Game Of Points

[mallardsx2]

Hello all,

I have always been a watcher here but since I subscribed to the magazine I figured I would become a member of the forum.


Like many of you I have been applying for points in multiple states out west.

I have done a ton of research and there are a lot of good online tools that help explain the point system but nothing is better than the magazine.

I guess the question I have that maybe some of you can help me with is that upon reviewing ultiple elk draws in colorado I for the life of me cannot figure out why there are people with 10 points applying for cow tags as their first choice in some of the areas that require 0 PP for a draw. They loose all of their points after applying for so many years of jumping through hoops and paying fees. I'm not complaining because that is just one more applicaant out of my way between me and a good draw chance but I just shake my head as to why someone would do something that stupid? It is such a hassle applying for these necessary prefrence points in these states. Colorado and Wyoming are pretty straight foreward but Im just haffled at these findings over the past several years.

Maybe I am missing something but this happens in a bunch of areas in colorado accroding to the draw results?

Is there something I am missing? Maybe they made a mistake on their application?

This isnt just an isolated incident either. Its multiple people doing this in multiple areas.

Hopefully everyone has a safe and adventorous hunting season and I wish everyone the best of luck!

 

[Hilltop]

I can't explain it either. I see the same thing in Wyoming every year. Some may be due to someone's health declining to the point that is all they feel capable of? I think others get fed up with the game and just cash points in. There are likely a few errors as well. I saw it happen with moose in Wyoming this year. A couple people applied for cow tags when they has enough points to draw a bull tag in some areas. A true once in a lifetime hunt for a bull moose thrown away...

 

[Dark Mavis]

Some folks will burn points so they can make a hunt with family/friends. Those 10 points might have been divided among 4 other people with no points. I know people that have burned quite a few points just to make sure their grandkids would get to go hunting.

Of course it is pretty easy to get cross eyed staring at a regulations booklet, and accidentally enter the wrong hunt code. Sucks to be those guys, and I pray it doesn't ever happen to me!

 

[CrossCreeks]

You know I have looked at the same thing and wondered what was going on but I guess there are many reasons just like has been mentioned. Too many doing it for them all to be making mistakes but I can really see people getting tire of playing the point game and cashing it in more so in some states than other.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Some folks will burn points so they can make a hunt with family/friends. Those 10 points might have been divided among 4 other people with no points. I know people that have burned quite a few points just to make sure their grandkids would get to go hunting.

Of course it is pretty easy to get cross eyed staring at a regulations booklet, and accidentally enter the wrong hunt code. Sucks to be those guys, and I pray it doesn't ever happen to me!

All of the states with points seem to do it different as it applies to group applications. Here in Colorado, the person in the group with the fewest points is the one that counts. Wyoming on the other hand, averages the groups points. It's pretty easy to get confused and make a mistake. I made a mistake this year on my elk app here in Colorado. I used my deer unit on my elk app also. I got it as a 2nd choice, so no points were lost, but I am hunting a unit I have never hunted elk in before....deer yes, elk no. Luckily I have done a bunch of scouting and think I have found a decent part of the unit for elk. The area I hunt deer in is pretty far from the elk area (40+ miles) and I have never seen any elk there.

 

[WapitiBob]

There are people who don't check their work and end up burning points for Cow tags. There were several who burned 15+ on cow tags this year in OR.

 

[cntryep3614]

Seeing how this can throw off an experienced western hunter puts doubts in my head on the future. I am definitely looking to put in for some elk and sheep points. for some of those tags a hunter will have a small fortune invested in points hope to never screw it up!!!

 

[QuazyQuinton]

This discussion board is not representative of the full spectrum of hunters. A large number do not understand how drawing systems work, even in their home state. This is frequently accompanied by conspiracy theories about their fish and game departments. Certainly some of those unfortunate entries are simple mistakes, but don't discount the impact of ignorance and paranoia, as well.

QQ

 

[mallardsx2]

I was mostly referring to the point tables in Colorado. Where they do not average points.

Interesting comments but I think we all mostly agree.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[sambo3006]

I hunted elk with a guy several years ago in Colorado who was a CO resident and was within 1 year of having the points for a unit 61 2nd rifle season tag and mistakenly put in for a first season unit 62 tag. The worst part of it was that he only had a day and a half to hunt. Ouch!

 

[25contender]

At one point quite a few years ago I chased points. Then I made the decision that the way the points game was changing it was not for me. I primarily Elk hunt and that is exactly what I want to do...Hunt. I don't want to wait for years not knowing what might happen to me or the system itself. So since the 90s I have been Bowhunting GE areas or easy draw archery areas and haven't looked back. I can honestly say that every year I have had multiple opportunities every trip and have taken some nice animals. Now whether I made the decision to take advantage of all opportunities that would be a different conversation.

 

[Sawfish]

There are people who don't check their work and end up burning points for Cow tags. There were several who burned 15+ on cow tags this year in OR.

What a bummer!

 

[Gr8bawana]

My son, brother and myself started bowhunting deer because here in NV there are always leftover archery tags for our hunting area. It got to the point where we only got to rifle hunt every 2-3 years. Even though only my son has arrowed a buck since we started about 10 years ago I would still rather be hunting with a bow EVERY year than with a fifle ever 2-3 years. No need to chase bonus points for "primo" areas.