I'm not buying points for Colorado anymore, tell me I'm wrong.

[thusby]

So, without knowing a whole lot about the points game/different preference/bonus systems in place in other states, my FIL and I started to build points in Colorado.
Currently sitting at 8 points for both deer and elk, I cannot find a reason to continue to build points. We are not getting any closer to the premiums and we seem to be 2-3 points over what we need for the other units we would be interested in.
I think this might be the year that I do not apply and I quit building points. Hoping to use up our points next year or year after.
Talk me into buying points again this year!

 

[Jorgy]

I don't think there is a lot of difference between 1 point and 12(or so) for quality of hunt for elk. Deer I could bump up that number some, but not a whole lot.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

IMHO deer/elk points in CO are one of the biggest wastes of money in the western game.

1-3 points give you some options, the point creep up to a 5-8pt unit is getting silly, and you will never catch the 10, 2, etc units.

Further I think that playing the points game kinda hamstrings you because one tends to apply only for leftover or OTC units to build point and hunt and therefore you lose out on a lot of good 0pt 1st choice hunts... muzzy/1st/4th/ etc

 

[Dinkshooter]

Apply, apply, apply...............

 

[rustednuts]

Burn your points and then only build 3 points max

 

[LuketheDog]

As you sit you might as well buy a point. If you're a nonresident and already have 8 it wouldn't hurt to have one or two more for insurance, assuming you'll hunt in the next year or two. You never know what the future will hold as far as point creep and it will never get easier to draw. Just don't assume you'll somehow catch the units that are ahead of you already as that flat out won't happen.

 

[Werty]

The point creep game will start to change here, as baby boomer start passing away. I hate to put it that way. Think about what age group owns most of the points.

 

[TOGIE]

i encourage people to keep accumulating points so my 0-1 pt units stay 0-1 pt units

 

[BlakeA]

I like to have as many points as I can so that on years like this and the next two I don't worry about point creep. I never assume more points equals a better hunt. That couldn't be further from the truth. I do like the insurance though. I can force the draw and go hunting when I want. If you don't hunt more than a couple states then you are better off going to CO as often as you can rather than build up points. If you hunt more than say 3-4 states on a rotation then having more points than typically needed is great. I've already made plans and set aside a week this fall for my CO hunt. I know I will draw. Being borderline (1-2 point cushion) with points using previous years draw stats can leave you sitting without a cc hit at the end of May and scrambling to find a hunt somewhere real quick.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I know so many gen x, millenial, and even younger point holders that I don't see creep going away.

 

[TOGIE]

I know so many gen x, millenial, and even younger point holders that I don't see creep going away.

yeah, creep ain't going anywhere unless you change the system

 

[winmag]

CO points take 10 years to expire so you can sit on them quite a while before you lose them. Unlike WY, where you lose them if you don't apply/buy points every other year.

You're in no mans land. You can sit on them a while as long as you pay attention to point creep in the meantime.

 

[beginnerhunter]

I think u should keep buying points and hold out for premium units .

Jk no I've already decided to accumulate max 5 points or so unless I just cant go for whatever reason that year, or I win a tag elsewhere, etc.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

The point creep game will start to change here, as baby boomer start passing away. I hate to put it that way. Think about what age group owns most of the points.

How many boomers haven’t drawn and will never draw with 1-2 points below max?

Do you think more or less millennials participate in the points system than boomers did when it started.

IMHO given how few tags there are compared to demand if you started the restarted the system today with everyone at 0 I still wouldn’t buy elk points.

Basically if your 35 with 20 points you have a chance under 15, no chance.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I don't apply for elk or antelope anymore in CO. Overcrowding and lack of mgmnt for the sake of revenue being the main factor. Better options in other states. I would argue though CO is still the finest mule deer hunting state in the nation. I will continue to pursue Mule deer in CO and kill great bucks in 1-3 point units. You have some great deer options that take 6-7 points. Burn em and don't accumulate that many again.

 

[Nick87]

My plan for colorado points is to not let them get past 3 points or so. If it becomes where I cant draw a tag on those points I'll abandon colorado. Of course that's pretty much the way I plan all my point building. I'd rather be familiar with a lower class area than have 5 days once in my life to hunt a top unit. For deer and elk that is, I dont buy points for pronghorn in CO.

 

[LCH]

Deer, I go as frequently as possible. This will be 4 years in a row if I draw, but that includes snatching up some reissued tags.

Elk, I had hoped to burn points by now, but other opportunities have kept me from cashing in.

Pronghorn will be long term, but the added cost is negligible since I'm applying for deer and elk.

This is not specific to Colorado, but I am a fan of having several 2-3 point hunts in multiple states for multiple species and cycling through somewhat strategically. I'd rather do 3 or 4 easy draw hunts every year rather than drawing a higher demand tag every once in a while.

 

[ImBillT]

If I was in your place, and was not going to hunt there this year, I would go ahead and pay for one more point simply to insure that you would still be able to draw next year. A) point creep is going to begin creeping into mid tier tags. B) As the season dates shift toward the old dates, there will be more and more pressure on 1st and 4th rifle and less on 2nd and 3rd. The points required to draw last year and this year may not reflect the points required to draw the tag you want next year or the following year.

 

[SFC B]

As a resident my mileage will vary..... That being said, I have a bit of a different outlook. I keep building points until I find a HUNT that I want. Currently I am at 10 for deer, 6 for elk and 4 for pronghorn. I have been here 12 years now and have used points in all of those species. I am 51 and will hopefully use my deer points this year or next. I have a hunt picked that I want and now is the time for me. At 51 I feel I could spend those points and still have 1-2 decent mid level draws later in life. Trying to hold out for one of the big ones at this point seems foolish to me at this point in my life. I will say that given the opportunities to hunt every species, every year with a little thought I don't think building points when you have a SPECIFIC hunt/goal in mind is totally viable.

 

[belshawelk]

I continue to buy points. I am at 15 elk. Last time I drew it was 17 points. If you just want to go hunt then don't get a bunch of points. If you want a trophy unit you better have points. Depends on what you want. Lots of good units for game that don't take many points. For me I have one unit in mind. Will be another 5 years of points. It will be my last CO trophy hunt as I wont have another 20 years to draw and be able to hunt it the way I need to.