Is chasing Wyoming permits worth it?

[Redraider7]

Points are overrated and depressing. Random draws, leftover lists, raffles, 0-point/100% draws. There is all kinds of opportunity available.

100% agreed. I am a meat hunter which means there is a ton of opportunity for antlerless/spike hunts

 

[Zim]

At 66 I’m done chasing glory units and squarely in general tag mode. Given the social media throngs these days, I doubt it’s worth low & mid level point holders to wait for a high profile unit. But I don’t even bother checking what those units take any more.

 

[jimss]

The trick is to figure out a strategy to draw high demand tags with ever-decreasing draw odds. It isn't getting any easier to draw these tags! Those that are just starting out applying may need a different strategy than those with medium to high preference/bonus pts. The days of applying for multi-species in every state for most of us blue-collared guys are limited....especially for those just starting out.

Some tags with lotto type draw odds may not be drawn in a lifetime. How deep are your pockets? Tag and application fees for nonres are going through the roof...and increasing every few years. Can you afford to apply for multiple tags in multiple states with extremely low draw odds? If you are willing to apply for less popular units it may be easier to swallow tossing thousands of dollars to the wind.

Obviously, with limited funds it's likely in your best interest to apply for species in your own state and for tags that have better draw odds. If you are a "trophy hunter" this may mean spending a lot more time scouting and hunting units with less quality critters or hiring a guide/hunting private land with a better chance for a quality animal.

I myself like to fish, hunt, and spend quality time in the outdoors. There are options to use your hard-earned cash on other trip options...or save up and spend your cash on a landowner tag or hunt that doesn't require points. There are other bird and game animal species that don't tend to get the exposure and interest with OTC tags or good draw odds. There are still plenty of amazing trip options in lean years.

Similar to Zim, I've been fortunate to draw some crazy-good limited tags over the years. I continue to draw these tags but in less frequency than in the past. I'm also slowly but surely using up options as once-in-a lifetime points have been burned in various states. I'm starting to see the writing on the wall as the years seem to pass by quickly....its time to burn points and go hunting!

 

[BuzzH]

That’s rich coming from someone who just Archery hunted the Paunsaugunt for mule deer for a month straight and has hunted a ton of other high point units…..

Its not his fault he played the points game starting a long time ago and you didn't.

There's nobody that burns a high number of points that's going to chase those tags again. Makes total sense to shift to easier to draw tags.

Are you going to maximize your Wyoming pronghorn points to draw the best tag you can?

Why shouldn't Zim have done the same thing in Utah?

 

[2rocky]

Its not his fault he played the points game starting a long time ago and you didn't.

There's nobody that burns a high number of points that's going to chase those tags again. Makes total sense to shift to easier to draw tags.

Are you going to maximize your Wyoming pronghorn points to draw the best tag you can?

Why shouldn't Zim have done the same thing in Utah?

I think it begs the question...."Zim, where do you see value in accumulating points if not Wyoming?"

I also thing we will see the cost of that strategy do the same thing as ski lift prices.....

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[BuzzH]

I think it begs the question...."Zim, where do you see value in accumulating points if not Wyoming?"

I also thing we will see the cost of that strategy do the same thing as ski lift prices.....

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Don't apply or ski.

 

[hunter49]

Jealous? Dont really see that. Honestly see high point holders complaining more than people just starting out. When they had ample opportunity to get out in the field.

 

[TheTone]

I wouldn’t see it necessarily as jealous but maybe it’s just younger guys realizing they will never have a chance to catch up in the point scams just due to age. I genuinely worry what my son might ever get to experience for quality hunts in point states. He will be decades behind the curve before he ever gets his first point

 

[Point Creep]

I’m vying for my 10th Wyoming antelope license this year. My kids and wife all have double digit points now. I’d suggest all those leery to stay outta that game.

My son is throwing in for deer with 15 points this year. Might draw, might not, but glad we didn’t skip years on some things. Time flies and before you know it - you’ve got a stack and some options.

 

[jimss]

The tough part is predicting what happens in the future. Colo’s glory days for producing mega bucks was relatively short-lived…as a prime example. There are a fraction of the muley tags issued with a fraction of mega bucks available.

It really would be nice predicting the future. Things could improve and just as easily get worse. It’s somewhat of a gamble any more accumulating pts…especially for nonres.

 

[Redraider7]

That Pauns hunt concluded my glory unit hunts. At least as far as my preference based points. I still have three more good ones I know I will draw, but they are not that premium. Unless you consider AZ 6A elk, CO 55 mzl mule deer & any CO pronghorn rifle unit glory tags. I certainly don’t.

There’s other states I got as many as 30 points in, but those are bonus based where I’ve already been aiming low for a decade without luck.

Sad the internet is so full of jealous young hunters who missed out on the good days so they take out their frustration on us. As others have commented, I’m just trying to be helpful and honest to the OP……….coming from an experienced standpoint. What is your contribution to his question?

Like most things in modern life for us youngins, its not jealousy, but frustration/anger/grief that the previous generation did such a selfish shitty job of managing the thing (hunting, economy, housing market, social security, etc) that it is way worse off than when they took charge of it.

 

[Letthemgrow]

 

[jimss]

I understand completely how young’ns must feel. Especially those young’ns that don’t live in a Western state with a wide range of big game species that aren’t available in the state where they live.

I think you are right that there wasn’t a whole lot of long-term fore-thought for some of the consequences related to pref/bonus pt systems and the cost associated with these systems. Early on they made sense but not in the long haul. That’s likely why states continue to tweak their systems.

I also understand the frustration by nonres paying such high application and license fees. It has gotten to the point that nonres families can’t afford to apply their children for many of these tags, especially those where they likely have little to no chance of drawing tags in their lifetime.

Well, I hope the younger generation can take on responsibility and accountability to improve habitat and preserve the wildlife we all love!

 

[Pagosa]

Im going to apply with my five preference points in WY and skip out on big game hunting in my home state unless I draw a limited permit. I personally can't see the wait for wanting to hunt a limited area that I have never set foot into.

 

[Kevin W]

I answered earlier in this thread it is not, yet I bought all three of my PP's this past fall. Last application season I swung for the fences (knowingly with slim odds) and obviously didn't draw any of the three. This application season I will probably swing for the fences on all three again, for my own reasons. Those reasons may not make sense to alot of people on here and I'm perfectly fine with that.

 

[elkhunter340]

I agree with an earlier post "It's time to burn your points and go hunting" this season I burnt 10 points on a general unit in Wy. used a guide and had a blast doing so even being my first time on a horse and at 67 years old I will start the point game again but only what it takes for a general unit I found the elk hunting there better than any I had experienced in Colo. the last 10 years of public hunting

 

[Zim]

Jealous? Dont really see that. Honestly see high point holders complaining more than people just starting out. When they had ample opportunity to get out in the field.

If you had been posting regularly for 30 years like me, you would know exactly what I’m talking about. I never got the unprovoked personal attacks in the first 15 years than in the last 15. I even got into many PM discussions with the trolls to get 100% confirmation. I was a Bowsite member since 1996. My comment is a fact, not an opinion.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Im going to apply with my five preference points in WY and skip out on big game hunting in my home state unless I draw a limited permit. I personally can't see the wait for wanting to hunt a limited area that I have never set foot into.

I've wondered how many people do/did this. I know more than a few.

All part of why tag sales and what people see on the landscape are a world different

 

[8andcounting]

I've wondered how many people do/did this. I know more than a few.

All part of why tag sales and what people see on the landscape are a world different

Different state and little off topic but I was bored so decided to go through Montana elk permit draw stats from last year , in a unit with a guaranteed LE tag there was someone that dumped 16 points on it and several more in the double digit range and dozens in the 3-8 point range . People are dumping points . For any reason they can find

 

[Forkyfinder]

Different state and little off topic but I was bored so decided to go through Montana elk permit draw stats from last year , in a unit with a guaranteed LE tag there was someone that dumped 16 points on it and several more in the double digit range and dozens in the 3-8 point range . People are dumping points . For any reason they can find

R or NR?