TEmbry

I already know about CO, WY, and AZ. I am aware that NM isn't on a bonus point type system.

My question is, how are the other states run? Are there any other states that don't require a license purchase to buy a bonus point? CO and WY you can just buy the point each year and thats it. AZ requires a 150 license to buy the 7.50 point. Out of CA, OR, WA, ID, NV, UT, MT, and any others worth applying for...which states offer preference or bonus points without having to buy a license? Fronting the money with a large sum refunded isn't much of a problem either, I just don't want to be out too much non refundable money.

Starting this year I will start building on AZ, CO, WY elk...and AZ for deer. In a few years I will begin on CO and WY mule deer points.

Just trying to figure out if there are any states I am overlooking. These will be long term minded point building...the earliest I can pull these hunts is 6 years from now, so I am prepared to build points for 6-12 years if need be to get in a pretty darn good unit for the states. Trying to plan ahead to be able to draw some primo tags down the road.

Anyone familiar with other states worth trying in my case?

game4lunch

TEmbry
I can't answer this question, but most hunters don't know that Wyoming allows a certain percentage (14% I think, it's a well kept secret) of first time applicants to draw a license. In other words, you still standa chance of drawing a tag the first time you apply. Otherwise, why even apply for ten years (or more)while you build up your points? So don't let that deter you from applying.

salukipv1

ID has no bonus pts and requires you to buy a license to apply.

If you must buy a non-res license in a state to gain bonus pts, you should just go ahead an apply/build pts for all species then, that way you cut costs, so a bonus pt no longer costs $150 in AZ....with 5 species etc...now its only $30 each.

Personally I think most western states are worth buying the license even if just to build pts...the states I apply to every year so far are...

NM, AZ, UT, NV, CO, MT, WY,

I have to buy a license in AZ, UT, NV, just to build pts.
WY however you don't need to buy a license but bonus pts aren't cheap, 30,40,50, 75, and even 100 bucks for sheep! I think AZ bonus pts are $7.50.

So any state that you apply in that you must buy a license....you should pick up bonus pts for all species.

I wouldn't wait til next year or couple years down the road to build pts especially if you're already applying in one state for another specie....

Just think of it down the road would you rather have 5pts going into a draw? or 7pts...? Also at some point you may have more than enoughpts to draw, so you can plan a hunt better knowing that hey if I apply this year...I'm guaranteed to get a tag...

hope this helps,

TEmbry

You guys misunderstood what I meant by the long wait. For the next six years, I will be on a fairly strict college schedule on the pharmacy program. During September when all the good hunts take place, I simply can not go. I am pretty much limited to August, December, and January for out of state hunts...which is how I will pursue my archery deer slam while still in college. It isn't that I dont want to go or dont feel like I wouldnt draw...it is that I COULDNT go even if I did draw.

Great advice...I just saw where I wouldn't need but 3-4 PPs in CO to get into a decent area for high country above timberline September mulies....so if I start applying now, I will be buying unneeded points just to keep my current ones from expiring. Im fairly certain every WY unit is this way too, no more than 3 points is needed anywhere.

AZ I will apply for every animal like you stated, and I will be making an Annual Archery OTC deer hunt in the winter, so the license cost is really null.

For 2009, I plan on getting AZ Deer and Elk points, possibly others as well. License price is nonfactor since I have to buy one for my Coues hunt anyway.

Elk- CO WY AZ
Deer- AZ
Moose- WY (Possibly, a Shiras Moose would be amazing)

If I do these then I am looking at about $320, $170 if I make the Coues hunt annually which I plan to.

In two to three years I will tack on CO and WY mulies, which will bring it up another $60 or so. This way when I graduate college for good in 6 years, I will have 8 AZ Elk points, 7 AZ Deer points, 6 CO and WY Elk points, 6 WY moose points, and 3-4 WY and CO mulie points. Alot of those are plenty for primo tags, others will take a few more years to get to the good tags possibility. I will start applying for all once I get out of school, but for now it is PPs only.


So Salukipv1, NV and UT require more money...do you know anything about OR or CA?

salukipv1

3-4 pts for CO mulies?

you may be right for something decent...but for the best seasons in the best units you need 10-12pts for rifle...

and 2-4pts for bow....

So I say gain pts, no reason to save a few bucks, better to have too many pts, than not enough...

CA I'm quite certain you need a license to gain pts...and its like $115. I don't apply there because I think they have few animals I'd want to go after, ie tule elk and desert bighorn, and I think the odds are just so horrible especially if you have 0pts, so it really isn't worth it.

OR- I think cost about $85 to apply and gain a pt for everything...I don't apply there, I think I will when I can feasably do a sheep hunt, odds are longshot, and if I drew a tag this year, I'd hate to do it half assed. I think WA or OR doesn't have pts so I may be mistaken, either way, I apply for neither of those 2 states, but do plan to in the near future to try and get lucky with a sheep tag....but like I said, only once I can afford to do it right and have the time/money to do so.

Aside from a few instances....it's hard to go wrong buying and building pref.points. Certainly lack of money / being young can influence this. Or extremely long odds....like paying $100 for a WY sheep point...I can't justify. But I did pay $75 for a moose point, but I think I can draw a moose within a decade, whereas a sheep having no pts in WY....I guess after 20 years....that would be $2000, and in the sheep world that's not much, but I feel like it's better spent elsewhere. Also maybe when I have more cash I'll start building some WY sheep pts. Personally I'm not a big fan of WY having 75% of their tags going to the most points...leaving only 25% for randoms....

I like nevada's system....squaring your pts....

TEmbry

At this point, I am just about bow only. Not against using rifle, just enjoy bowhunting that much more. These points would be saved up for bowhunting tags though. Thats why I said 3-4 points is about all I would possibly need for CO and WY deer for an early season High country bowhunt.

Thanks for your advice, I may shoot you a PM or email here soon about UT and NV and how their systems work. Like you said, license costs can be justified through multiple species points.

AZ has a great setup for getting a few extras. I plan on attending the Hunter Education Class for Nonresidents next January, and upon completion of the one day class you get a bonus point for life in all species that never expires, even after drawing tags. They also have a loyalty point, where if you apply 5 years straight, you get an extra point added on for doing so...the only thing you must do to keep it is apply every year without missing. Doing these two things, I can rack up 8 Elk AND Deer points for AZ in just 6 years.

salukipv1

Ya maybe I'll have to do that course too.

I only bow hunt too, I have enough pts for a CO mule deer, but I don't know when I'll end up cashing them in.

Feel free on whatever...

Seems like we share some similar views, I'm really only looking to draw premium tags/units/hunts, and hopefully soon every year I'll draw something great somewhere....

DeletedUser1

There is a website called Huntin Fool and their whole business is "how to get drawn" for all of the Western States. They explain all of the point systems and even have the draw odds based on how many points they have. It is a subscription based service with an awesome magazine. I highly recommend them for the serious out-of-state trophy hunter. There website is http://www.huntinfool.com/.