Point Creeps

[WY ME]

Has anyone looked at the new draw odds for nonresident elk? Ouch! I have several guys from out of state that have max points for elk but have yet to enter a draw. I looked at some different limited quota areas to see how the draw odds changed from last year and they are going backwards! One of the areas tripled in applicants this year.

I guess a lot of guys have decided it's time to start dumping points and go hunting rather than to keep collecting them for another ?? years.

 

[Musket Man]

I dont keep track of the max point units but the 2 units I am wanting to apply for in the next year or 2 both went up 1 point from lastyear

 

[WY ME]

While the limited quota areas that need max points are most definitely good hunts I think there is a point at which they are not worth waiting for, I think that point is getting close. A sheep tag may be worth waiting decades for but elk certainly are not.

 

[WapitiBob]

Some of the max point/special applicants would be hunting if they had applied in the regular side.

 

[EBOLAVIRS]

For the last 3 or so years, during every off season, there has been talk of raising fees, dramatic overhauls or system wide changes in the Wyoming F&G system. Each year this has prompted different groups of people to either stay out of or jump into the draw. The odds swing wildly every year, the odds anymore are just not that predictable, almost useless. Combine that with the yearly selections by the various mags which propel herds of lemmings in one direction or another and it is basically chaos. The only way to dodge it is to hunt off the radar places or be a max point holder which greatly limits your competition.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Combine that with the yearly selections by the various mags which propel herds of lemmings in one direction or another and it is basically chaos.

That's an accurate statement right there!

 

[kesand72]

I don't believe its ethical for states to allow point creep to reach the point where it takes a guy 15 to 20 plus years to draw a tag, all the while continuing to take his preference point money.
If a state can't offer a hunter the tag he wants within oh, say a decade, that state should suspend its preference point program until all those who have points built up have a chance to go hunting.
Just my .02¢

 

[Guy]

For the most part I think you are all right on the money. I studied the draw odds a little bit for some of my favorite areas and it seems like some of the max point guys who have been holding out for years, are finally starting to precipitate out of the system finally and are beginning to apply for tags. It's almost like they don't want to wait until they have 10 points for WY elk. I guess the moral of the story here is, that there where still over 3,000 nonresidents with max points before the draw, that can drop into the system and pull good tags when they want to. That is always the X-factor in these point systems. The point bankers and wreck the historic odds of drawing a tag and cause point creep. Ask the guys in CO about this one. It happens down there all of the time.

-G

 

[Boilermaker]

I'm a holder of many points in several states as well...because I chose to be. There are so many options out there that take 0 or very few points to hunt elk, deer, antelope, etc. Go explore new units in various states and find your honey hole you can draw every year or two all while accumulating more PP's and BP for the future. I promise you they are out there, you just have to work a little harder. On the off years you don't draw use that as an excuse to go hunt antelope, coues in AZ, or a black bear...all with OTC tags.

I just think of PP's or BP's as cheap insurance for a great future hunt that I could not otherwise afford! Hope you all have a great season.