Better to Draw a tag to hunt every couple years? Or wait to cash in big at hard to draw area?

[GodSpeed1]

Just wondering your opinion. Would you rather be able to draw a tag every couple years to elk hunt in an area that requires only a couple points to draw? Or play the long game and wait 10- 20 years to cash in on a once-in-a-lifetime area? I was contemplating whether it would be better to hunt OTC every year, and accrue points over time to eventually get that once-in-a-lifetime tag; OR draw a tag every couple years in an easier-to-draw unit. Thanks for your opinion

 

[Gerbdog]

Thats definitely an opinion question. I havent decided yet. Thinking of cashing in my points next year, i wont be able to catch point creep anyway and i'm interested to see what i can get into vs OTC.

 

[Indian Summer]

If you don’t hunt elk every year you’ll never learn anything. Learn how to find elk and learn your area by hunting as often as possible.

Would you rather date an 8 every weekend or a 10 once a year?

 

[Ucsdryder]

If you start building points today, as in you have zero today, you won’t be hunting any once in a lifetime units for the next 30-40 years. That’s one of many reasons the point system needs to go.

 

[Ucsdryder]

If you don’t hunt elk every year you’ll never learn anything. Learn how to find elk and learn your area by hunting as often as possible.

Would you rather date an ONE every weekend or a 10 once a year?

Let me fix this for you….if we’re equating otc to women I fixed your numbers.

 

[Afhunter1]

I have a buddy who just pulled a Colorado elk tag he started to chase when it was 8 points. He has 24-25 now and finally caught this tag. He is almost 80 as well. No point chasing for me.

 

[LostArra]

Just wondering your opinion. Would you rather be able to draw a tag every couple years to elk hunt in an area that requires only a couple points to draw? Or play the long game and wait 10- 20 years to cash in on a once-in-a-lifetime area?

None of the above.
I prefer to hunt elk every year. For the reasons mentioned by Indian Summer before he started talking about dating.

 

[ssramage]

Not elk related, but we have a pretty decent point system here in GA. The harder hunts for deer and turkey typically take 7+ points.

My preference has been to find places that I really enjoy hunting in the 2-3 point range, and get an experience every couple of years vs waiting. I put in for points for my kids too, so it ends up being that we get to do a hunt of some sort every year. My oldest did draw a harder to get State Park hunt this year so we're looking forward to that.

 

[Dos Perros]

I apply in 5 western states and am willing to vary the quality of the hunt I'm going for such that I have a tag in my pocket. I'd rather have a Montana general than a Colorado OTC. In the event I don't draw anything I'll go to Colorado just to be in the elk woods.

 

[SoloWilderness]

Hunt every year, 2nd choice or OTC. Save points for a special hunt every 5-6 years. My interpretation of a special hunt is something with a better than average chance of a nice 300-320ish bull, and better than average archery hunting on undisturbed elk. Holding out for a 20 year hunt in hopes of a 380 bull is something I just don't care about. I can kill an elk OTC or 2nd choice pretty consistently, and am more focused on filling the freezer with good quality protein, good horns are just a bonus. That being said, I won't shoot any animal with less than a good proportional 5x5 with decent size, as I would rather hunt and enjoy the experience, than just stick the first critter I see that's legal. I would rather shoot a cow than a small bull.

 

[feanor]

Cash in for the big one.

 

[TreeWalking]

I see guys wait a decade, sometimes over two, to get a coveted tag. They get the tag then they twist an ankle doing conditioning that summer, the antler growth is subpar, a forest fire closes some of the unit or access, the Feds go on strike which closes areas for hunting, summer stays late so animals move before first light, winter comes early so roads close and trails need snowshoes, they have a child on the way, they get divorced, they lose a job or the spouse gets sick, etc. A lot of pressure comes into play when you wait that long for a tag.

I might intentionally wait years to draw a tag in my home state. No way I am building points as a non-resident for a decade or more for elk, deer or pronghorn. You will get burned as a non-resident long before can pull the trigger on the wonder tag. Look at what WY has consistently done to non-residents with the cost of points and now cutting the tag allocation. My brother has max points for pronghorn, deer and elk as a WY non-resident. He has hope for great hunts to happen and dwindling health. I have filled 3 bull elk tags, two deer tags including 1 that did not use my points plus 5 pronghorn tags including 2 that did not use my points. All but one of my tags were filled with mature critters which leaves one pronghorn tag which was soup after the hunt. Great memories from actually getting off the sofa to hunt units that have decent harvest rates on mature critters and do not take a decade of points.

 

[jmez]

I prefer to hunt every year. I would hunt cows every year for the rest of my life if I was guaranteed a tag every year rather than waiting for a "trophy unit."

Big elk are cool. I'm not a trophy hunter. I love to hunt elk. I don't care what they have on their head.

It is personal opinion and perspective.

 

[Mojave]

This buck was a 9 point buck. Was not worth it for the buck. Huge drought. Done chasing points. Apply.

 

[Wapiti1]

I hunt them every year and also chase the big tags. You don't have to choose. Unless you just don't have or want to spend the application fees etc. each year. In that case, hunt as often as you can. You'll get more enjoyment out of many trips than just one.

If you just stick to ID, CO, MT and WY, you can hunt 2 states pretty much every year.

Jeremy

 

[Indian Summer]

Let me fix this for you….if we’re equating otc to women I fixed your numbers.

One! It’s not your license it’s your area. You need a new hunting spot! My general license area is awesome. See elk every day. Bulls most days. Kill one every year. So do my 1 or 2 partners and they are always rookies. I did as well on Montana general licenses too although it took me a bit longer to punch those tags.

My licenses are not technically otc but you can draw them with zero points. I do have a friend who hunts CO otc and has killed nice bulls including 6 points consistently.

This his his 16 year old son’s first otc Colorado hunt last year.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

If you are applying in a single state and a single species, attempt to hunt annually.

If you are applying in multiple states for a single species, choose one state to hunt annually and build points in the others. Your choice to swing for the fences (OIL) or just go for "above average".

If you are applying in a single state for multiple species, attempt to hunt one or more species a year; your choice if you want to hold out on any species for OIL or above average.

If you are applying multiple states for multiple species, you get the idea (similar to previous sentence).

--- According to a WKR I am what is wrong with Internet forums.

 

[Indian Summer]

One more thing brother… I would rather hunt an area that’s a 1 every year than wait 10 years, or even 5 to draw a LQ tag. The reason is because after a few years it wouldn’t be a 1 anymore. Maybe for newcomers but my knowledge of the area would increase the quality of the hunt. It would be an 8. If it didn’t have the potential for that I wouldn’t have invested the time there. That means it just has to have elk. I only need one.

 

[Ucsdryder]

One! It’s not your license it’s your area. You need a new hunting spot! My general license area is awesome. See elk every day. Bulls most days. Kill one every year. So do my 1 or 2 partners and they are always rookies. I did as well on Montana general licenses too although it took me a bit longer to punch those tags.

My licenses are not technically otc but you can draw them with zero points. I do have a friend who hunts CO otc and has killed nice bulls including 6 points consistently.

This his his 16 year old son’s first otc Colorado hunt last year.
View attachment 452523

Yep a ONE. And that’s most likely a tranny! Don’t be comparing your montana/Wyoming general tag to colorados Otc tag.

 

[Daves243]

I’d rather hunt elk than sit out. Go hunt! Life is short.