WY 2017 point creep

johnsd16

Active Member
Mar 16, 2014
353
4
N Idaho
I started keeping records on units we are interested in hunting a couple of years ago regarding points for reg and spcl pp draws for 100% and % for the next point group below that. It seems that things had been flat to maybe a point more here or there but this year a couple of units took a decent jump (52-1 special) and basically everywhere I have my eye on went up for special.

Do you guys think that more guys are cashing in this year than banking because of the impending price increase? I am thinking so, and it makes it a little tougher to plan for the 2018 draw which is when we have been planning to try and draw.
 
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WY ME

Very Active Member
Feb 4, 2014
549
47
Wyoming
I thought my brother and nephew would be guaranteed an antelope tag this year but it didn't happen. I was blown away when I saw the amount of point creep applicants that showed up this year. It was more than the amount of tags available.
 

Blackdawg

New Member
Dec 25, 2014
20
0
My group split and the guys all cashed in all points this year.I will probably be looking for new guys to go with in the years to come,my buddies were stretching their blue collar budgets to go with the current license price.


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wy-tex

Veteran member
May 2, 2016
1,059
341
SE Wyoming
I believe the price increase was a big factor, but you NR will have to answer that one. Seems like point creep every time there is a tag price increase, which is not very often in Wyoming.
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2014
7,679
2,568
www.eastmans.com
If I remember Guy's research correctly there are a bunch of guys out there just buying points. Many waiting for the perfect year to draw, sounds like a bunch of then may be tiring of the game...


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Micah S

Active Member
Jan 11, 2016
377
771
Sandy Oregon
It's amazing how many people are sitting at max points and don't even put in for hunts. One of the units i was putting in for jumped 5 points in the last 2 years.
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
7,070
8,347
70
Gypsum, Co
Quite a few hunters will get to max points and then some to give them the best odds of drawing the tag that they want when they want it.

I did that in Colorado on both a deer and elk hunt. I was 99.99% sure of drawing the tags that I put in for, so that way I could plan out my seasons way before I even put in for the draws.
 

lostinOregon

Member
Mar 12, 2013
86
0
Canby OR
I think that the first time through their points guys held out for the top units. Once back in the draw they are settling for good hunts instead of waiting another 10 plus years to draw. It happens every time there is a point system implemented. Some of the smart guys don't hold out for the best and get 2 to 3 hunts in before everything starts creeping.

Rich
 

Manualman

Active Member
Aug 10, 2011
217
7
60
North Jersey
A lot of people might be afraid of a bad winter in the entire state and trophy potential drop for a few years so they are burning points. I burned my deer points last year because after a bunch of mild winters, was afraid of it all going south
 

johnsd16

Active Member
Mar 16, 2014
353
4
N Idaho
My hope is that this was a year that brought guys out of points only to cashing in and this will be a point spike rather than creep. Looking at the demand sheets there were sure a lot of point holders that burned way more than the "necessary" number of points in both the deer and pronghorn draws. I'd have to think that is fear of a trophy/population crash and/or to cash in to get out before the fee hike. The next couple of years of draws will be interesting to watch in WY, particularly the special.
 

shootbrownelk

Veteran member
Apr 11, 2011
1,535
196
Wyoming
It's amazing how many people are sitting at max points and don't even put in for hunts. One of the units i was putting in for jumped 5 points in the last 2 years.
I know a couple of fellas from Wisconsin who have 8 points each...going to buy another this year and not hunt. I question their strategy.
 

Work2hunt

Veteran member
Mar 2, 2013
1,366
11
St. Louis, MO
From a NR who hunts multiple species, in multiple states, has work obligations, and family obligations I try to get out West for about 1 week each year. I buy points for future hunts that I want to go on but don't neccessarily burn the points when I have the points needed to hunt a specific hunt I have chosen. I burn them when I am ready and able to hunt. This past year was a great example. I used about twice as many points as needed for the deer hunt I drew.

There are many reasons for point creep and so it is going to be real tough to figure out why on point creep.
 

RICMIC

Veteran member
Feb 21, 2012
1,966
1,706
Two Harbors, Minnesota
I have often wondered about some of the application strategies when I see the statistics where someone uses far more points than necessary to draw a specific tag. Well this year I am that guy. While in pursuit of a decent ER mule deer tag in CO, I have been shut out 3 times when I "Should" draw. I didn't like it when the state moved the ER season to coincide with the muzzle-loader season, and with my biological clock on a rapidly increasing downward curve it is time to hunt and not play the point game until I die. By doing a lot of research, and getting some stellar help from another forum member, I was able to slip into a muzzy tag with my 10 pts. that one guy drew with one pt., and another used 17 pts. A wise choice? Perhaps not, but I will be in the high mountains enjoying the fall hunt and won't lose any more sleep over it.
 

johnsd16

Active Member
Mar 16, 2014
353
4
N Idaho
I agree. I see the points as cheap insurance so to speak to be more sure (sometimes) you can draw a hunt you want at a certain time . That's essentially what our group is doing. With four guys soon all to be in different states, we don't have the schedule flexibility to make last minute adjustments to vacation schedules. It will be interesting to see how many point holders cashed in this year.
 

Horsenhike

Very Active Member
Nov 11, 2015
668
0
Eastern SD
Ya, our area was significantly different this year. Hope it was a one time thing rather than a continuing trend.
 
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Steve O

Member
Apr 26, 2012
90
34
Michigan
As a NR, I agree with most of the above. I think it is a spike rather than a creep due to the big increase coming up. I typically use points as insurance. Next year I will share my 8 points to get on a good ranch in a lower point area. I do have max deer points and I will use them in a few years AFTER I can spend some time in a couple of the units I have picked out. I want to have the time to devote to a GOOD mule deer and not go in blind. It's a big investment in time and money coming from Michigan and there are other points and states in loved as well. It's tough to balance it all.
 

jsc

New Member
Sep 25, 2011
7
0
Quite a few hunters will get to max points and then some to give them the best odds of drawing the tag that they want when they want it.

I did that in Colorado on both a deer and elk hunt. I was 99.99% sure of drawing the tags that I put in for, so that way I could plan out my seasons way before I even put in for the draws.
I think this has a lot to do with it. Wyoming draws later in regards to deer and antelope so it affords you the ability to wait and buy points if you draw tags elsewhere or cash in your max points when you are ready to hunt. I also think the winter issue moved people around to different units.
 

WapitiBob

Veteran member
Mar 1, 2011
1,384
53
Bend, Orygun
My family has several max point holders and we have no desire to burn points. We can hunt every year and haven't burned a point yet. I'll burn my Elk points in 2018 simply because of my age and the chosen unit.
 

00BUCK

Active Member
Feb 23, 2011
290
177
NorCal
I've been applying in WY for 8 years and am going on my third trip this year. I am always happy to have 0 points because that means I just went on a hunt. My goal is to hunt as many LE units as I can in my lifetime. Once I have enough points to draw a what I consider a good unit I'm in. Granted, every state has a different strategy but WY is my opportunity state with a great NR allocation of tags.