Build Points or No?

[Nathan]

2019 I drew a second choice tag and got my 1 point.

I made a landowner connection and plan to keep hunting this unit for the foreseeable future. Trouble is I can’t decide if I should keep applying with my second choice and hope I draw to keep building points I can eventually use for a trophy or just save the $40 on the point and hunt the guarantee draw with first choice and just keep building points in other states for trophy hunts?

What would you do?

 

[Werty]

Unless money is an issue, I'd build points too. Things can dry up sometimes.

 

[NEWHunter]

Personally I would keep hunting that spot on the second choice and keep building points. WY has the best combo of quantity and quality for antelope and is probably your best opportunity to build points for trophy pronghorn hunts.

 

[Nathan]

I guess my fear is that as Antelope Hunting keeps getting more and more popular that second choice tag might become a first choice tag and I’ll miss out and not draw it.

 

[NEWHunter]

I guess my fear is that as Antelope Hunting keeps getting more and more popular that second choice tag might become a first choice tag and I’ll miss out and not draw it.

A bit tough to offer an opinion without knowing the unit and which draw. But, I’d worry about that decision when the time comes. At that point you’ll have points to draw it with anyway. And any unit in WY could produce a high scoring buck. With all the years of draw history WY has available you should have an idea when you won’t be able to pull the tag 2nd choice anymore. The economy could go to hell too and then some of the easier to draw units could get even easier to draw next year, or the year after . . .

And either way, WY is still the best value in Pronghorn points so keep buying there. Yeah SD is cheaper, but the numbers and size aren’t there compared to WY. Arizona might have the world record but the cost in money and time is much higher. Can’t buy points in NM. Etc etc If you can afford points elsewhere, do that too.

 

[Buffs35]

State?

 

[Nathan]

State?

Wyoming

 

[Buffs35]

Wyoming

Grab the points and keep hunting in the meantime.

 

[406LIFE]

Guarantee draws are gonna start running out. Just last year there was a major shift. If it were me, I'd forget about the trophy thing and just keep hunting. I've seen some B&C class bucks in areas that didn't take more than 2 points.

 

[midwesthunter]

I would draw the tag as a second choice as long as you can

 

[efw]

I would draw the tag as a second choice as long as you can

^ Yep; to me there is no drawback to this course of action.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Burn your points!

 

[badlander]

If you’ve got private land to hunt, in a second choice unit build points. If you got lucky pulling this as a second, then apply as first.

If you do build 6-7 or more points you can hunt some pretty good units and have a crack at a big goat.

 

[dove_hunter]

If there are tags available for the leftover draw then I'd keep building points. If you are hunting on private, are there type 2 tags that are "private property only"?

 

[Dougfirtree]

I guess my fear is that as Antelope Hunting keeps getting more and more popular that second choice tag might become a first choice tag and I’ll miss out and not draw it.

Well, then those points will come in handy! If I were you, I'd keep hunting it and keep getting those points.

 

[Buffs35]

I would prefer you don't save points.

Sincerely, every western hunter.

 

[LopeHunter]

Apply 1st choice for a great WY unit while using your 2nd choice for the unit with your landowner buddy connection. You could draw a great tag and if not should draw the 2nd choice tag and if not then grab another point that year you are on the sidelines.

If the time comes you miss out on a tag as the landowner buddy unit transitions to less than 100% 2nd Choice then make some lemonade. Might be okay to have a year without a tag and can focus on another tag you draw or just take a break to get more exited for the next pronghorn tag you get in WY.

So, if miss out on 2nd Choice then the next year burn your points for a tag in a nicer unit (though put in 2nd Choice for the unit with your landowner buddy) then the year after that when have 0 points you can do 1st Choice with your landowner buddy as the new normal so will not build points for pronghorn in WY anymore.

Enjoy your hunts!