5 points in Colorado

[standard_lengthy]

I went on an unsuccessful OTC guided hunt in co last year and want to go diy next year. I have 5 points and am wondering if I should use them for a bow or rifle hunt. Or should I keep saving points and do an OTC archery hunt? Life only lets me go every other year.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[JordanH]

Study the stats the state provides and look for units that take 5 or fewer points, for archery and rifle. Then look at the success rates and public access. Compare where you think you would hunt to migration patterns and seasonal concentrations and the time of year you will hunt. There are places that have great success rates but you could be in the right spot at the wrong time if the elk are not in that area at that time.

From that research you should be able to answer your question.

Then you can ask folks if they can help via PM with specific units/areas.

Just a suggestion.

 

[5MilesBack]

5 points will put you into a lot of really good elk hunting units. The problem is.......if you continue to save them, that won't change much until you get in the 20+ point range. There's a lot of "no man's" land in regards to points. I'd use them up quickly, so you can start saving them again for another lower point hunt.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Ditto what 5mile said.

Personally I have 5 elk points too. And 10 deer points. I didn't even get an elk point this year, or last. I figure 5 will get me the type hunt I want.

I burned 13 points for an archery hunt 10 years ago. Great hunt but that hunt now takes nearly 20 points to draw . I'd never catch that tag again. The difference between a 3-5 unit versus a 20 point unit isn't worth the wait IMHO. But the 3-5 point units are significantly better than an OTC unit.

In your case, wanting to hunt every other year, research the units that take one point to draw. Hunt it every other year. You'll have success by learning it. And the pressure in a 1 point unit will be less than an OTC unit.

 

[JordanH]

I burned my 5 elk points this year for that very reason.......

 

[fngTony]

Non resident? Then burn them. As a resident it's financially feasible to buy a point and an otc tag every year. Not so much for a nr. I'll echo the comment about no mans land with the points.

 

[Ben Nicholson]

Yep, I'm in a similar boat. 8 NR elk points. I'm burning them next year. Probably archery, possibly muzzy.

Good luck,
Ben

 

[5MilesBack]

Yep, I'm in a similar boat. 8 NR elk points. I'm burning them next year. Probably archery, possibly muzzy.

Good luck,
Ben

I would definitely do the archery tag. 8 points for NR ML doesn't get you much.

 

[ew2642]

Same deal here. 5 NR points. Already have my 1 point unit picked out. Once I burn these points I'll hunt it every other year.

 

[Ben Nicholson]

I would definitely do the archery tag. 8 points for NR ML doesn't get you much.

Good point. I'll stick with archery. Thanks!