Nevada Worth the Money

[freu1chr]

Is nevada worth the money to start building points and applying for i was thinking of applying for desert sheep, elk, and mule deer is it worth the almost $300 a year or would i be better applying my money to a different state like New Mexico or Arizona?

 

[TheDudeAbides]

You may draw deer at least a couple times in 20 years, but in twenty years you may not draw either elk or sheep unless you get lucky.

Sheep is a tricky proposition, because Nevada does give out a bunch of sheep tags to NR's as compared to other states. The issue is there are a lot of people with more points than you will have, but you can always get lucky year 1 against the odds.

Elk in Nevada is tough, the habitat in Nevada doesn't support massive populations like you would see in Montana, Colorado, or Wyoming. They do try to maintain trophy quality in the state as well.

Deer in Nevada is a good thing to put in for while waiting for elk or sheep.

You also can plan a trip to a unit that you want to hunt and hunt Devil birds. Nevada has a bunch of chukars and they are a fun time.

 

[bklotthor]

I am strongly considering adding Nevada to the states I’ll apply in. Being new to the points/application game I think it’s very important to establish expectations that are realistic. To me that means focusing on hunts and units that are not considered to be the most sought after for giant animals and also hunting with archery equipment when I can while still having decent odds of seeing and taking animals.

For me I’ll look at Nevada as a place I can have a chance at drawing good archery deer in the mid term, antelope in the mid/long term, and elk as more of a long shot lottery chance that I may end up never drawing.

 

[Flatrock]

Unless you live close to Nevada, or are a bowhunter, or money isn't an issue, I have a REALLY hard time believing Nevada is worth it. I'm 36 and currently have 9 points there and feel like I should burn them on deer and antelope and then just be done with the state. Elk is very possibly a once in a lifetime tag. At best, you really can only expect to draw 2 tags and I think you have to be both young AND lucky to do that. For deer, even the middle of the road rifle hunts are 5-8 year draws. Late rifle deer tags are at best, once in a lifetime. Mid-tier antelope rifle tags are easily 10 year draws. And with my 9 sheep points, I am at about 0.10% odds for sheep.

Of course, you'll always hear the "somebody has to draw" and "you can't draw if you don't apply" but realistically, Nevada is a very, very tough state to draw rifle tags for a non-resident. With that said, I have a buddy who has drawn quality elk, antelope and deer tags in less than 5 years but he has been just outrageously lucky to do that. I've been applying for everything in mid-tier units for the last 5 years and haven't drawn a single tag. And that's to be expected. Drawing multiple tags with piss poor odds is just not to be expected. Archery tags are different and if you were to go that route, you could draw antelope and deer tags every few years.

Yes, Nevada has some excellent hunting but it is an awfully expensive state to be dumping $300 into every year.

 

[BuzzH]

Don't ask Zim...please, don't do it.

 

[DK27]

Don't ask Zim...please, don't do it.

Now I want to know what Zim has to say

 

[npaden]

I would say if you are having to choose between Nevada and Arizona, I personally would pick Arizona over Nevada. I would pick New Mexico over either of them if I had to choose.

With that said, I apply for pretty much every species in all three.

 

[rjthehunter]

Figure 300$ a year for 20 years and you're at 6k, and you don't know if you'll have a tag yet. Personally I'd save for a sheep hunt in Mexico. It costs more, but you'll be able to actually do the hunt while your body is able.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Now I want to know what Zim has to say

I'm sure it will be very positive. He is definitely a glass half full kind of guy.

 

[Flatrock]

Now I want to know what Zim has to say

Can get a little bit of it here: https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/starting-out-advice-welcome.266946/page-2

 

[Labman]

Figure 300$ a year for 20 years and you're at 6k, and you don't know if you'll have a tag yet. Personally I'd save for a sheep hunt in Mexico. It costs more, but you'll be able to actually do the hunt while your body is able.

Invested wisely making 10% a yr that $300 a yr is about $17k in 20 yrs. if you are starting at the bottom it isn’t worth it to apply from a financial perspective.

 

[BuzzH]

Figure 300$ a year for 20 years and you're at 6k, and you don't know if you'll have a tag yet. Personally I'd save for a sheep hunt in Mexico. It costs more, but you'll be able to actually do the hunt while your body is able.

Laffin'...try 50-60K for a desert sheep in Mexico.

Even investing $300/year in a very strong market isn't going to get you a sheep in Mexico, when in 20 years it will probably be 75-80K.

 

[geetar]

You may draw deer at least a couple times in 20 years, but in twenty years you may not draw either elk or sheep unless you get lucky.

Sheep is a tricky proposition, because Nevada does give out a bunch of sheep tags to NR's as compared to other states. The issue is there are a lot of people with more points than you will have, but you can always get lucky year 1 against the odds.

Elk in Nevada is tough, the habitat in Nevada doesn't support massive populations like you would see in Montana, Colorado, or Wyoming. They do try to maintain trophy quality in the state as well.

Deer in Nevada is a good thing to put in for while waiting for elk or sheep.

You also can plan a trip to a unit that you want to hunt and hunt Devil birds. Nevada has a bunch of chukars and they are a fun time.

Nevada is the only state out there that I know of with a growing sheep population.

 

[geetar]

Laffin'...try 50-60K for a desert sheep in Mexico.

Even investing $300/year in a very strong market isn't going to get you a sheep in Mexico, when in 20 years it will probably be 75-80K.

Yea I’ll just take the whole family down there and we will climb some hills and shoot one with a camera. I love sheep but I’m not gonna pay that big of money for one.

 

[Trial153]

depends on your budget and long term goals. Personally I apply in every state except for California , Washington and Oregon.

 

[NoWiser]

I have asked myself the same question a few times over the last 7 or 8 years, and my answer to myself is always “NO.”

If they didn’t square points I’d be in for Nevada for sure. The cost just isn’t worth the low (minuscule) odds, though.

Now if I lived next door and was looking for deer hunts, that would be another story.

 

[rjthehunter]

Laffin'...try 50-60K for a desert sheep in Mexico.

Even investing $300/year in a very strong market isn't going to get you a sheep in Mexico, when in 20 years it will probably be 75-80K.

No, 300 a year isn't going to save up enough. But do you want to sheep hunt or spend money every year and never have a story to go with it? I've heard from lower to mid 40k and up to 70k. Not that it's impossible, you'd just have to save some money. You could save a lot of time, and you'd actually be able to do the hunt.

 

[Carnage2011]

If you can afford it then apply. There are plenty of good archery deer options if you are a bowhunter that can be drawn quite often. Sheep and elk will probably take a while, but if you are going to be deer hunting every couple years you may as well spend the extra $40 to apply for elk and sheep. Nevada has phenomenal hunting with very little pressure and great genetics.

 

[Gr8bawana]

No animals to be found in Nevada, please move on folks.

 

[OverlordBear]

Prices are up on everything because we have an overall good economy. Wait for the next recession and prices will drop again. It is matter of waiting.