Western Point Strategy Opinions

[barrettm95]

Hello Roksliders,

I apologize if this is a perhaps annoying topic, however would like to preface this conversation with I am not asking for specific units, however if you have any advice for areas of a state you would recommend I am always open to a private message, please do not reply with these in the forum below.

Montana (elk, antelope, mule deer)
Wyoming (elk, antelope, mule deer)
Colorado (elk, antelope, mule deer)
South Dakota (deer)

That being said, I have been acquiring points since I left college in the following states and have 3 points in each state right now going into some draws and currently am planning on acquiring my 4th point. I have been doing this with antelope and elk as well (will be posting something similar in the elk forum), however currently do not have a long term point plan in place. My goal is to find an optimal amount of points to draw good tags, without waiting 10+ years (what I am trying to say as I would rather hunt a "good unit" multiple times in my lifetime rather than wait to hunt a highly coveted tag just once). I have been traveling out west each year from Ohio on over the counter tags, and as much fun as I have been having, success has been limited with these OTC archery tags.

What I am asking is do you have any recommendations for what level of points is good to burn in each state and are there any states I am missing on here that you feel are worthwhile investing in (I am limited on how much in points I would like to spend each fall). I also understand I will be filtering in an occasional AK hunt and elk hunt in some years so this will allow me to let points re-accumulate after burning points on a tag.

I appreciate any opinions you may have!

 

[dirtytough]

Its a little hard to give much advice out when you don't say if you are archery, muzzy, or rifle hunting or any of the 3. When you don't say how many hunts you are going on a year out west etc. I am assuming 1 hunt a year and archery but you know what assuming does.

Colorado you have plenty of points right now for archery deer and elk.

Montana is a bonus point state when it comes to LE. So you have to draw a general tag first. Because they don't have a lot of LE deer tags and its a bonus point state its hard to say when a person will draw. I would apply there every year you don't have solid plans in another state to up your odds of drawing the LE tag. For elk you probably have enough points for a breaks archery tag or SE MT archery tag.

Wyoming you have enough points to draw any region tag besides G I believe. Figure out the type of terrain you want to hunt and go for it. For elk you could draw a general tag. Or you could hold out for something like 54 type 9 since you have points you could use up in other states first.

SD you have plenty of points for most whitey rifle tags. Mule deer not so much. You could get lucky with 3 or it could take 11 there.

Antelope. I am not a huge antelope fan. With limited time I would rather hunt deer or elk. I do have points in a few states for antelope though. Colorado is not one of them. I would try to do a combo antelope hunt in say Wyoming and Montana on the same trip. You could probably draw this year and have a fun hunt in both states with your amount of points.

Hope some of that helps a little.

PS if you have extra money/time you could apply in NM or ID some years. They aren't points states so it doesn't matter if you miss some years.

I don't think I would add Utah. Maybe AZ or NV. Both are expensive because you have to buy a license. AZ you could draw a whitey tag pretty easy. Archery elk isn't a hard draw if you go for some of the lower tier units or do a late hunt. You can use your license for an otc archery deer tag also. Antelope is about as hard to draw there as a sheep tag.

NV is a bonus point state so you could draw your first year or never draw. Deer you can get an archery tag in some units almost every year. Elk I would plan on a really long wait. Antelope isn't tough to draw archery.

 

[barrettm95]

Its a little hard to give much advice out when you don't say if you are archery, muzzy, or rifle hunting or any of the 3. When you don't say how many hunts you are going on a year out west etc. I am assuming 1 hunt a year and archery but you know what assuming does.

Colorado you have plenty of points right now for archery deer and elk.

Montana is a bonus point state when it comes to LE. So you have to draw a general tag first. Because they don't have a lot of LE deer tags and its a bonus point state its hard to say when a person will draw. I would apply there every year you don't have solid plans in another state to up your odds of drawing the LE tag. For elk you probably have enough points for a breaks archery tag or SE MT archery tag.

Wyoming you have enough points to draw any region tag besides G I believe. Figure out the type of terrain you want to hunt and go for it. For elk you could draw a general tag. Or you could hold out for something like 54 type 9 since you have points you could use up in other states first.

SD you have plenty of points for most whitey rifle tags. Mule deer not so much. You could get lucky with 3 or it could take 11 there.

Antelope. I am not a huge antelope fan. With limited time I would rather hunt deer or elk. I do have points in a few states for antelope though. Colorado is not one of them. I would try to do a combo antelope hunt in say Wyoming and Montana on the same trip. You could probably draw this year and have a fun hunt in both states with your amount of points.

Hope some of that helps a little.

PS if you have extra money/time you could apply in NM or ID some years. They aren't points states so it doesn't matter if you miss some years.

I don't think I would add Utah. Maybe AZ or NV. Both are expensive because you have to buy a license. AZ you could draw a whitey tag pretty easy. Archery elk isn't a hard draw if you go for some of the lower tier units or do a late hunt. You can use your license for an otc archery deer tag also. Antelope is about as hard to draw there as a sheep tag.

NV is a bonus point state so you could draw your first year or never draw. Deer you can get an archery tag in some units almost every year. Elk I would plan on a really long wait. Antelope isn't tough to draw archery.

Thanks for the thorough reply! You made some good points, and yes I typically go on 1 maybe 2 trips a year. Regarding weapon of choice I typically go with the bow since those are typically tags I can acquire.

Thanks!

 

[dtrkyman]

Burn em up and go hunt! You can always just put in for New Mexico and hope to draw a trophy unit with it being a straight up lottery.

 

[huntnful]

Get a GoHunt membership and research what units, points to draw, types of terrain, trophy potential ect... I have about a 3 year (3 point) plan as well. Definitely get a gohunt membership.

 

[huntngolf]

SD archery is a guaranteed draw. Just have to apply by the non resident deadline (sometime in April)