LopeHunter
Well-known member
If you archery hunt then you have better odds in states that have archery only tags. Generally, the more primitive the weapon then the less the demand for the tags.
NM and ID do not award points so you are in as good as shape as any other NR when you apply. You may not be in very good shape but are as in good a shape.
As it stands now, you can buy OTC elk tags in CO each year and landowner elk and deer tags.
MT has had combo tags for deer and elk leftover after the main draw and these are available for purchase, first come first serve. I think they sell out now prior to the season starting.
You can buy NM landowner elk tags each year.
You can buy NV landowner deer tags each year.
You can buy certain tags each year in UT and are similar to landowner tags.
All the above does not require you to get into the points game or "racket" which it is.
For value, I would build pronghorn points in WY. No need to buy a hunting license and the pronghorn point is relatively inexpensive. You can draw a WY pronghorn tag in a good unit with a couple of years of points. An average pronghorn buck's horns are 70% of the mass and height of most state's better bucks so even an average buck will look good as a Euro or on the wall. A 280 elk looks nothing like a 350 elk yet a 65" pronghorn looks good, to me.
Point creep in AZ, CO, NV, UT, OR, WY, MT (two stage application to get LE tag) makes chance at a really top unit tag remote or something you might get ever 20 years or so. You might get lucky and pull a nice tag every 5 years or so from one of those states if go all in on those states. Going all in will run $900 to $1700 if you put in for all species due to needing to buy a license to apply in some and then point fees, habitat licenses, conservation fees etc. If you are happy with a 140" mule deer or 260" elk on hunts with lots of other hunters and 25% harvest rates or cow elk tags are on your bucket list then you can draw more tags. If you are looking to have hunts where are few hunters and high success rates maybe you pull a tag once a decade using the above point strategy.
Colorado has been good to me as a NR so I would suggest that as the state after WY to build points. Nothing rational about CO, just has been a lucky rabbit foot.
NM and ID do not award points so you are in as good as shape as any other NR when you apply. You may not be in very good shape but are as in good a shape.
As it stands now, you can buy OTC elk tags in CO each year and landowner elk and deer tags.
MT has had combo tags for deer and elk leftover after the main draw and these are available for purchase, first come first serve. I think they sell out now prior to the season starting.
You can buy NM landowner elk tags each year.
You can buy NV landowner deer tags each year.
You can buy certain tags each year in UT and are similar to landowner tags.
All the above does not require you to get into the points game or "racket" which it is.
For value, I would build pronghorn points in WY. No need to buy a hunting license and the pronghorn point is relatively inexpensive. You can draw a WY pronghorn tag in a good unit with a couple of years of points. An average pronghorn buck's horns are 70% of the mass and height of most state's better bucks so even an average buck will look good as a Euro or on the wall. A 280 elk looks nothing like a 350 elk yet a 65" pronghorn looks good, to me.
Point creep in AZ, CO, NV, UT, OR, WY, MT (two stage application to get LE tag) makes chance at a really top unit tag remote or something you might get ever 20 years or so. You might get lucky and pull a nice tag every 5 years or so from one of those states if go all in on those states. Going all in will run $900 to $1700 if you put in for all species due to needing to buy a license to apply in some and then point fees, habitat licenses, conservation fees etc. If you are happy with a 140" mule deer or 260" elk on hunts with lots of other hunters and 25% harvest rates or cow elk tags are on your bucket list then you can draw more tags. If you are looking to have hunts where are few hunters and high success rates maybe you pull a tag once a decade using the above point strategy.
Colorado has been good to me as a NR so I would suggest that as the state after WY to build points. Nothing rational about CO, just has been a lucky rabbit foot.
Muzzleloader antelope buck tags can be done about every 2 or 3 years depending on the unit, 4or 5 for rifle, but does every year as a B tag, so you can get 2 of them. Elk you can do OTC archery or bulls with a rifle every year while gaining points, plus a cow tag every year. If you don't mind hunting whitetails, you can get one every year out my way, plus a doe. Mule deer can be done every other year or so with archery and some decent units every 2-3 with a rifle. There are also a lot of leftover opportunities in lesser quality units, but it can be done. So, I love Colorado and it's hunting opportunities. I also like the antelope hunting in Wyoming with the reasonable NR price for a buck tag and being able to get 4 doe tags for $46 a piece. I'm looking into hunting Montana in the near future as well. But, I can get everything I want right here in Colorado 
