5 points WY next year question

[tom338]

Didn't draw a tag again. Getting up in my years and have not shot a bull yet. Only 1 cow with a bow. Doing a OTC in Colorado in a unit I said I'd never go back to (really steep)this fall if I draw, anyhow. If you were in my shoes with 5 points next year Wyoming would you wait and collect a few more points or try to find a unit to hunt? Don't have a unit picked out either. One thing I am in better shape now than I was when I started elk hunting 4 years ago and this fall will be a really good test

 

[e300winmag]

Shoot me a PM. I can give you some suggestions. I always opt to hunt sooner in a less"prestigious" unit and will do my best to find a good bull and be able to hunt more often than wait many years till I beat the point creep. Lots of units in Wyoming can produce big Bulls...

 

[Trigger50]

Maybe look into Idaho.

 

[8andcounting]

Yup , better to hunt an OTC Colorado unit than not hunt at all while waiting to draw a tag , u won't get one on the couch . You can shoot a bull on public land on an OTC tag if you spend the time and have a little luck

 

[ida homer]

Your wasting your years. You need to worry about just getting a tag, more so than getting a great tag.

Get off the couch quick and get to MT, ID, CO or WY. Keep building WY points, learn how to hunt elk each year over the next 3 in an OTC unit, get experience, then make hay with that draw tag in a couple years and bag a nice one.

 

[Irrelevant]

I'm not getting up in age but will have the same # of points. I thought I was a shoe in for the unit I applied for but the # needed to draw jumped 2 points this year...

 

[LopeHunter]

I'm not getting up in age but will have the same # of points. I thought I was a shoe in for the unit I applied for but the # needed to draw jumped 2 points this year...

Playing the "long, patient" game as a non-resident is a risky strategy. As you experienced, the hunt that looked to be possible is now impossible with accelerated pint creep. Maybe a big bull was shot there last year. Maybe HuntinFool declared the unit one of the top units.

Over the past decade, most states out West have done things to negatively impact the non-resident hunt applicant. Not only fees going up at a faster rate than residents but lowering allocation of tags, etc.

First time bull elk hunters that hunt without an experienced buddy or guide have a much worse harvest rate than the unit experiences overall and is not unusual for a rifle hunt to have less than 50% harvest success. Great advice above about going on bull elk hunts several times prior to burning points on a tag you have waited 10 or 20 or more years to draw. Forest fires close units, roads get closed, winter kills happen, poor moisture years stunt antler growth, etc.

My 2 cents.

 

[tom338]

I actually had a unit picked out and the last 4 years would have drawn. This year needed 2 1/2 more points to draw that unit. Still don't know if its worth the wait. I plan on going every year somewhere, not living out west SUCKS

 

[Irrelevant]

Playing the "long, patient" game as a non-resident is a risky strategy. As you experienced, the hunt that looked to be possible is now impossible with accelerated pint creep. Maybe a big bull was shot there last year. Maybe HuntinFool declared the unit one of the top units.

Over the past decade, most states out West have done things to negatively impact the non-resident hunt applicant. Not only fees going up at a faster rate than residents but lowering allocation of tags, etc.

First time bull elk hunters that hunt without an experienced buddy or guide have a much worse harvest rate than the unit experiences overall and is not unusual for a rifle hunt to have less than 50% harvest success. Great advice above about going on bull elk hunts several times prior to burning points on a tag you have waited 10 or 20 or more years to draw. Forest fires close units, roads get closed, winter kills happen, poor moisture years stunt antler growth, etc.

My 2 cents.

So far it doesn't feel too bad, as I have found a good spot in ID that I really would prefer to hunt for a few more years. The budget currently only allows for one out-of-state elk hunt a year. I'm actually thinking two more years then I'll try to cash in on WY, I have three units I should easily be able to draw, and if not, well I'll just cash in on a general.

 

[tom338]

e300winmag, sent you a PM , did you receive it?

 

[5Speedjim]

Before burning points after years of waiting, why don't you get a cow tag and learn the area. You may get a rude awakening about the area. Elk may stay on private land or no public access

 

[JohnCushman]

Before burning points after years of waiting, why don't you get a cow tag and learn the area. You may get a rude awakening about the area. Elk may stay on private land or no public access

^^ This