Anyone regret their point situation?

[MallardSX2]

I regret not borrowing to money to keep buying points when Colorado screwed be out of the 5 points I had when they went to a "buy a point every other year or loose them all game" back in the early 2000's....

It has since been switched back to a different agenda.

That pissed me off for sure but I simply could not afford to front the tage fees those two years and I didnt have a credit card at the time.

Asside from that, I only regret not getting in sooner in every state I currently apply for. At the time I just didnt have the money. I feel bad for people who will never be able to hunt the west because they simply cannot afford to do so. I dont feel thats fair.

 

[Beendare]

Anyone regret how far down the rabbit hole they have gotten with points?.......

I don't think a guy can beat himself up......there was no way to predict how this would go 20-ish years ago.

I'm sitting with 17 PP in Nevada and only a 1% chance of drawing an elk tag in a few good units. Discouraging, but it is what it is. I've decided to drop many other states where I had as many or more points putting in for high value species like sheep due to the lottery type odds of never drawing the tag.

Its pretty easy now-a-days to do the research and project out where he will be in 10,20,30 years with some of these Draws.

Now more than ever a guy that wants to hunt has to not only develop a strategy...but MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT.....a positive mental attitude and adjust expectations. Plenty of opportunities to hunt and enjoy the outdoors.

..

 

[bigdesert10]

Point systems are dumb. I get why they exist, but no one's going to convince me the juice is worth the squeeze. We'd all be better off if states went full random draw and stopped managing certain units like high fence Texas ranches. Tirade over. Hope you all have the best of luck this year.

 

[chasewild]

The only thing I regret, is something I couldn't control. My dad helped me build points for antelope and elk by putting me in every year since I was 12. I've hunted unit 10 for elk and 201 for antelope. But we couldn't afford the fees for goat or sheep.True, blue, middle class family where "credit" was the devil. After law school, I could finally afford goat and sheep and I may draw an archery sheep tag before I die, but it'll be tough to hunt it at that age.

 

[Fatcamp]

I regret not borrowing to money to keep buying points when Colorado screwed be out of the 5 points I had when they went to a "buy a point every other year or loose them all game" back in the early 2000's....

It has since been switched back to a different agenda.

That pissed me off for sure but I simply could not afford to front the tage fees those two years and I didnt have a credit card at the time.

Asside from that, I only regret not getting in sooner in every state I currently apply for. At the time I just didnt have the money. I feel bad for people who will never be able to hunt the west because they simply cannot afford to do so. I dont feel thats fair.

I feel bad for people who are told that without a bunch of points they can't hunt the west. With a little self-education hunts for deer, elk, and antelope are available every year in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado.

As far as fair, everything isn't equal. People need to decide what's best for them, and put forth the effort to make it happen. Opportunity is out there, it's up to you to make it a priority.

Drive a fuel efficient car, buy a tag for a unit with National Forest, go camp and hunt. Sure, you have to buy the tag, rifle, and tent, but if it matters enough you have some skin in the game. That's what's needed to hunt the west, not a bunch of points.

Note, I know you know this, I typed this out for the benefit of those less experienced who may be reading this thread.

 

[KurtR]

South dakota deer draw system is changing and with that a big push to get rid of otc nr archery tags. I am four years into elk hunting having not killed one yet i am more interested in hunting every year vs trophy chances. I only have a few points in other states than SD but will use them on general units as soon as it works out

 

[TheCougar]

I too wish that there was no thing as the “points game” and all states went to a random draw like Idaho and NM. Younger hunters shouldn’t be at a disadvantage. Most of the points systems that favor high-point holders are backed by old guys who have a lot of points, which is disingenuous at best. I never plan on holding more than 3-7 points in any state, except AZ, where I am a resident. I’ll burn the points in those low-mid tier units and hunt more often.

 

[Brooks]

I too regret buying points all these years in AZ the way AZG&F changed the draw and now point creep has doubled the points it takes to draw one of the tags I’m after. I don’t feel the same passion I did about AZ elk I did 16 years ago. If I ever draw out I’m done with AZ points for good.

 

[dreamingWest]

These days, I think if you're looking at point collecting as a means to hunt that premium 17 point unit or the “better unit next door” that only takes a “few more points”, you're thinking about it all wrong.

Points to me are a means to give you multiple year-in/year-out options. Don't collect 7 Wyoming points to get a 7 point unit. Collect 7 Wyoming points to have the ability to go hunt a general tag or lower point unit whenever you want to. Do this in enough states and you never have to be the guy that says “well, I’ll grab a point this year so I have a chance to hunt next year”. Don't fret about burning 7 points on a 3 point unit. To not feel as though you are wasting money, the goal just needs to be the ability to go on a public land DIY hunt. If one day you look up and for whatever reason you have the ability to draw some premium tag in a state you haven't had a chance to hunt. That's a bonus.

These are donations to fish & game that give you the ability to go hunt any given year. Don't lose sleep on using your 5 points on a 2 point unit. You get to go hunting.

 

[Netherman]

I too wish that there was no thing as the “points game” and all states went to a random draw like Idaho and NM. Younger hunters shouldn’t be at a disadvantage. Most of the points systems that favor high-point holders are backed by old guys who have a lot of points, which is disingenuous at best. I never plan on holding more than 3-7 points in any state, except AZ, where I am a resident. I’ll burn the points in those low-mid tier units and hunt more often.

I like having the mix. It allows me to draw a hunts I'd likely never have enough points to draw while still having a "sure thing" backup plan.

 

[Fatcamp]

South dakota deer draw system is changing and with that a big push to get rid of otc nr archery tags. I am four years into elk hunting having not killed one yet i am more interested in hunting every year vs trophy chances. I only have a few points in other states than SD but will use them on general units as soon as it works out

True, but it hasn't happened yet and when it does the draw odds will probably be near 100%.

South Dakota taught me all I will ever need to know about draw strategy. High point holders for our elk season whined about how people with less points were drawing tags in our bonus system. The fix was to cube points which essentially shuts out all new people to elk hunting. We examined the math, and our odds of drawing a bull tag is almost none. Before a point gave you a ticket in the draw. Now with cubing a person starting out is wasting time. I assume any system, much like Arizona and South Dakota have done, will change at any moment depending on who is singing the blues, and who they have listening.

 

[TheCougar]

I like having the mix. It allows me to draw a hunts I'd likely never have enough points to draw while still having a "sure thing" backup plan.

There is that benefit, sure, but it comes at a cost. Point systems are broken, period. There is no state where demand outpaces supply, and point creep is becoming a serious issue. The systems favor the few, typically older hunters, against the large number of new young hunters with few to no points. This is even more relevant in the age of “declining youth hunter recruitment and participation”, which is a drumbeat we hear often these days. My son, who is turning 11 this year, has very little chance to participate (with an opportunity to draw a tag) in many of these draw systems. To be clear - I’m not advocating for myself. I play the points game because it is what it is. I’m advocating for our kids, who are the future of hunting and conservation, being placed at a significant disadvantage for access to a quality experience that will reinforce their appreciation for wildlife and their habitat. True, there are youth programs and youth hunts, etc that supplement normal draw systems. The points system reeks a lot of Social Security to me - a system that is broken, but is difficult to fix due to the power of the segment of the population that benefits from continuing with a flawed system. There is no “right” for a hunter to get to hunt Bighorn Sheep before they are 90, or to get to hunt AZ unit 23 during the rut, but it would be more equitable is everyone had the same opportunity to have that experience, regardless of how long they have been chasing that tag.

 

[elkyinzer]

I regret ever buying points in Utah but 7 years deep I am in it until I draw an elk tag at this point. Their point system isn't the worst but the allocation of tags is ridiculous. I cringe every year giving those pieces of feces my money. All point systems are stupid. I'm not in as deep in WY and will just cash out with a general tag probably next year. I play the game in ID and NM, they have it right with random draws.

 

[LostArra]

Regrets? Yes
My problem is probably unique because I hunt a single unit and I'll probably never get to use my points to get a bull tag. Too much creep. I still hunt cows and pray for a random draw bull tag. I haven't decided yet to abandon my points.

Most folks buying their first preference point don't really understand the system and by the time they do figure it out they can easily be in no-man's land sitting with 6-8 points and nothing to show for it or even a prayer of an opportunity in the near future.

 

[Lawnboi]

I’m new to the points game.

I know damn well that I won’t ever draw a high point unit. Now I’m only building points to hopefully get tags in the future.

It’s stupid expensive, and I don’t quite understand how it has to be

 

[cnelk]

Colorado's 5 Year Big Game Structure is going to be revamped this year.
Who knows what will take place.

IMO - always a good idea to have some PPs in your pocket for such things

 

[KurtR]

True, but it hasn't happened yet and when it does the draw odds will probably be near 100%.

South Dakota taught me all I will ever need to know about draw strategy. High point holders for our elk season whined about how people with less points were drawing tags in our bonus system. The fix was to cube points which essentially shuts out all new people to elk hunting. We examined the math, and our odds of drawing a bull tag is almost none. Before a point gave you a ticket in the draw. Now with cubing a person starting out is wasting time. I assume any system, much like Arizona and South Dakota have done, will change at any moment depending on who is singing the blues, and who they have listening.

The elk thing was puzzling and the amount of people whining about deer season was astounding. With a little effort and knowing how to read draw stats having two rifle tags here every year was not hard at all. I think this new system is going to be a debacle and back fire on most of the whiners

 

[ChrisAU]

Colorado's 5 Year Big Game Structure is going to be revamped this year.
Who knows what will take place.

IMO - always a good idea to have some PPs in your pocket for such things

I'm deathly afraid of my decision to put in for first rifle instead of a preference point for my unit. I definitely care more about hunting than trophies, just figure I had a much better chance to tag a legal bull in 1st season but now I'm scared that that unit might require a point in the future - so I may be left having to skip a year, and then in theory skip every other year to get a point one year and then hunt the next. That sucks.

 

[gbflyer]

Didn’t even apply in CO this year. I am so disappointed in the state I grew up in that I may never return to hunt. I’m no longer going to support the front range agenda while they trample everyone who doesn’t fall in step. Not whining, just my own take. Has nothing to do with the increased fees or point creep.

The bright side is one less person to help with the crowding. Guess every drop helps.

 

[5MilesBack]

I started collecting points in CO for my daughter when she turned 12 in 2012........not that long ago. In 2017 she got a ML elk tag with 5 points for a unit that takes the same number of points for NR archery, which is very doable........and she shot the first bull I called in for her at 30 yards, a 330+ bull. I've seen plenty of much bigger bulls in that unit, but she sure wasn't going to pass on it for her first elk. I would take a 5 point or less NR tag every year I could get one if I was a NR.