Question. I'm stumped...

[JohnCushman]

I have 3 points for Wyoming pronghorn now. I'm not a trophy hunter, but am rather fond of large bucks. My question is this.... Do I keep banking points and hunt second choice units for a while longer? Do I burn them in a 3 point unit? Do I put in for a special draw for a better unit? Are there good units for 3 points for NR? OK, so that was more than 1 question...but I was never good at math

 

[Redwood]

For what it's worth, my landowner buddies on the sd, mt, wy intersection area are still seeing low numbers. You can find goats, just not like it was before the die off. It's getting better though.

 

[Kevin W]

Some members are known to blow up on people for asking such a question......... luckily I'm not such a person. See I have 0 points and I would love to be in your shoes with 3 points. If I had three points going into next years draw I can see that the Non resident Special draw 3 points opened up to 100% draw in units 62, 77, 78, and 80 in 2012. 3 points in the non resident regular draw in 2012 got you a 100% draw in unit 48 1 and 48 2. Point creep and reduced antelope licenses may change these numbers in 2014 but I would loved to hunt any of these units as they seem to be highly regarded.

 

[WapitiBob]

I think it depends on what your plans are once you get back to zero.

 

[canvsbk]

At some point you enter no man's land with the PP deal. You have acquired some points, perhaps enough for a really good unit but it may take decades to gain enough ground to draw a spectacular unit. How much time do you have? You do realize that it's not possible to get to max points from your position now, you won't live long enough.
I think the Wyoming draw this year may have been effected by guys dumping points due to a tag price increase scare. I sure hope so because there was some craziness in the PP draw for sure.
As a NR I shoot for 3 antelope and 2 elk points in Wyoming. In Colorado it's 4 deer and 3 elk. If I bounce back and forth between them with OTC and leftovers and dumping points at my personal max I can stay pretty busy in the fall....

 

[1_pointer]

IMO for pronghorn in WY, it's best to not accumulate a bunch of points and just hunt them as often as possible. I've hunted them in three different places and saw what I would consider "large bucks" in all of them. Heck, some folks here have killed some very, very nice bucks in the very same units I've hunted. I'm just not as picky, patient, or as good at hunting them as they are...

 

[sbhooper]

I am in somewhat the same boat, except that I will have five points for next year. It is going to be my last trophy hunt, so I am going to do some homework before next year. After I use them, I will be hunting does only.

If you are looking for a good three-point unit, then 48 is a real good option (I don't know how the drought has affected it, though). Several years ago, I took my youngest there for a graduation present after we had accumulated three points. We scouted the area in August and found a secluded spot. We saw a buck that was definitely B&C quality. We went back on opening day and had two good bucks down before 10 AM-not B&C, but good bucks.

I think that I tend to agree with not accumulating a ton of points. We saw some real good bucks a couple years ago on a doe hunt in a unit that needs no points to draw. We saw at least two that I would have shot in a heartbeat. I was quite surprised, actually. I think there are good bucks everywhere if you are willing to hold out and keep looking.

 

[fowladdict]

Some members are known to blow up on people for asking such a question......... luckily I'm not such a person.

14 posts and you are showing us all just how nice of a guy you are.

Cush,

What 1pointer said. I will send you a message on fbook and let you know of my experiences on the west half of the state. With three points you have some good options. A lot of people tend to forget that there is a random draw for each unit. I have been fortunate to draw in the random draw when I did not have enough points. It sucks that you lose your points when drawn randomly, but if they take my money I don't mind.

 

[MN Public Hunter]

I say dump them ASAP as the WY DNR keeps jacking up the tag prices. Next years it's going up and who knows what those guys will do even the year after that.

Pick a good 3 point zone and go in 2014. Do not buy anymore points and just put in where you want or buy leftovers after that.

 

[EliAGrimmett]

The difference between the tough to draw units and and the easy to draw units is public land percentage and the number of trophy bucks per 100 does.

For instance, in area 64, you have almost all public land and you'll find a trophy (80+ B&C) buck for about every 100 bucks (from my experience). On the other hand, in area 48, you'll have to figure out the HMA/Walk-In situation and poke around the private pieces with your GPS to make sure you're legal (or call ranchers for access). Also, you'll only see about one trophy buck for every 300 bucks that you find.

This is just to say that there's good hunting in a lot of areas in Wyoming and that you should really just adjust your expectations accordingly and go hunt because you never know when you won't get to go anymore. My Dad and I apply for the best units we can every year in an attempt to use our points as soon as we can. We haven't drawn the last two years. Next year I'll have 2 and he'll have 3. We'll try to apply for the best units we can with that number of points and draw a tag so we can hunt. Points are only as good as the utility value they provide. Accumulating points seems to be a game for some people where the goal is just to have the most points. I don't understand it.

I killed my 91-2/8 B&C buck in an area that I drew with 0 points. I killed an 86 4/8 B&C in an area that now takes max points to draw.

Good luck with whatever route you go.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

The difference between the tough to draw units and and the easy to draw units is public land percentage and the number of trophy bucks per 100 does.

For instance, in area 64, you have almost all public land and you'll find a trophy (80+ B&C) buck for about every 100 bucks (from my experience). On the other hand, in area 48, you'll have to figure out the HMA/Walk-In situation and poke around the private pieces with your GPS to make sure you're legal (or call ranchers for access). Also, you'll only see about one trophy buck for every 300 bucks that you find.

This is just to say that there's good hunting in a lot of areas in Wyoming and that you should really just adjust your expectations accordingly and go hunt because you never know when you won't get to go anymore. My Dad and I apply for the best units we can every year in an attempt to use our points as soon as we can. We haven't drawn the last two years. Next year I'll have 2 and he'll have 3. We'll try to apply for the best units we can with that number of points and draw a tag so we can hunt. Points are only as good as the utility value they provide. Accumulating points seems to be a game for some people where the goal is just to have the most points. I don't understand it.

I killed my 91-2/8 B&C buck in an area that I drew with 0 points. I killed an 86 4/8 B&C in an area that now takes max points to draw.

Good luck with whatever route you go.

I would take this guys advice.... pretty sure he knows......
Matt

 

[canvsbk]

I would take this guys advice.... pretty sure he knows......
Matt

What he said...

 

[JohnCushman]

Thanks for all the good advice guys. I think it's time to dump my points

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I say dump them ASAP as the WY DNR keeps jacking up the tag prices. Next years it's going up and who knows what those guys will do even the year after that.

Pick a good 3 point zone and go in 2014. Do not buy anymore points and just put in where you want or buy leftovers after that.

***Why are you making these incorrect statements? The tag prices haven't been raised since 2008 and there will be no price increase until at least the 2015 season. All the Bills that were introduced in the 2013 Legislature concerning license increases were turned down and any Bill that is introduced in the Legislature in 2014 has to be passed and they wouldn't take effect until the following year in 2015 at the earliest. I wouldn't accumulate more than 3 or 4PPs at most because you can kill a good goat in just about every unit if you have the time and patience to find one. I drew a tag last year with 3 PPs in a unit that is off the charts and considered a yellow chip unit by Eastmans. I, as well as my two buddies, all killed goats in the upper 70s by the 4th morning of the season.

 

[mdhunter]

You call me. I have six points, you have three. We get averaged to five and you pick me up at the airport

 

[Zach]

Who knows, maybe you actually have more than 3 points?

 

[alwayshunting]

I am only now getting my first points in WY after 3 years of saying I was going to start. I plan to use them for a unit that does not require too many points and will probably just look for the best unit I can draw the year that it fits in my hunting schedule best.

Does anyone think to max points will top out with antelope of elk and what do you think that number will be?

 

[Topgun 30-06]

You call me. I have six points, you have three. We get averaged to five and you pick me up at the airport

***Your average would be 4.5, as Wyoming does not round up or down when doing a partie's PPs in the draws.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I am only now getting my first points in WY after 3 years of saying I was going to start. I plan to use them for a unit that does not require too many points and will probably just look for the best unit I can draw the year that it fits in my hunting schedule best.

Does anyone think to max points will top out with antelope of elk and what do you think that number will be?

***Next year the people who bought PPs from the program's inception will have 8 and I can see a number of the hard to draw units taking up into the double digits to even have a chance at drawing a tag with max PPs. That's the whole problem with a PP system if you don't get in on the ground floor when one is established and ther are choice units with a ton of applicants that slows the turnaround to a crawl.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

I have 3 points for Wyoming pronghorn now. I'm not a trophy hunter, but am rather fond of large bucks. My question is this.... Do I keep banking points and hunt second choice units for a while longer? Do I burn them in a 3 point unit? Do I put in for a special draw for a better unit? Are there good units for 3 points for NR? OK, so that was more than 1 question...but I was never good at math

I'll have 3 going into next year, I am going too try and burn my points next year, if not i'll than have 4....... my math is pretty good.......
Matt