I have been banking points while waiting for retirement. That time is near and I would like to hunt the 2021 season. I stay in decent shape and can get out and walk. Any suggestions on a unit worth burning my points on? I hunted 90-1 the last time around. It was a fun hunt in a nice area. If I could combine the trip with some quality fly fishing near by that would be icing on the cake!
Wyoming Antelope with 11 preference points.
- Thread starter Zarn
- Start date
NEWHunter
Well-known member
Welcome to HT. There are no secrets. Any unit that takes that many points to draw is probably worth it. Find a unit that took a pile of points to draw this year, has what you’re looking for in terms of accommodations, scenery, fishing/small game, account for point creep, and apply. Good luck. Let us know how you do.
Agree with all this. One thing to pay attention to is point creep. As in, if you for sure want to do the hunt next year, a unit that took 11 points last year might not necessarily be a sure thing draw this year. Just food for thought.
Welcome to HT!
D
Deleted member 38069
Guest
Welcome! You could've hunted close to 5 times w/ 1st choice in decent units in those 11 years. Horns and antlers really get in the way! Memories and meat are, to me, the true trophies.
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Agreed, its mostly been a time and distance thing that has kept me away. With my career soon to be in the rear view mirror its time to start living again.
D
Deleted member 38069
Guest
Glad to hear it! At that $$ investment, you could try the special draw and hunt more. Either way, have fun and fill the memory bank and freezer!
WyoDoug
Well-known member
If you needed 11 points to draw antelope you paid too much for the preference points. You can pretty much pick anywhere in central Wyoming all the way from the Sheridan area south to Laramie and Cheyenne and you probably got a great area. I am a resident and I will be getting mine within 30 minutes from where I live.
rmyoung1
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@Zarn , congrats on your upcoming retirement. If your plan was to treat yourself at retirement with a quality antelope hunt, you are going to do just that, I believe. If I were you, since it is a pile of points you're burning, I'd look into the special draw for units like 57, 58, 62, 64, 67, 68, 92. Any of those units will provide you a top-notch hunt. Good luck. And, again, congrats on retirement.
WyoDoug
Well-known member
Aw,,, not faulting the dude at all. I saw what his intent was. My main thought still is he overpaid. Plus side is with that many points he can pretty much pick where he wants to hunt.
rmyoung1
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Yeah, I edited my post above. I dont' want to derail the thread here. It's just there can be a lot of (in my opinion) Monday Morning Quarterbacking of a guy's hunt application strategy on here. This is what worked for him, apparently, and we gotta hand it to him. If he wanted a sweet antelope hunt for a retirement present, he's gonna get one.
thusby
Well-known member
I hate it when people with more points than me decide to cash them in the same year I'm going.
2rocky
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Been there did that this year.
OP, Welcome to Hunt Talk. You have the pick of the litter with that many points. I'm going to offer an ALTERNATE APPROACH... find a 4-5 point unit and go with someone you really enjoy hunting with no points and let your points carry the average. Your children, or grand kids, or a hunting buddy from home. Believe me you will remember that EXPERIENCE more than the inches of score. Most folks outside of antelope country don't know an 80 inch goat from a 72 incher..
Congrats on your retirement. Look, the great news is, if you go for the special, there are probably only 4 units you won't draw with that many points (60, 61, 62-1, 114-1), and you might have a chance at those depending on how people allocate their points next year. But, there are probably only 3 more units you won't draw with 11 points in the regular (57-1, 58, 64). So what I'm saying is, unless your heart is set on 57-1, 58, or 64 (I may have missed one--did this fast), it's probably not worth it to pay for the special. Because those are the only ones you can probably draw on the special but not on the regular with 11 points.
Buffs35
Well-known member
I suggest you split points with me...
Hey no worries on the comments. I don't have tender feelings. I never even thought about point sharing with a son on a group app. That could work. The points were too expensive but once I got started it was hard to just stop buying. Something got in my way as far as hunting goes for way to many years. It should be fun.
I am in AZ near great Elk and Antelope units. Its hell to draw here though. I know guys who waited 20 years for a lope tag.
I am in AZ near great Elk and Antelope units. Its hell to draw here though. I know guys who waited 20 years for a lope tag.
huntin24/7
Well-known member
I think just as important in picking a great unit with that many points is finding a unit that has gone several years without a major winterkill and also had a mild winter the year you apply along with good habitat/food available during the Horn growing season. The area biologist can get you that info.
ashersdad
Well-known member
Welcome aboard and congrats on the upcoming retirement. You should have a fabulous hunt wherever you pick with that many points. Splitting them with your son may make the hunt that much better. Good luck!
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