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Buying my child points

MTHunter1321 said:
Thank you! Got her set up. Looks like I’m too late to buy points this year. We have another one on the way in February so I’ll get him/her set up too. Nothing says preparation like an ALS #1 😂
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Oddly enough, I do believe you have to be one-year-old in MT in order to set up an ALS number and buy points. Give it a try for your newborn (congratulations, by the way) but I think the kids need to be at least 1, for whatever reason.
 
rmyoung1 said:
Oddly enough, I do believe you have to be one-year-old in MT in order to set up an ALS number and buy points. Give it a try for your newborn (congratulations, by the way) but I think the kids need to be at least 1, for whatever reason.
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Good to know, thank you!
 
Do your toddlers a favor and refrain from buying them points. Good grief. You have no idea what kind of person they are going to grow up to be. Try to write the script for them and it puts adult-like expectations on a little kid. PP systems are not kid concepts.

My 3-year-old is obsessed with all things hunting - wild game meat, carcasses, hero pics, hunting videos, watching wildlife, guns, animal calls, you name it.

We do some age-appropriate outdoor activities that are fun and have a quick turnaround on a reward - engaging the senses and answering her questions.

All parents are surprised in some ways how their kids turn out as adults. Let them surprise you and celebrate their passions.
 
ElkFever2 said:
Do your toddlers a favor and refrain from buying them points. Good grief. You have no idea what kind of person they are going to grow up to be. Try to write the script for them and it puts adult-like expectations on a little kid. PP systems are not kid concepts.

My 3-year-old is obsessed with all things hunting - wild game meat, carcasses, hero pics, hunting videos, watching wildlife, guns, animal calls, you name it.

We do some age-appropriate outdoor activities that are fun and have a quick turnaround on a reward - engaging the senses and answering her questions.

All parents are surprised in some ways how their kids turn out as adults. Let them surprise you and celebrate their passions.
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I totally agree with you, but I don’t think there’s any harm in buying my daughter points. If she ends up being a hunter, great! She’ll likely be able to use her points for some tougher to draw permits that can be allocated to kids. If she doesn’t end up a Hunter, that’s great too. I won’t miss the $15 a year I spent on points. IMO it’s worth it to give her an opportunity for a special hunt that she won’t be able to do every year, if that’s something that she wants to do.
 
My advice is put the money into a savings account or some other safe investment and once the kid gets old enough use the money for several OTC hunts or a once in a lifetime hunt. I personally wouldn't invest it in preference or bonus point scams at this point in the game. p
There is a high probability that the child may not even hunt no matter how bad you want that to happen with all the things that grabs children's attention these days. If that happens use the money for something else that may be useful. Just my two cents.
EDIT: Now if we are talking minimum point fees in the state you live in I say go for it. But non-resident fees get very expensive when you gotta buy a license or so forth just to get the point. What I'm saying is it's a very expensive gamble not knowing what your child's interest may be down the road.
 
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brownbear932008 said:
My advice is put the money into a savings account or some other safe investment and once the kid gets old enough use the money for several OTC hunts or a once in a lifetime hunt. I personally wouldn't invest it in preference or bonus point scams at this point in the game. p
There is a high probability that the child may not even hunt no matter how bad you want that to happen with all the things that grabs children's attention these days. If that happens use the money for something else that may be useful. Just my two cents.
EDIT: Now if we are talking minimum point fees in the state you live in I say go for it. But non-resident fees get very expensive when you gotta buy a license or so forth just to get the point. What I'm saying is it's a very expensive gamble not knowing what your child's interest may be down the road.
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Agree with you on not doing out of state points. MT costs $15 per species for a bonus point each year. $300 total spread over the next 10 years for bonus points for elk/deer is worth it. Like I said, if she’s a hunter and can utilize those points for a special permit then that’s a great gift and experience I can provide her. If she’s not into hunting, I’m not going to worry about being out that money.
 
elkmagnet said:
If you really want him to have a chance save your wyoming points and split them with him when he gets old enough
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This is the only strategy with a shred of sense. At least you are not completely SOL if the kid has no interest. Start with pronghorn & deer. However, the way application trend is going, I myself would just target the general units for elk there when the kid is old enough. Don't know what minimum age to apply there is.
 
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RMyoung is correct on the odd provision of having to be 1 year old. I think you can get them an ALS # prior to being 1 but cannot apply for points. My twins turn four this week and are ALS 1&2. The cost of points add up especially since as stated above they may have zero interest in hunting. I hope at least one of them will enjoy it enough to drag me around the hills in 30 years. I only get them elk and goat points as the rest are either such long odds that points make a very small difference or not really needed for a good hunt at this point. I am building wy antelope points that I will save and split with them if they have an interest in hunting. Wy antelope units that take 6+- points are amazing compared to MT as far as pressure.
 
Look at your state's lifetime license. Some states start cheap and get more expensive as you age. Some cut you a break as you get older. The latter makes more sense but Louisiana was dirt cheap for a baby last I looked. Well worth the risk if you are an outdoors family and raise your kids that way.

On points, nothing wrong with one state if it's $15 or so per year. You'll blow that much on fast food on a day trip. Far different from spending hundreds across multiple states on the chance your child will hunt one day.
 
ElkFever2 said:
Do your toddlers a favor and refrain from buying them points. Good grief. You have no idea what kind of person they are going to grow up to be. Try to write the script for them and it puts adult-like expectations on a little kid. PP systems are not kid concepts.

My 3-year-old is obsessed with all things hunting - wild game meat, carcasses, hero pics, hunting videos, watching wildlife, guns, animal calls, you name it.

We do some age-appropriate outdoor activities that are fun and have a quick turnaround on a reward - engaging the senses and answering her questions.

All parents are surprised in some ways how their kids turn out as adults. Let them surprise you and celebrate their passions.
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I met a guy who was very happy his dad bought points for him as soon as he could. He grand slammed on sheep by age 35 or so. Drew a desert and rocky tag.
 
I have been putting my son in for points in Montana. He is now 6 and really wants to harvest a deer! I bought him a 6.5 creedmoor with a muzzle brake and he loves to shoot it. Any ideas on hunts that I could take him on now? I don't care if its a ranch hunt or not.
 
Dfowler08x said:
I have been putting my son in for points in Montana. He is now 6 and really wants to harvest a deer! I bought him a 6.5 creedmoor with a muzzle brake and he loves to shoot it. Any ideas on hunts that I could take him on now? I don't care if its a ranch hunt or not.
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Welcome to the forum
 
If I understand the verbage right changes may be coming to who can have points in Montana according to LC0766 on the bill tracking site.
 
My 4 month old son just got his ALS number today - #1. As previously stated by others, if he ends up enjoying hunting that'll be a great deal for him - he'll have around 17 points for sheep/goat/moose in MT by the time he finishes high school. If not, no big deal. I can't even say what that will mean in 18 years, but it's better than not having 17 points. I myself am far too late to get into the sheep/goat/moose point game, it'll have to be Canada or Alaska for me, but I want to make sure he has a chance to do something I won't be able to.
 
BoulderBulls said:
Does anyone know how Maine moose works? The way the website reads you could start building points right away.
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BB, Strongly recommend you invest your hunting funds elsewhere. I am a max point nonresident and still very unlikely to draw in my lifetime. Maine has a horrendous well-earned reputation regarding their hunting lottery, and totally throw NR's under the bus. To start with, why would anyone want to invest in a system where others can buy all the 10 packs of bonus points they want for $55? While your kid accumulates a whopping one point per year? Sound like a plan??? Newest screw job was skimming 20% of the NR quota for outfitter welfare. And they asked for far more, and will be back with a greased legislator. Those of us NR with 16+ years get 10 points per year added. That's a lot of points ahead of a ground floor applicant, even for our miniscule odds. Recently one California guy just bought $5,000 in points for three years and drew tags twice. Your money is much better invested in Canada if you want a moose. This is the most convoluted hunt lottery in the United States.

Non-resident Application Fees​

One chance: $15 (or bonus point only)
Three chances: $25
Six chances: $35
10 chances: $55
>10 chances: Available in multiples of 10 (e.g. 50 for $275)
When more than one chance is purchased it will increase your point for the current season only. Additional points that are purchased do not roll over from year to year.

Bonus Points​

Hunters who apply multiple years in a row without winning a permit can earn bonus points (extra chances in the drawing). Points are non-transferrable and are accumulated as follows:
0-5 years: 1 point/yr.
6-10 years: 2 points/yr.
11-15 years: 3 points/yr.
16+ years: 10 points/yr.
Bonus points are tracked by MDIFW using your name and date of birth. To receive bonus points, be sure to enter your correct name and date of birth on your application. You also need to indicate that you applied for the lottery last year. The online application will search our database for your record, and will display the number of bonus points you have.
 
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