Which of the big 3 in Colorado to keep going after?

[Kiwi]

I’m in the same situation as you, my son turns 18 next year and I have been buying him points.

My plan is to keep buying points for him for deer and elk but just apply for sheep and goat tags. Very low odds to draw a tag, but figure it's only another few dollars to play that lottery.
.

 

[TN2shot07]

I’m generally pretty optimistic but those three in particular I’m not spending money on. Like you said, a guided moose in Canada is mildly affordable and goat isn’t crazy. Sheep, short of a raffle are off the table for most folks. I’d rather save the money and bite the bullet on a hunt I know I can go on.

 

[BENEDSUM]

As a 28 year old looking back ten years I sure wish I had just focused on goats. Had no desire to hunt one, but here I am now with 0 points wanting to chase them.

 

[bigsky2]

He’s most interested in moose and CO has the best moose hunting in the lower 48….choose moose.

 

[Addicting]

I’m looking ahead to that day with both my kids. They are getting applied for a female tag and then that is that. They are on their own.

 

[tormenter]

As far as buying your kids points after 18. I would keep buying them points as long I could afford it and ask that they come see their mother and I, then we would fill out the applications and spend some time together.

Time moves quickly for both of you once the children start leaving the nest.

 

[npaden]

We discussed it and ended up dropping the mountain goat from the list for points this year. I'm still going to be paying for the points while he is in college and after that we will see.

Still applying for mountain goat, just not paying the extra $100 for the point each year.

Next on the list is Utah and Nevada, those are harder since the license is the costly part of those applications and the points are cheap. No idea what's going to happen to hunting out west by the time he would have enough points either place to feel like he had a really good shot at a decent tag.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I'd tell my 18 year old self to throw that money into an investment account every time I got the urge to apply in another state.

What Oak said 100%. It's the smart play.

 

[RunNGunSC]

I’m on the other end of the spectrum. My oldest is 10 and I’m starting to debate where to build her points. All my kids are already building points in Maine for moose and they all enjoy turkey hunting.

 

[ashersdad]

I'm in a similar situation with both my boys in college now. Pretty big hit when you're paying 3 times as much to apply in multiple states than you were just a few years ago. I told my boys I'd continue to put them in while in college and after that we'd have to see. I've also been very blunt with them. I don't see odds for any species in any state getting better going forward. I've told them if you have a desire to hunt in the future and especially out of state, you better focus on careers that will give you plenty of disposable income. Much easier to make $ than to chase points for 30 years with a very low chance of drawing the tag. That's my .02.

 

[CMF]

We discussed it and ended up dropping the mountain goat from the list for points this year. I'm still going to be paying for the points while he is in college and after that we will see.

Still applying for mountain goat, just not paying the extra $100 for the point each year.

I'll be in the same boat next year as my first of three turns 18. My first thought was to dial it back and get them points every other year, but we'll see when the time comes.

Next on the list is Utah and Nevada, those are harder since the license is the costly part of those applications and the points are cheap. No idea what's going to happen to hunting out west by the time he would have enough points either place to feel like he had a really good shot at a decent tag.

I'm debating on jumping into NV this year, already invested in UT. Probably do a similar thing and apply only as often as needed until they are working and can take over.

How much does end up costing for youth apps in NV? I know the adult license is around 155.

 

[mevertsen]

I'll be in the same boat next year as my first of three turns 18. My first thought was to dial it back and get them points every other year, but we'll see when the time comes.

I'm debating on jumping into NV this year, already invested in UT. Probably do a similar thing and apply only as often as needed until they are working and can take over.

How much does end up costing for youth apps in NV? I know the adult license is around 155.

 

[npaden]

We went ahead and applied him for everything in Utah this year. Maybe with the price increases it will have a few drop out and his 6 points will be worth something down the road.

About to make the call in Nevada. It is a big jump from $15 to $155 for the nonrefundable license and no tricks to do it every other year like Utah and Arizona. All in last year I spent $231 on my Nevada applications and as a youth it was only $91 for him for the same applications. Jumping to $231 per year and looking at another 10+ years before even getting to reasonable odds of 5% or so for most of the better tags makes it seem not super appealing. Probably do an every other year type deal to keep his points from expiring.

We passed on Wyoming mountain goat and bison this year and had already given up on Wyoming sheep and moose. The nonrefundable credit card fees are the killer in Wyoming, $54 for mountain goat for a .2% draw odds and $125 in credit card fees for a 1.6% chance for bison. I would be willing to pay the high tag price but at $125 for a 1.6% chance you are going to be spending $5,000+ in credit card fees before you even get to a 50% cumulative chance some 40 years down the road.

 

[CMF]

We passed on Wyoming mountain goat and bison this year and had already given up on Wyoming sheep and moose. The nonrefundable credit card fees are the killer in Wyoming, $54 for mountain goat for a .2% draw odds and $125 in credit card fees for a 1.6% chance for bison. I would be willing to pay the high tag price but at $125 for a 1.6% chance you are going to be spending $5,000+ in credit card fees before you even get to a 50% cumulative chance some 40 years down the road.

Yea, Wyoming cost suck! Never did jump in on msg, I've been trying Bison myself the last couple years, but sitting this one out with the sheep tag in my pocket. 6k for bison is just ridiculous. my daughter also drew a late rifle elk in AZ and off range Oryx in NM. Going to be a heck of a year while I try to build a house also, lol.

 

[mattkoors]

I was lucky enough to get drawn for goat (g10) this year with 3+4! I couldn't believe it. Its fun trying and it goes to conservation is my thought behind dumping the money for points, even if I do not get drawn.

 

[ismith]

This just hit my inbox a few minutes ago. A deal!!!



View attachment 365652

I’d do this if I could afford it.

 

[Khunter]

Well, my son has just turned 18 so we are having to have some serious discussions about which states and species he wants to keep applying for. Points for the big 3 in Colorado is going up to $100 each from the $0 we have been paying. I've been applying for him in pretty much every Western state for every species since he has been eligible but this year it's going to actually start costing real money to keep those points piling up.

Mountain goat was always one of my #1 priorities on drawing and odds in Colorado for mountain goat are about as good as you can get (still not great) but he isn't super pumped about mountain goats for some reason. He is more interested in Shiras moose than I am and odds in Colorado for moose are also decent (like 5% with 15+ points). Sheep is just crazy everywhere but I think if he keeps going he might legitimately have a chance to draw a sheep tag in the next 30 years in Colorado which is more than I could say for about anywhere else. Of course by then he will have $3,000+ worth of points assuming they stay the same price which isn't very likely.

Looking at cost differential, you can hunt moose in Canada in a few different provinces for under $10,000 for a guided hunt. Really that isn't way far out of line when you think you get to pick the year you are going to do the hunt and when it is going to cost $2,000+ of points plus the tag cost IF you end up drawing it at 5% in Colorado.

Mountain goat is a little more spendy but I think you can find something in Alaska for $15,000ish probably a chance at a bigger goat as well.

Bighorn sheep is going to set you back $40,000+ so even though the odds are terrible it is pretty much either get lucky in the draw or never hunt one for most of us. Even though that is the worst odds, that is the one I am most inclined to encourage him to keep applying for.

I'm probably going to be paying for his application fees for the next 4 years while he is in college but I'm not wanting to pay full price for him for the next 4 years only to have him not be willing to keep buying points when it comes out of his pocket so we are having this discussion now.

When the Utah, Nevada and Arizona draws come around we are going to have the same discussion.

Just thought I would throw this out there to see if I can get any HuntTalk wisdom to help us in our decision.

Thanks, Nathan

Odds are not likely 15% for nonres mose in Colorado after 15 years. My wife is a resident with MAX points 3+24 and barely seeing odds that good

 

[Khunter]

As a 28 year old looking back ten years I sure wish I had just focused on goats. Had no desire to hunt one, but here I am now with 0 points wanting to chase them.

LOL. A common story. I tell every new Colo resident who hunts nd says “ I am putting in for deer/elk to put in for everything cuz you mostly cannot predict what you may want to hunt down then line and having built cheaper points up as a resident is just the smart/mature thing to do.