Dying with points?

[Rhcuam]

Health and death catch up to us all. It’s hard to be too sympathetic to people who probably could’ve hunted dozens of times over if they just would’ve used the points.

 

[Zim]

Health and death catch up to us all. It’s hard to be too sympathetic to people who probably could’ve hunted dozens of times over if they just would’ve used the points.

What many don’t realize is there’s some states you ain’t gonna draw even with 12-22 NR points in the lowest tier units, like Nevada, Utah, Maine. And others like WY where no man’s land guys are throwing their points at crappy units, creating bad values, just so they can get out and apply in the general. After researching multiple 8 point units in WY this year I bailed and shared mine for a general. It’s a treadmill caused by information superhighway newbie traffic.

Then you get criticized for not spending them . I’ve spent nearly all mine that are in preference based systems where I could get a mid-tier unit. The remaining ~320 are in states that refuse to cash them for us, due to them being too busy converting our DIY quotas to expand outfitter welfare.

 

[Rhcuam]

What many don’t realize is there’s some states you ain’t gonna draw even with 12-22 NR points in the lowest tier units, like Nevada, Utah, Maine. And others like WY where no man’s land guys are throwing their points at crappy units, creating bad values, just so they can get out and apply in the general. After researching multiple 8 point units in WY this year I bailed and shared mine for a general. It’s a treadmill caused by information superhighway newbie traffic.

Then you get criticized for not spending them . I’ve spent nearly all mine that are in preference based systems where I could get a mid-tier unit. The remaining ~320 are in states that refuse to cash them.

I hear ya. I don’t wanna come off like I’m picking on you. I have no doubt that I will probably die with points in Nevada, Utah, and probably Arizona.
I know some people enter the point game not understanding how points systems work. A friend of mine has 22 nonresident Colorado elk points. He insists he’s going to continue to save up and eventually draw unit 2 3rd or 4th rifle, he’s in his mid 50’s. I’ve tried to explain he has a snowballs chance in hell of living long enough to catch up and draw that tag in either of the seasons but he doesn’t get it.

 

[Zim]

I hear ya. I don’t wanna come off like I’m picking on you. I have no doubt that I will probably die with points in Nevada, Utah, and probably Arizona.
I know some people enter the point game not understanding how points systems work. A friend of mine has 22 nonresident Colorado elk points. He insists he’s going to continue to save up and eventually draw unit 2 3rd or 4th rifle, he’s in his mid 50’s. I’ve tried to explain he has a snowballs chance in hell of living long enough to catch up and draw that tag in either of the seasons but he doesn’t get it.

Ya with 22 that’s the no brainer of the century do CO 61 2nd rifle. No man’s land for anything else. And that’s a great unit I burned 25 on the archery hunt just before. Had big bulls pegged at the last day of my season.

 

[TheGrayRider]

I am in for the long run!

One of my secondary hunting goals is to be the first person to draw a cow elk tag in a Western state with 50 bonus points!

Very possible moving forward…Happy hunting, TheGrayRider.

 

[3855WIN]

I have a couple former colleagues that just decided to throw in the towel on 17 deer points in CO. Healthy, late 50s guys with no kids that basically just got tired of applying…

Like they drew a hunt this year, or just gave up?

 

[KipCarson]

Sorry to hear that @Zim I wish you the best.

 

[Bluffgruff]

A friend of mine has 22 nonresident Colorado elk points. He insists he’s going to continue to save up and eventually draw unit 2 3rd or 4th rifle, he’s in his mid 50’s.

He could probably draw, only cow tags in those seasons

 

[Jwill]

Like they drew a hunt this year, or just gave up?

They just threw in the towel, still have the points, no plan on buying more or applying to hunt.

 

[Mountain Man]

As if that’s not enough, I’ve been dealing with torn Achilles tendons in both feet. The pain from which is why I’m up at 4 am typing this lol…….plus 4 years chronic plantar fasciitis & myriad of the usual knee injuries. Played recreational bball & hockey regularly until age 52.

Your story has me glad I dialed down my sports activities earlier. I played sports through my 20s and then stopped. I am 40 now and I recently thought about playing rugby again until I realized “Nope, not worth it. I want to be hiking mountains when I’m older.” It’s hard to balance that equation when you don’t know how the future will be. The riskiest thing I still do is skiing. Can’t give that one up for at least another 10 years.

 

[FairWeather]

My friend (who’s a financial advisor) was just telling me a story about one of his clients who drew a tag he’d been applying/building points for for ages…two months after he died. Sad tale.

(I’m going to take him out deer hunting for the first time this fall, and we were discussed the potential long term costs & possibly that you will never draw for certain tags in our lifetimes as folks just starting to get points in our mid 30s)

 

[Bullshot]

Sorry to hear that @Zim I wish you the best.

Same Zim. I know you have many many hunts still in you, nobody is writing you off, LOL, but the day-to-day realities of normal aging do impede our top gears sometimes and certainly nobody likes it. Pretty sure you remain in that camp of “not as good as you once was, but as good, once, as you ever was!” Keep hustling and good luck this season!

 

[Big Fin]

I fully expect to die with over 100 sheep points across various states. And I suspect whatever NV and UT elk points I have at the time. And like others have posted, each year Father Time makes that seem more likely.

If points I've bought turn out to be a lost investment, well I've pissed away money on far worse causes.