Point Creep Got Me

[fportillo21]

Thanks for the info, i was thinking of starting to hunt WY and i didn't realize how bad point creep has made things!

 

[ElkArcher918]

I have 8 points in Wyoming, so I thought I would be good to draw one of the lower point LQ units for 2024. Saw the new odds today with 2023 info, and it looks like I will be one point shy of drawing the unit I had planned on hunting. I am looking at another of the lower tier LQ units. It's looking like it will take 5 points to be 100% odds. My questions are:
1) Is a 5 pt LQ unit noticeably better than a General tag? My thought was if there isn't a huge difference in hunt quality, a General may be better with the ability to move around. I may be way off here though.
2) Is there any reason to hunt another state this year and keep accumulating WY points? I never intended to have 8 points anywhere. I had planned to just hunt general and burn them every 4 or so years. Other hunts and life just kept getting in the way.

What do the RS folks think?

8 points is No Man's Land for a good Wyo NR LE elk tag. Maybe you get lucky in the Random draw but unlikely. Most guys aren't gonna fork $2K for the Special and as such I anticipate there will be more competition in the Regular (point creep). With the upcoming 2024 changes I would no longer "chase Wyo points" and instead go General. At least you'll be able to pivot and move around to different areas if one spot gets over run with hunting pressure.

 

[Dos Perros]

8 points is No Man's Land for a good Wyo NR LE elk tag. Maybe you get lucky in the Random draw but unlikely. Most guys aren't gonna fork $2K for the Special and as such I anticipate there will be more competition in the Regular (point creep). With the upcoming 2024 changes I would no longer "chase Wyo points" and instead go General. At least you'll be able to pivot and move around to different areas if one spot gets over run with hunting pressure.

This is the mentality I was referencing in my first post in this thread.

 

[Mojave]

You need to know what you are doing with maps. Some of these sub 12 points units suck for access compared to General.

 

[Mojave]

So similar story.

I lucky with 9 points on antelope, on a hunt that took 9 points that really took 11 points. I got very lucky and had one of the only preference points at the 9 level. So everyone on the interwebs and the state said 9 points, and it took 11 for 100%.

The year before it took 9 as well, everyone advertised it as 7.

 

[fatlander]

“Just find another trailhead, stupid.” That’s what Cam and Rogan told 13 million people a couple weeks ago.


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[Dos Perros]

Joe Rogan and Cam Hanes just swipe their credit card and go hunting. Maybe the two most out of touch personalities in the business.

 

[ProStaffSteve]

Joe Rogan and Cam Hanes just swipe their credit card and go hunting. Maybe the two most out of touch personalities in the business.

Killed me listening to JRE this year when he stated, "our elk camp in utah we go to every year." spent the first 6 months this year in UT and googled every rabbit hole, certainly no way short of being filthy rich that is possible... when you realize our beloved outdoors, untarnished by man, is still well under the grasp of capitalism. the trees might as well be cars on a highway. I'm not even poor, just not filthy rich, sat this hunting season out to work more. fml

 

[Mw01313]

Thanks for the info, i was thinking of starting to hunt WY and i didn't realize how bad point creep has made things!

yep. Was a shock for me too

 

[bowuntr]

I've been chasing elk point creep in Wyoming for half a dozen years... I'm hopefully cashing in with 13 this year and getting out. I feel bad for the new and young hunters... no end in sight. Ed F

 

[Mw01313]

I've been chasing elk point creep in Wyoming for half a dozen years... I'm hopefully cashing in with 13 this year and getting out. I feel bad for the new and young hunters... no end in sight. Ed F

That's pretty close to where I am. I am sure I will keep buying points, but never get over what it takes to draw a general and go hunting.

 

[MallardSX2]

Once I draw my lq I’ll only build enough to hunt general. That will be my future in Wyoming.

 

[realunlucky]

8 points is No Man's Land for a good Wyo NR LE elk tag. Maybe you get lucky in the Random draw but unlikely. Most guys aren't gonna fork $2K for the Special and as such I anticipate there will be more competition in the Regular (point creep). With the upcoming 2024 changes I would no longer "chase Wyo points" and instead go General. At least you'll be able to pivot and move around to different areas if one spot gets over run with hunting pressure.

I disagree. I don't think you'll see the odds change much. When your talking nearly a decade of your life, that's likely 25% of your available hunting years. When people realize that are they dropping out at even double the cost.

After all what's just another swipe of the card anyways?

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[ElkArcher918]

I disagree. I don't think you'll see the odds change much. When your talking nearly a decade of your life, that's likely 25% of your available hunting years. When people realize that are they dropping out at even double the cost.

After all what's just another swipe of the card anyways?

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So you think the average NR Joe is gonna fork out to $2K to go Special? I doubt it. Where do you think those guys are gonna go, Regular. Point creep will get worse for those LE tags.

 

[Riplip]

I have 8 points in Wyoming, so I thought I would be good to draw one of the lower point LQ units for 2024. Saw the new odds today with 2023 info, and it looks like I will be one point shy of drawing the unit I had planned on hunting. I am looking at another of the lower tier LQ units. It's looking like it will take 5 points to be 100% odds. My questions are:
1) Is a 5 pt LQ unit noticeably better than a General tag? My thought was if there isn't a huge difference in hunt quality, a General may be better with the ability to move around. I may be way off here though.
2) Is there any reason to hunt another state this year and keep accumulating WY points? I never intended to have 8 points anywhere. I had planned to just hunt general and burn them every 4 or so years. Other hunts and life just kept getting in the way.

What do the RS folks think?

Basically in the same boat as you with 9 points (deer and elk) and no clear direction or plan as I will most likely never catch the units that I originally set out to hunt. May just go general and find an outfitter with private land.

 

[sasquatch]

I have 5 as well. When I started planning, 5 would have been "overkill" for general but I wanted to be sure I'd draw when 24 came. NOW, with the new non-res price hike for the special draw starting, I'm not sure 5 will get it done in the regular draw. I'm sure I'm not the only one that refuses to pay he $2000+ for an elk tag...

You won’t be able to refuse for very long the way prices and demand have been heading

Or you just won’t hunt.

Ik one thing, when I spend $600 on a tag to hunt a gar hole I start wishing I could’ve paid $2k to have a decent hunt.
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[ikeG]

If you are familiar with a general unit and there's elk in there, no way am I gambling with my 5 points to try an unknown LQ unit that "might" have more or better elk.

But if you have no prior experience or recent intel from a good source, then that's a tough call.

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[KHNC]

Im skipping the GEN next year for sure. Im going to hold off and see what the Regional Cluster Fk does to point creep.

 

[Mw01313]

You won’t be able to refuse for very long the way prices and demand have been heading

Or you just won’t hunt.

Ik one thing, when I spend $600 on a tag to hunt a gar hole I start wishing I could’ve paid $2k to have a decent hunt.
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Where i am sitting on points, I dont think the 2k gets me out of the gar hole

 

[CAElkhunter]

I cashed in my 13 last year. Got tired of the creep and new prices for NR.
Had a good hunt and happy not to have to deal with it anymore.