I really need some help wit a preference points strategy!

[bigdonniebrasco]

I am 51, and basically have zero points for anything,... anywhere! (I have a single point for elk in WY)

I live in Kansas so I am a NR for pretty much everything, even tho there are some tiny opportunities for elk, pronghorn, and muley in KS.

I have gotten my pronghorn the last few years in WY, but now I want to get an elk and a muley before my age/health keeps me from being able to do so.

I am not looking for specific locations, I am just looking for opinions on where I should by points in order to go chase elk and muley (not at the same time).

In the meantime I plan on going to CO next year for an OTC elk hunt. Not sure yet if it will be bow or rifle yet, but I would prefer bow.

Any insight at all would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Thanks

Don

 

[WapitiBob]

I would buy both for WY and I would buy Elk points in AZ understanding that the hunter ed point will be a must have and that late archery or late rifle will be the hunts you can draw.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Unless you already have health problems at your age Donnie, you have plenty of time to build a few points in Wyoming and wherever else you decide you want to hunt to do them. My gosh, I'm 20 years your senior and still go out for a couple months even if the tags I draw aren't that great and if I can do it you and anyone else that can save a little money up should be able to do it too. It's the adventure and not getting a critter on every tag that IMHO is the reason people should get outdoors as much as they possibly can. That was the philosophy my Dad taught me before I even started school and it has stayed with me my entire life. You also got some good advice from Bob before I hit send!

 

[npaden]

Idaho and New Mexico are both states that are true random draw so you don't need preference points in either state but you can only draw if you apply. New Mexico's odds are generally terrible for non guided non residents, but it is one of the cheapest states to apply for so it kind of evens out.

Just a few points in Colorado can make a difference on Elk and Deer there. It is an interesting state for preference points though because it seems like 1 or 2 points can be good to get you in a little lower pressure hunt, but to actually get to a "premium" hunt you are looking at 15 or 20 years minimum and with point creep might never get there.

Wyoming general tag elk can be had every 2 or 3 years on the regular draw, some of the regional deer tags might take 4 or 5 for the better ones, but worth applying.

Arizona is probably close to a 10 year window for a late rifle tag in a unit with decent success %. With the way the application works it is a little cheaper to build points for one species because you can get away with one license every 2 years if you work it right.

Utah and Nevada are probably not worth messing with. You might be able to pull a mediocre mule deer tag in 10 years but you are probably looking at 20+ years for a decent elk tag either place unless you get really lucky.

That's what it really comes down to. How much are you willing to spend. If you have the budget apply everywhere you can. Every year one of the Arizona strip mule deer tags or one of the early season Utah premium elk tags go so someone with zero or maybe 1 or 2 points. It can be done, it just isn't statistically very likely to happen. (like well under 1%).

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

I will go look at the AZ option right now!

I have heard that in order to get even a SLIM chance in WY it takes a crazy amt of points ( I will start looking at that today)

I feel like I know the Lope points/draw in pretty much inside-out. Just started looking at the other 2 critters.

Thanks guys!!

PS - Topgun ... you were a HUGE help with my very first out of state hunt years ago (pronghorn) and I have gone every year since, with a 100% enjoy rate! (and harvest rate).

 

[Elite7]

It doesn't take many points in wyoming or colorado to get yourself around the 30% harvest rate for elk. I would suggest building elk points and hunting antelope or mule deer more frequently. Throw in hunting oppurtunities in Montana, New Mexico, and Idado and you shouldn't have many problems hunting something each year while accumilating mid tier units. I haven't started points in Arizona yet, but will probably start in the next couple years.

Youre not going to kill anything if you dont make the trip out there every year.

 

[LCH]

I guess the strategy depends on your goals, is it get one nice muley and one bull elk and call it quits? Or hunt one of those species annually for the next 30 years?

My strategy, at 20 years younger than you, is to have my eggs spread out over several baskets, so I can count on going out and having a decent hunt somewhere each year. Just now getting into the point systems, I (and you should too) have mostly given up on ever drawing a "glory" tag, unless it is somewhere with a straight random draw like New Mexico or Idaho, and I'm still not counting on it.

For deer, I have areas I like in Colorado and Wyoming that each take a point or 2, so that I can hunt each of them every 3 years or so. I've also thrown Montana and South Dakota into the mix, though I've not had the opportunity to draw a deer tag in those places yet. Between those 4 states plus OTC in Idaho, if I want to hunt mule deer it's just a matter of picking and choosing which state I want to go for and what seasons fit my schedule. It may take a couple years to get to the point where you have those options, but there are always the OTC fallbacks in the meantime.

For elk, I've got a particular area I like in Wyoming that I've yet to draw a bull tag. I'm fine with hunting cows there until I do draw that area. I also have points in Colorado, but have yet to find the time to try and pull a tag there. I'd like to try OTC in Colorado or Idaho, but fortunately I've been successful enough at pulling tags that they fill up my calendar.

In a nutshell, try to get to a point where you have multiple options for the species you're interested in hunting (for me it's pronghorn, elk, mule deer, whitetails, and bears), and know where you want to hunt and approximately how long it should take to draw. And again, fill in the gaps if you don't draw what you want with OTC tags.

 

[teej89]

My dad is 68 and still trucking up the elk and mulie mountains, don't panic on the age deal!

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

Thanks again guys!

I should have been more specific with my objective. I just want to have the opportunity to hunt in areas where there is a realistic chance that the animal that I am hunting at least exists there!

I am not all about the horns (antlers). I would gladly hunt cow elk for years, in order to try and learn more each year leading up to a bull hunt. Same for Muley, I would just like a chance to get out and hunt them!

Before my hunting years are behind me I would love to have a "decent" one of each.

 

[wytex]

Get those Wyoming PP . Plenty of areas that you can draw with 2-3 PP that are decent hunting. Might not be known for big bucks or bulls but they are scattered around in almost any area.
If you alternate hunting species you could hunt Wyoming almost every year on low points.

 

[kansasdad]

bigdonniebrasco--mule deer in Kansas as a resident is possible every other or every third year. Gotta buy your point(s) and every year lots of folks score on a really nice "flatland" mule deer.
As you know, the Ft Riley elk hunt is a long shot. I now have six points after the most recent email informing me of my (expected) failure to draw. But you won't have even a snowballs chance without building points.

 

[LopeHunter]

Set a budget for what you want to "invest" in points each year and in tags/hunts each year.

If have a bucket of money then can always skip to front of the line for some species in the states that offer landowner or transferrable tags for certain species: CO, NV, UT, OR.

If have a budget then since you are in KS I would be applying to WY for elk/deer/pronghorn. I would also chase goat since no point fee though tough odds.Easy drive for you. WY offers random tags for your 1st choice though the better deer units have so few tags that by the time the NR allocation gets split between Special and Regular then split again between Preference and Random that several primo deer units award ZERO random tags some years to Special or Regular. You have figured out you can hunt pronghorn yearly even if no points going into the draw. You can hunt deer on 2nd choice as well. If you are looking for a unit that offers plenty of critters on public land and a harvest rate over 50% then can pull that Pronghorn tag every couple of years using points. Can pull that deer tag every 5 years or so using points. Elk tag might be closer to every 10 years using points. The wild card is you might draw a primo unit with no points since the Random bucket, if has tags, is in play. Sure, can be 1 in 100 type odds to pull a primo tag in the Random draw so you have to make a choice as apply: roll the dice on 1 in 100 type odds with 1st Choice or go for a choice that you should be able to draw? Depends on if you are willing to hunt 2nd choices for years or want to mix things up with a good tag more often than if only are willing to hunt great tags. Great tags that take 10 or more years to hunt are risky. Could end up being a crappy year for antler growth, federal lands close due to fires or government shut down, rain or snow restricts access, temperatures are too warm for a strong rut, family member needs your assistance during the season, lose job, blow out your knee, etc.

I would apply in NM for elk, pronghorn and barbary aoudad sheep. Again easy drive. Cost is nominal per year if do not draw. Could chase the sheep game there and oryz and ibex though low odds with a low annual cost.

I would apply in CO since is an easy drive but understand the 100% preference system means you are signing up to build 5 years or so of points then burn them on an okay hunt situation. You might have a great adventure and kill a huge critter but there will be some issues like a lot of hunters or fewer animals or brutal terrain or land access issues. You will not draw a great deer or elk tag in CO in less than 20 years when starting to build points now.

I would apply in AZ for deer and hunt Coues whitetail every 5-7 years in the pre-rut of late December. Get the AZ hunter's ed point as you never fall below 1 point in the draws. Since have to buy the AZ hunting license to apply for a single species then suggest you apply for deer and pronghorn as well. Could chase the sheep game there. Javelina points if want to hunt those.

TX has a few interesting draws. Are long odds but if want an alligator or some exotics or a ranch hunt for deer then is a long shot at $5 to $10 each. The drive to Gulf Coast is not too bad from KS.

ID and western MT are a longer drive from KS but can get elk tags there every year though draw/leftover/OTC strategy.

UT, NV, OR and CA offer few NR tags and odds are not very good. WA is not a trophy state so are better opportunity-type hunts much closer to KS.

Good luck with your strategy formulation and if are aggressive in your applications should draw a few nice deer and pronghorn hunts the next 10 - 20 years and a nice elk hunt or two. You might even score sheep or goat tag if beat lottery-type odds.

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

WOW! Thanks for taking the time to post all this awesome info!!!

I really appreciate it!

Don

 

[Mallardsx2]

I have ~ 10 species with preference points in different states that I waited until I had 3 in Wyoming now every year I will be hunting a 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 point area and by the time I make it to 10 points I am back at 10. I dont know if that makes sense or not. As long as I dont use more than one species of points during any given year everything else should keep building.

I will basically always have 5 hunts to choose from with preference points of 5 or greater at any given time on out.

I dont think I worded this correctly but you should get the drift.

For you, due to your age bracket I would be looking at drawing in an archery area every other year in Colorado with a point.

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

Thanks again guys!

I am already getting excited for my first elk hunt in 2019 !!!!