what to do, need some advice on Wyoming

[tom338]

Only been hunting elk the last 5 years, finally retired and can hunt elk. Did get my first bull this fall and have gotten a cow with a bow. I have a new hunting partner for elk. Great partner, pushes me instead of the other way around and is not afraid to put on lots of miles hunting. I'll be 61 and he will be 35 next season. I have 6 preference points and he has 3. So if we put in together we will average 4.5 points for next season. He wants to wait and put in for a real good unit. I'm getting up in years but still in ok shape. I see where even with 6 points there are lots of people who do not draw in certain units and even with max points there are some units its not 100% to draw. I both rifle and bow hunt and either way is fine with me. I am leaning towards hunting as much as I can in a unit to get to know it better. Even if we do draw that great tag we will probably never put enough time scouting it to really help ourselves. We both live in MN and I can make an occasional scouting trip but its not that easy leaving the wife behind to do so. Getting long winded here so my question is what would you do...cash in the points and hunt or wait and get a few more points? I have deer hunted in 1 unit in Wyoming but didn't see enough elk sign that I would go back there, so have no starting point in a general unit either

 

[NoWiser]

Chasing units that you are a point or two behind is very often a losing battle. You need to decide on a Unit and look st the draw odds report to see how many are ahead of you. It’s very feasible that a unit you are two points from drawing now could be 3 points away in 5 years.

Perhaps you could draw a good unit with your 6 points, your partner could come with to help, and then he can decide if he wants to save points for it. Some of my most fun hunts were when I didn’t even have a tag.

 

[sdkhunter]

Agree with NoWiser... You're kinda fighting a losing battle if you think you're going to ever catch up on what are considered the primo units. Just this year, I'm coming to that conclusion myself with 9 points.... I've got enough points to draw a really nice hunt - maybe not one of the traditionally really hard to draw units but a good hunt - and maybe every bit as good as the 'perceived' better ones (some of those I won't be able to draw in 5-10 years).... If I were you, I'd look at the odds/options, I feel there are several good hunts in your PP range that you could draw - maybe as soon as this year... That way, maybe with some luck, you can get back to that unit in 3-4 years again - assuming you had a good hunt..

 

[480/277y]

Damn point creep.....

IF ONLY everyone with 9 points would spend them....

 

[375H&H]

If it were me I would wait just a couple more years, 2-3, and then cash in on the best unit you will almost certainly draw. That way you can plan better and have a better unit all but guaranteed. With 6 points you can get into some very good units, but with 9 you stand a shot at some great units, or guarantee a very good unit. Just my thoughts and keep in mind that whatever tag you draw you have already won because you are getting to go elk hunting.

 

[old man]

Why bother with points? Randy gets his Elk almost every where he goes.LOL

 

[375H&H]

Why bother with points? Randy gets his Elk almost every where he goes.LOL

Lol true. But Randy has a bit more experience and quite a few more guys helping him as well.

 

[wytex]

If you decide to bank those PP til another couple of years put in for cow/calf tags in an area you may try to draw that bull tag, you might both draw cow tags and get to know an area for later hunt.
With a proposal out there now by WOGA there may be more tags in the future:http://laramielive.com/wyoming-wildlife-managers-consider-changes-to-elk-tags/