How many preference points should you bank up for Colorado Archery Elk Primary Draw?

[sndmn11]

It seems like around 5 points is the sweet spot for ROI since you also have the choice of the hybrid draw if you want to try your luck.
Don't think I have the willpower to save anything more than that.

You won't have a choice in willpower or not if your goal is to snag a hunt code via hybrid.

 

[wildwilderness]

Resident of Colorado Springs.
Since I’m a new hunter no plans currently to hunt another state. Too expensive for me!
At this point just getting a bull to fill the freezer would be huge.
Yes, Id like to hunt archery elk every year. (2 three/four day hunts or one 7 day hunt per season)

Thanks,

Time is more important than what tag you have at this point in your hunting journey.

If you really want to be successful with a bow I would spend way more time than that - scouting all summer, every weekend and holiday, and actually hunting all season, to the point you think you may get fired from work or your wife threatening to leave you!

That will really accelerate the learning curve. Think about it like the 10,000 hour rule to become an expert in something-the more time you spend the quicker it Will happen

 

[Hnthrdr]

I would add spend all summer shooting as well, I think lots of archers are getting as bad as rifle hunters with the sight in and I’m good, I’m talking shooting 3-5 days a week minimum, lots of 3D targets too. We often only get a few shot opportunities a season, better be ready to capitalize

 

[LongWayAround]

Apply for easy to draw tags but plan to hunt OTC while you can. Don't save points long-term, use them regularly. You can have two elk tags per year (with exception) in Colorado. There's no reason not to have both and spend as much time hunting as you possibly can.

The point pool is diluted and in five years, your points will be worth three today. You'll never catch the top tier. To top it off, they will almost certainly change the point scheme in the future, possibly devaluing your investment.

The odds in the hybrid are terrible. It's just a random chance, not a strategy.

 

[Jaquomo]

It seems like around 5 points is the sweet spot for ROI since you also have the choice of the hybrid draw if you want to try your luck.
Don't think I have the willpower to save anything more than that.

I want to meet these people who've been hoarding points for 30 years and just hunting OTC!

There are over 500 resident hunters with 25 or more points. They hunt OTC, second choice, leftover draw, and other states. Be careful with some of the low point units. They are low point for a reason- either the hunting sucks or has a ton of private land with difficult public access, or they give out so many tags that they can be as crowded, or worse, than many OTC areas.

 

[ckleeves]

Guys have it in their head that a big stack of points is a guaranteed 360” bull or 200” buck and nothing could be further from the truth. Right now in Colorado if you’re holding 20+ deer points you pretty much just screwed up. You could have hunted a 3 point unit in 2004 and probably had the same hunt you can today with your 20+.

I wouldn’t think to deep on it. Get a handful, draw a unit that looks fun, rinse and repeat. The hybrid is basically a long shot that beats a point only code if you have the points to be in it. It’s not an actual draw strategy. The addition of the new hybrid codes will only worsen point creep for those hunts.

Jump around and get eyes on as many OTC units as you can so if/when they all go draw you know where you wanna apply.

 

[tkhuntsman]

As many as it takes to draw the unit you want their preference points in Colorado wich means the tags go to the highest points. 5 is the magic number and also where you are considered for the small percentage of hybrid tags available in premium units for hunters without max points. That said there's a lot of good hunts that take 3 points and give you a good opportunity at nice bulls.

Hello all,

• As a new hunter in Colorado, I'm trying to determine a strategy for the preference points to draw good units in the future/now.
• Curious to hear opinions on if you should just start saving up preference points by putting the automatic point code as your first choice and going for some of the easier units to draw for choices 2-4.
  • In this option, how many points would you consider enough to start applying for good units (not the best but better than the OTC units).
    • If grading units A,B,C for primary draw (based on quality of the units and statistics) I'm looking for B units.
      • Or save up for the top shelf A?
• Or strategy 2 is just apply for the unit you want (within reason) and if you get it you get it.

• Which option do you think has more merit?

Thanks,

 

[Chrizmac1995]

Guys have it in their head that a big stack of points is a guaranteed 360” bull or 200” buck and nothing could be further from the truth. Right now in Colorado if you’re holding 20+ deer points you pretty much just screwed up. You could have hunted a 3 point unit in 2004 and probably had the same hunt you can today with your 20+.

I wouldn’t think to deep on it. Get a handful, draw a unit that looks fun, rinse and repeat. The hybrid is basically a long shot that beats a point only code if you have the points to be in it. It’s not an actual draw strategy. The addition of the new hybrid codes will only worsen point creep for those hunts.

Jump around and get eyes on as many OTC units as you can so if/when they all go draw you know where you wanna apply.

Solid advice right there. Thanks!

 

[Chrizmac1995]

I would add spend all summer shooting as well, I think lots of archers are getting as bad as rifle hunters with the sight in and I’m good, I’m talking shooting 3-5 days a week minimum, lots of 3D targets too. We often only get a few shot opportunities a season, better be ready to capitalize

Yeah I'm going once a week already. Lots of 3D archery ranges in Colorado Springs. Just need to get more comfortable with steep angle shooting.

Best,

 

[Huntin_GI]

There’s always the leftover draw and the Reissue of good tags.

All is not lost.

Now dont go giving people hope. That reissue process is ALMOST as bad as Idaho on Dec 4th

 

[UncleBone]

Now dont go giving people hope. That reissue process is ALMOST as bad as Idaho on Dec 4th

The secondary draw gives 100% preference to youth, even non residents. Some kids out there getting to hunt pretty good units because of that. But it would be nice if they gave us residents the same opportunity.

 

[SuspiciousFish]

Well got a year or two left before all archery is draw so there is that, then points will only go up, get excited

But how will CO come up with all that sweet money from Texas OTC tags?

Oh yeah taxes...


In all seriousness, it would be cool if CO actually took care of residents like NM does where 80% have to be in state. If I have to put up with Jared Polis's bull crap for the rest of the year I should at least have a week or two to enjoy hunting.

 

[Hnthrdr]

But how will CO come up with all that sweet money from Texas OTC tags?

Oh yeah taxes...


In all seriousness, it would be cool if CO actually took care of residents like NM does where 80% have to be in state. If I have to put up with Jared Polis's bull crap for the rest of the year I should at least have a week or two to enjoy hunting.

Absolutely agree man… we are in a sorry state here, figuratively and literally. I guess my whole gripe with it is, if you want reduce otc tags look at both rifle and archery, it’s funny how they keep making archery units draw but won’t touch those dang rifle otc units

 

[Scoot]

If filling the freezer is the priority, think seriously about hunting for cows while building points. It'll give you great experience and make your draw hunt much better.

 

[cnelk]

If filling the freezer is the priority, think seriously about hunting for cows while building points. It'll give you great experience and make your draw hunt much better.

^^^ The thing is, as of this year, cow tags are the same NonRes price as NonRes ES tags.

 

[Scoot]

Good point, Brad- I forgot that. That's so damn Fd up. Is the goal to get nobody to hunt cows and to kill off all the bulls? Oh wait... this is CO- the goal is to kill off all the mature muley bucks, right? I guess killing off all the bulls makes good sense!

 

[MHB]

Word on the streets is that Archery OTC tags are going to be thing of the past here in Colorado. I would bet the first few years of no OTC tags thee will be a bunch of 0 point draw units available. If you are not already a member of the Colorado Bowhunters Association (CBA) I suggest looking into it and becoming a member. They are the only archery specific orginization advocating for us pointy stick and string folks.

I would suggest applying for a point first choice to start building points. Now the other side of this is that there is about 1/3 to 1/2 of point, point creep every year in units requiring 3 or more points. This means a unit that took 3 ponts this year will take 4 or 5 points when you have 3 points. Eventually you can get some better quality hunts (less pressure, elk acting like elk, etc.), but you will never catch the premium units in the Northwest corner.

Do your research on the draw statistics and find units that take 0, 1, 2, or 3 points to draw. You are looking for units that were under subscribed (had more alloted tags than applicants). Most people that are building points tend to avoid these areas because they have to burn points to hunt them. You can get some pretty good hunting in these areas and they are less crowded that OTC.

Look at the secondary draw. There are a number of these low point units in there. Be aware though that the secondary draw gives 100% preference to youth under 18 years of age.

Last resort is the leftover list, this is a rodeo. There can be some great tags that show up on this list. Keep in mind that it is not a guarantee that you will get one. Leftover day shuts down the CPW application site every year. Once the initial rush is over (9:00AM to about noon), an individual can pick through the scraps pretty easily. Just know if there are tags on this list after the first day there is probably a reason (little or no access, low animal population during the season, etc.).

As said above GET OUT AND HUNT any way you can. Get the experience while building points.

 

[cuerro viejo]

There’s always the leftover draw and the Reissue of good tags.

All is not lost.

this plus there are lots of tags you can draw second choice

 

[ckleeves]

Good point, Brad- I forgot that. That's so damn Fd up. Is the goal to get nobody to hunt cows and to kill off all the bulls? Oh wait... this is CO- the goal is to kill off all the mature muley bucks, right? I guess killing off all the bulls makes good sense!

Otc bull tags have been around forever and I’m not seeing all the bulls get killed off. From a reproduction/more elk on the mountain standpoint cows are worth more then bulls so shouldn’t the tag should actually cost more? Not only that but during rifle seasons your more then likely killing two elk with the harvest of a cow.

I think it’s time we have a honest discussion about cow killing. I’m certainly not against it in units that need/can withstand it but there are plenty of units that you can buy a cow tag for that need every elk then can get.

If your a meat hunter you know when you pull the trigger on a 2.5 year old bull it’s gonna eat pretty good vs that 10 year old cow that looked about the same as the others in the herd.

Enough bitchin from me, I have just had it with all the guys who complain about elk numbers somewhere and how it’s nothing like it was 15 years ago, CPW screwed them, to many hunters etc and then proceed to punch their A list E/S tag on a cow and then punch their B list cow tag a month later and then wonder where the elk went!

 

[ladogg411]

yup, OTC and build points while otc still exists.

And since you’re a resident, put hybrid eligible codes in position 1 so you have a chance.