Anyone regret their point situation?

[Fatcamp]

The elk thing was puzzling and the amount of people whining about deer season was astounding. With a little effort and knowing how to read draw stats having two rifle tags here every year was not hard at all. I think this new system is going to be a debacle and back fire on most of the whiners

No doubt. In the end what a massive waste of time. In my opinion they haven't even really changed anything as most people apply for some 2-draw combination already.
I suppose we will see after the draw, but if cubing points was any indication of how SDGFP is gonna help me I will be careful not to hold my breath.

 

[jmez]

I don't think the points game is going away anytime soon. State Game and Fish Depts wouldn't be able to afford the lawsuits that would come with trashing the points game.

 

[TheCougar]

I don't think the points game is going away anytime soon. State Game and Fish Depts wouldn't be able to afford the lawsuits that would come with trashing the points game.

Sadly, this is a true statement. Point programs are cash cows and are entrenched.

 

[realunlucky]

I don't think the points game is going away anytime soon. State Game and Fish Depts wouldn't be able to afford the lawsuits that would come with trashing the points game.

Systems change all the time pretty easy to dilute points into a meaningless nothing if that was goal. Old crusted guys at the top of the pyramid are starting to get shouted down from the massive majority stuck at the bottom without a change in hell of drawing. Those are the guys funding the damn thing anyway.

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[jmez]

The old crusted guys are the ones with the money as well.

Systems may change but they aren't going away.

 

[204guy]

The old crusted guys at the top are also the ones with political power or "friends". I don't see things changing much anytime soon.

My only regret with the points game, is that growing up in the Midwest dreaming that some day I might go elk hunting I had no idea there was such a thing as points. Wish I would have started sooner than I did. I'm 8-9 years into it now and with young kids and all the available otc in WY I have more spare $, than time. So I'll just keep plodding away knowing that top tier units are unobtainable, but I'll have options when I decide to cash out.

 

[blackdog]

15th year building points in all the Western states that are possible. As an Oregonian, there simply aren't many quality in-state hunts available so out of state is easily a better option. And now the biggest stress is the what to hunt and where to hunt each fall now as there's some really great opportunities available. I'd love to actually be able to plan 2 out of state hunts each fall but the family and job thing really only allow for one good one each year.
And it's not like I've been sitting on the sidelines for these 15 years, waiting for the points to build up. I think every year I've either had an out of state hunt someplace or a big Oregon tag to dedicate all summer and fall to (drew my own sheep tag plus helped out 4 other buddies who drew sheep tags as well).
So zero regrets here. Yes its expensive but it's well worth it in my opinion.

 

[5MilesBack]

Looking at CO there are two residents with 32 elk points. There isn't a hunt in the state that takes anywhere near 32 points for a resident. And these guys had 31 last year, so they keep putting in every year. There were 34,103 residents that applied only for an elk point.......including these two yahoos. Have no idea what they're waiting for, but it doesn't appear to be a hunt of any kind. There are probably many more that do this as well......for whatever reason.

Maybe they're hoping on point banking, so they can get a couple 15+ point hunts in........who knows?

 

[cnelk]

^^^^ Those 2 residents that have 32 PPs only have $96 invested in their points - up until this year

 

[Shrek]

I had two Wyoming points that I abandoned. I can hunt deer and elk every year somewhere in the west and have a great adventure. I support random draws for everything and an end to trophy managed units. I like big antlers but they’re not important to me. If given the choice of shooting a 250” bull or shooting a 380” bull standing next to the 250” bull I’m shooting the 380” bull but I’m not going hunting somewhere because there’s just no really big bulls there. The buck I shot this year in Georgia I couldn’t be happier with. He was in decline and probably the oldest buck I’ve ever shot. He was the right deer to take from the herd and I couldn’t be happier. Hunting , eating , and adventure is what it’s about for me. Point systems are a symptom of antler worship and entitlement attitudes that are eating away at the traditional North American wildlife management model. You are not entitled to hunt somewhere in high demand just because you have always wanted to. Just give me an even chance with the next guy at hunting somewhere with great genetics and a well managed herd for age and sex structure and I’m happy.

 

[ShortMountain91]

Just hope I live to see the day when some of these states dissolve the points systems

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[cnelk]

For those that dont like the Pref Point systems to hunt big game, Alaska doesnt use it.

Just saying

 

[timekiller13]

I tell you what i really disappointing about the points game, is that someone like my Dad will never draw a high end tag in a points state. I am 34. If I played the game starting now, I would have a reasonable chance of drawing a top tier tag before I am no longer able to hunt. But, my Dad is 60. He did not get into hunting until later in life, and did not get into western hunting until 3 years ago. Even if he started earning points at 57, it is highly doubtful he would ever draw a high end tag in a points state before he was too old to hunt. His only shot is to apply to New Mexico and hope he hits the lottery. He has probably 8-10 years left in him before he won't be able to climb the mountains any more. So, units like 2, 10, 201, 61 in Colorado are out of the question, basically. Utah, most of Arizona are unreachable as well. Fortunately for him, he doesn't really care. He has no desire to even try to accumulate points. He just waits for me to tell him "Hey, buy such and such tag, here are the dates we are going hunting" and he does.

 

[mooretitan]

Not sure why people complain so much about the point game. It doesn't stop anyone from hunting. There are more than enough states that offer tags that anyone who shows up and has the money can buy. No points needed. Just show up and hunt.
I dont mind the points. It allows me to plan out hunts in the future. I can only really do one big out of state hunt a year so why not build points in other states while I hunt this year. The last two years we hunted Idaho on an OTC tag with our group and we all killed bucks. My 12 year old son is 2 for 2. This year my dad wants to get back to Colorado. So he will use his 2 deer points and I will just get an OTC elk tag. We will see how that works out. If we enjoy it I will probably use my deer points in Colorado and he will just get an OTC elk tag. If not then maybe back to Idaho or decide to cash in other points from another state. But no matter what we will hunting somewhere. I see myself hopefully not letting points get 10 plus years before I use them but if it does then I will hold on to them and keep hunting other states until I feel like the hunt is worth the points.

I have deer in my home state that can be hunting from mid August to Mid Oct. Always something to hunt. Might not be the best trophy units. But always something

Now what I dont like is for states deciding what I can do with my points. I wish every state was like Wyoming and the ability to share points. I would love to be able to go on lesser hunts with family by sharing points.

 

[5MilesBack]

So, units like 2, 10, 201, 61 in Colorado are out of the question, basically.

I'm 53 and have been a CO resident all 53 years, and those units are out of my reach as well. It's just a matter of how you want to structure your hunting years. I'd much rather hunt a limited low point unit every couple years than collect points for decades, even if it was a guarantee to draw in a certain year without point creep. There are plenty of good units to hunt........it's the "getting away from people" that's the tough part.

 

[BuckSmasher]

I regret getting caught up in it. Like others have said I would rather go every two or three years to a mid tier unit instead of holding out for that 25 year tag. I have been doing that since 2011 going back and forth between Montana and Colorado. I really want to hunt WY on general tags but I am 13 points deep and hate to give that away.

 

[idaho-shooter]

I am very thankful I live in Idaho.
No point system here. Between my wife and I we have drawn 4 trophy species tags here and been successful on all.
Gave up on all other states except Montana. IMO point systems are a failure

 

[Lawnboi]

I really don’t understand the whole lose your points if you stop applying thing.

 

[jmcd22]

I am very thankful I live in Idaho.
No point system here. Between my wife and I we have drawn 4 trophy species tags here and been successful on all.
Gave up on all other states except Montana. IMO point systems are a failure

Hopefully we can keep what we have going here. Happens every year but there seem to be more cry babies lately crying about never getting a tag and trying to get a point system in Idaho.

I don't regret where I am with points at all. My dad and I have one state where we are trying for a decent hunt and the others are every few years. We figure if we want to go for a trophy, save the time and money from the point game and go guided.

 

[bigdesert10]

I don't think the points game is going away anytime soon. State Game and Fish Depts wouldn't be able to afford the lawsuits that would come with trashing the points game.

It's a piece of cake really. You just stop selling points while still continuing to let people spend them. Give them 5 years to use them or lose them.