Dying with points?

[Bullshot]

Over the past few years in a certain state I have tracked cumulative applicant participation in the point groups higher than mine. Call it the top 20%, people with or greater than around 20 points when I started. I have noticed an interesting trend that indicates a consistent year over year degradation in this applicant pool. This is after accounting for those who actually burned points and drew licenses. I assume this can only be attributed to deaths, people throwing in the towel, and those forgetting to apply at all - with deaths the most likely explanation of the majority of it as it is hard tp believe such dedicated applicants would just forget or stop applying. The trend is present in almost all point levels in all years, corrected to account for the same cohort (by calculating groups as 1, 2, 3 (etc) points above mine, not just by their specific # of points). I assume most people in this pool are 40+ with an average age much higher than that. It's an unpleasant thought, but the length of time it is taking to draw some dream licenses is probably influencing a good number of people to simply wait too long to hunt. The "decay" percentages I have seen are below. Anybody else seeing this in their data? At any rate, if true, rest in peace to those who passed on.

Year	Loss of top applicants
2019-2020	-2.40%
2020-2021	-1.11%
2021-2022	-6.17%
2022-2023	-3.85%

 

[belshawelk]

I was holding out in Oregon for a specific unit. First it 18, then 19 now 23 and up to 25. I said screw it and picked a unit they took 15 last year. I have 17. I sure as hell don’t want die giving the state anymore of money with nothing I return. At 54 it could that unit could be 30 which puts me at mid to late 60’s or 70.

 

[KipCarson]

It likely not just death, I assume there would come a point in life for most people where the reality of diminished physical capabilities set in. Reminds me of BigFins “you’ll run out of health before money” quote. No matter how bad they want it, there comes a point when their old legs can’t do the climbing and old backs can’t handle the packing.

 

[BuzzH]

I agree it's people finally deciding to draw rather than wait.

 

[Jwill]

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…

 

[rogerthat]

Yup. This is my plan in a bunch of states. Out live em

 

[SaskHunter]

I've pulled out of Nevada this year. I'm done, too expensive with the USD/CAD exchange rate, for ridiculously low NR odds.

Good luck boys, she's all yours!

 

[Bullshot]

I agree it's people finally deciding to draw rather than wait.

the “missing” numbers are in addition to those that drew.

 

[rmyoung1]

I've pulled out of Nevada this year. I'm done, too expensive with the USD/CAD exchange rate, for ridiculously low NR odds.

Good luck boys, she's all yours!

How many points ya got? Can we do a party app before your points expire?

 

[tormenter]

Dying with all your points is equivalent to going to HUNTER HELL.

Paying in all the fees and then each year hoping for good result. I might be one of those hunters in Colorado. I have 20+ weighted mountain goat points and if I don't get a tag in the next couple of years, then I will need to find and start applying for a goat unit I can drive to or get a horse into.

The thought on dying on the mountain doesn't sound to bad to me, but the wife would make sure I went to Hunter Hell for that action-haha

Painful to start thinking about this crappy way to get out of the point game.

Thank God - I drew and Bighorn Ram AND a Bull Moose tag in CO this year!!

 

[Zim]

I have 20+ points in many states. At 63 lots of wheels falling off. Feet & knees are lowering my access ability compared to my youth days. Will spend most my Wyoming archery elk hunt scouting for wallows and tree stand hunting. Strategize to draw one premium hunt each year in preference based states. I will finish burning five 20+ point hunts the next five years. After that I’ll be relegated to mostly bonus points only where I must rely on luck to draw. Nothing I can do in those states, like Nevada. Even with 23-28 points I can’t automatically draw even low tier hunts. No doubt I’ll be unable to burn some even after eclipsing 30, due to the cyber-masses these days. That’s not my choice, just the reality.

 

[glass eye]

I'm 60 and dropped out of several states about 10 years ago. I only apply faithfully in CA (home state) and AZ.
Alaska is my go to OTC state with applications for Emperor Goose. No point system in AK.

 

[Mountain Man]

What I don’t understand are the people with 30 points in CO who don’t apply for a tag. Draw one and go!

 

[Addicting]

What I don’t understand are the people with 30 points in CO who don’t apply for a tag. Draw one and go!

I know one of the high NR elk point holders. The guy buys them for his wife and she doesn’t want to hunt an elk unless is a glamping type experience. They don’t have the money for that so he just keeps buying points. She will die with them.

 

[tormenter]

What I don’t understand are the people with 30 points in CO who don’t apply for a tag. Draw one and go!

Moose/Goat/Sheep- Weighted point system for the most part is just a lottery. Hundreds of applicants will start having 30 plus points in the next few years. This system you either get lucky or keep putting in as there is no way to get rid of your points unless you drop out or draw.

 

[brownbear932008]

I don't plan on dying with points. Dropped NV and UT a few years back with low points. I will be that guy dropping 30 points on a ewe tag if it comes to that and it will be a blast.

 

[oxn939]

This thread brings up an excellent point that I think would be very useful for a lot of people to consider. Just burned my first set of points this year on a mule deer tag, and need to start doing more of that.

Clock is ticking for all of us. Go hunt.

 

[Rzrbk]

I built up enough points in California to finally draw the mule deer tag I wanted, I think it was six or seven points. Then my job moved me to east coast and now to NM and I suppose my California points still sit unused. I've got better hunts closer to home now and will probably never look back.

 

[Mallardsx2]

People are getting sick and tired of getting jerked around, people are aging out, people are dying. There are lots of reasons.

For example:

My dad has 5 points for DEA in Wyoming. Told me on the deadline of the 2023 application deadline that he didnt want to apply and won't be going west to hunt ever again.... I was stunned, especially since I had put all of my hunts this year on the side burner to go west with him..........He's 72.

 

[WildWill]

People are getting sick and tired of getting jerked around, people are aging out, people are dying. There are lots of reasons.

For example:

My dad has 5 points for DEA in Wyoming. Told me on the deadline of the 2023 application deadline that he didnt want to apply and won't be going west to hunt ever again.... I was stunned, especially since I had put all of my hunts this year on the side burner to go west with him..........He's 72.

My dad hit the same point about 68. Wasn't necessarily that he couldn't handle it physically as much as he just hated the travel and being away from his home. I don't believe he died with his Wyoming points as he stopped applying for 3-4 years before he passed but still let 7 deer and elk points and 2 pronghorn points slide.