I have been doing some thinking and after 10 years in the Wyoming draw system I think it's time to enter the draw. I don't know that waiting any longer is really going to pay off. Thoughts?
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Max points Mule Deer keep them or burn them
- Thread starter Bruce
- Start date
JimP
Administrator
Do you have a particular unit in mind and have you visited it and scouted it out? If so I would say go for it. Other than that I would pick a unit and go see what it has to offer before I burned my points or you will be like a lot of hunters by getting onto the forums and asking where to go in unit XYZ. So pick a couple and go see what is in them this year and then if you like it you might be a little bit more familiar with it when you do have to ask a question about it.
Hilltop
Veteran member
I am not aware of any public land hunts worthy of 10 points right now. If they were my points I would sit on them longer until I felt I could draw a truly premium tag. If your willing to pay trespass or go guided, there are some amazing hunts you can draw now. That area south of Rawlins is holding some fantastic bucks right now but they live 99% on private land.
Slugz
Veteran member
I'm pretty sure the muleys in WY are on the upswing.....just my opinion but if I had max for up there I would wait another 2-3 years to get max value out of those points. Projected trend is its gonna get better.
Micah S
Active Member
I'd be inclined to go hunting, unless you have a better option. Doubly so if you are familiar with your chosen area or have a guide/local help.
I think the conundrum in WY is maybe there are not hunts worth 10 points, because there are some very good hunts as good as any in the state that take quite a bit fewer points. In 12-14 years will there be one worth 12-14 or will a bad winter or more wolf issues intervene? I'd hunt and then seek to learn an area I could hunt every 2-3 years if WY was on my Mule Deer list. Good luck what ever you decide.
I think the conundrum in WY is maybe there are not hunts worth 10 points, because there are some very good hunts as good as any in the state that take quite a bit fewer points. In 12-14 years will there be one worth 12-14 or will a bad winter or more wolf issues intervene? I'd hunt and then seek to learn an area I could hunt every 2-3 years if WY was on my Mule Deer list. Good luck what ever you decide.
TimberJunkie
Active Member
GO HUNTING!!!! You could die in a year, you could get ill, you never know. You could go into a decent unit and kill a monster 190" buck. You could wait ten yeas and the deer pops could be even worse. you have a golden ticket in your pocket, cash that shit in.
just my opinion. Venison now is better than no venison for ten more years. I am a pseudo trophy hunter though. horns don't mean as much to me.
good luck in whatever you choose.
just my opinion. Venison now is better than no venison for ten more years. I am a pseudo trophy hunter though. horns don't mean as much to me.
good luck in whatever you choose.
JimP
Administrator
The way that I look at it is that you must of been saving points for a reason or else you could of done 2 or 3 decent hunts in those 10 years.
It's up to you, if you know a area that you want to hunt and know that area then by all means spend the points. If you don't know the area take a trip to get to know it and then spend the points. Going into a area blind is one thing but spending 10 years worth of points and not knowing what is in a area or what it is like is hard for me to do.
It's up to you, if you know a area that you want to hunt and know that area then by all means spend the points. If you don't know the area take a trip to get to know it and then spend the points. Going into a area blind is one thing but spending 10 years worth of points and not knowing what is in a area or what it is like is hard for me to do.
CrossCreeks
Veteran member
I am sitting on 10 pp now and I think you are 100 % on. It would be different if I were not hunting other species and other states but since I am I will wait ( at least a little longer ) before I pull the trigger
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I would go hunting.
Even with max points, the highest demand units have a very low chance of drawing. So you could spend the next 5-10 years trying to draw that magical unit tag with no luck.
You get responses saying "there are no tags worth 10 points, wait till things get better". In 5 years will there be a tag worth 15 points? The only sure thing is that the demand continues to increase in most units, especially the better ones.
Max points = max points; doesn't matter what the actual number is, you just feel like it is worth more because you have more invested in your banked points, but they don't actually 'buy' anymore because the 'point cost' for a top unit continues to increase.
That's just the way I look at it.
Even with max points, the highest demand units have a very low chance of drawing. So you could spend the next 5-10 years trying to draw that magical unit tag with no luck.
You get responses saying "there are no tags worth 10 points, wait till things get better". In 5 years will there be a tag worth 15 points? The only sure thing is that the demand continues to increase in most units, especially the better ones.
Max points = max points; doesn't matter what the actual number is, you just feel like it is worth more because you have more invested in your banked points, but they don't actually 'buy' anymore because the 'point cost' for a top unit continues to increase.
That's just the way I look at it.
wy-tex
Veteran member
Looks at some limited quota areas not just region tags. Mule deer are on an upswing in some areas of Wyoming. Great bucks get taken every year in every area, you just have to put in the effort. There are some great limited quota hunts on national forest lands and BLM lands all over the state.
Naturebob
Active Member
Go Hunting. Waiting for a great tag doesn't gaurentee a great Animal .Being in the woods gives you a chance. I waited 18 years twice here in AZ. for a premium tag. Were great hunts. Good kills. but at age 60 looking back I think I would have liked to hunt more with perhaps 6,7,or 8 general hunts over that time. I have 9 points for deer and so far holding out for Strip tag. Best deer tag in the country, but don't know if IL'L ever get it. Might change My mind by deadline..............Good Luck..............BOB!
kingkiller
New Member
Area 89 is essentially 100% private land....There is some BLM scattered around,but you have to drive across private land to access it. Takes 8 points to draw for Full Price and 7 points to draw for Special,and I've read that the G&F has slightly increased the number of available NR tags this year. We're so blessed to have wonderful friends in Casper who have access to a couple of ranches. Guess we'll find out in a couple of hours.........
kingkiller
New Member
That's probably one of the more ridiculous statements I've seen in awhile. I'd get a better map...
CCMuleyHunter
New Member
Everyone thinks that building points is going to guarantee you a big deer. Right now there are some good numbers of big deer in the general units G and H. There isn't one behind every tree and there isn't a unit in the country that will provide that either. Killing big deer is about knowing their habits, where they live, where they go with pressure, where they go with weather, where they rut, etc. Sitting on those points won't get you any of this intel. You could have had multiple tags in G and even if you would have went home with tag soup, you would be much closer to killing a big deer based on your knowledge than you would with your points.