Knowing when to burn points.

[CApighunter]

What environmental factors do you consider when applying for premium deer hunts?
Too harsh of a winter and the winter kill rate is high, too mild/dry of a winter and the feed supply/nutrition quality is down resulting in less antler growth. Is there anything to look for when you want to cash in points during a “Goldilocks” year?
For the purpose of this, let’s assume tag quotas and season dates remain unchanged.

 

[Jimmy]

If I had enough points to draw where I want to hunt, the only thing that might stop me would be a bad winter kill.

Usually fire season is late enough the draws are already done, but that a factor when the whole unit is burning.

 

[Laramie]

Depending on the time of year the hunt takes place, moon phase is something that I consider. During the rut, it doesn't have as much impact but during an early season to mid October hunt, moon phase can impact how many hours a day deer are up during shooting hours. Beyond that, paying attention winter kill and severe drought make sense.

 

[Bull_n_heat]

When you can draw the hunt, you should. You could spend your whole life waiting on Goldilocks, but you should make the most of any porridge you can get in a primo unit. Bad winters might kill some deer, but likely not the age classes that would make up the ones you'd be after.

 

[JNDEER]

Ventured into a few X zones and have only burned points once for a hunt. Use the FG stats as a guide and put in when you have the points needed for the unit you want.

Fires, burns, weather never crossed my mind as a leading factor- no point in using 6 points for a 5 point unit.

 

[Laramie]

Ventured into a few X zones and have only burned points once for a hunt. Use the FG stats as a guide and put in when you have the points needed for the unit you want.

Fires, burns, weather never crossed my mind as a leading factor- no point in using 6 points for a 5 point unit.

I tend to disagree. If your timing is great on "the 5 point" unit, it can be a much better hunt than the 6. LQ is LQ except for a few select areas. You are saving points to have lower hunting pressure and more public access in most instances. If there are 300 tags in an area, you are hunting with 299 other hunters regardless of the points they spent. Of course some areas are better than others but I know of some 3 point areas that would currently be a better hunt, even for a first timer, than some 6+ point areas. All of that considered, timing your hunt during favorable moon phases, lack of winter kill 3-5 years ago, etc, can also help your odds of having a great hunt. The OP mentioned premium, so some of this won't apply as there are currently very few publicly know premium DIY deer hunts out there. However, if you save 10-20 preference points, you may as well pick the year that appears to give you the best possible conditions/odds.

 

[CApighunter]

Hadn’t thought about moon phase, this may be the time to pull the tag. Hardly any moon the first week of season. I’m no where near max points, but only having to compete with 39 other tag holders sounds a whole lot better than hunting my usual OTC tag with 34,999 of my closest friends. I still need to call the bio for the area, but I’ve e-scouted the bejesus out of it for the last week and found a dozen points of interest.

 

[Jimmy]

I think this will be a good year in CA. Go for it man

 

[cnelk]

Fires, burns, weather never crossed my mind as a leading factor- no point in using 6 points for a 5 point unit.

Man, that a great way to get burned by Point Creep.

 

[2rocky]

Once you are behind Max points, just figure out how long you are willing to wait for a premium unit or State.
I've burned points twice in CA, and worked Second Choice draws in Wyoming for general and zone tags for 3 species. I've abandoned hope for the Holy Grail units for the states I hunt regularly but I'll shoot for the moon for others because I have options.

There is no point (get it?) in not hunting 20 years then drawing when you are too old to get around. The states that have less random opportunities get relegated to "someday" status, and in the meantime I'm gonna get bloody hands in a more pedestrian unit and build my Hunting resume for when I'm being interviewed by "Big Hank".

 

[Northpark]

Honestly I hunt when I can. If the unit I was saving my points for has a winter kill or something I always have a backup unit picked out I can use my points on instead. Honestly I rarely end up with more than a couple points because I burn them in good units. A lot of premium units are premium because of reputation and aren’t necessarily way better than units that only require a couple points.

 

[CApighunter]

Once you are behind Max points, just figure out how long you are willing to wait for a premium unit or State.
I've burned points twice in CA, and worked Second Choice draws in Wyoming for general and zone tags for 3 species. I've abandoned hope for the Holy Grail units for the states I hunt regularly but I'll shoot for the moon for others because I have options.

There is no point (get it?) in not hunting 20 years then drawing when you are too old to get around. The states that have less random opportunities get relegated to "someday" status, and in the meantime I'm gonna get bloody hands in a more pedestrian unit and build my Hunting resume for when I'm being interviewed by "Big Hank".

I’m no where near max points here in CA and I don’t plan on waiting that long for a Goodale hunt haha. I should have good odds of pulling an X zone archery tag this year, 2-3 more years would get me a rifle tag in the same unit. I’m in the early stages of building points in other states, but I don’t think I’ll ever end up with more than 6-7 here in CA. Of course I can always hunt an OTC tag with the masses if I don’t draw, so I’m not overly concerned.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

The only place I would build points for a long time to hunt deer is in Arizona for a strip buck. I have seen 200" bucks in 0-1 point units.