Feeling pretty discouraged.

Canali

New member
Joined
Jan 16, 2017
Messages
4
I am from Nebraska I have hunted Mule deer all my life along with upland and waterfowl. Growing up I kinda felt like Randy that being an elk hunter is for the rich and privileged. Being ignorant for the past 33 years I have found hunt talk podcast and this forum. I have spent the last 3 months jumping off the deep end by listening and watching all the fresh tracks and podcasts. In doing this I have gained the excitement of becoming a big game hunter, but after buying the Insider and reading through these threads I have come to believe that I may have drank too much of the kool aid. Randy has given me so much hope and purpose for wild places yet I find that planning long term for RMG or RMBS is almost a waste of time. I know a lot of people say throw a ton of money at lottery tags and cross your fingers, but I find it hard to swallow. I want to have a specific plan and mathematically have an actual number that decreases each year until drawn. I guess I'm actually wondering if this is dumb for even continuing in trying to look for a state/ unit that could be drawn within 15-20y?
 
Each state makes a decision if they will have a point system or not. NM and ID have no point system so you are in the same boat as any non-resident as you apply. WY does not use points for mountain goat or bison. You are in the same boat.

NV and UT have very few non-resident tags and a point system so you are behind the curve.

WY has a point system but the middling units for pronghorn, deer and elk are most likely only a decade away for you if you start building points now.

CO has a point system and will be tough to get to middling units on pronghorn, deer and elk even in two decades. Maybe pronghorn since most are on private land.

You can get CO elk OTC and, for now, MT is in effect OTC for elk. ID elk is likely as well for general hunts. You can buy a low-end CO and NM landowner elk tag every year.

Drawing sheep, goat and moose is very hard even if no point systems existed. All the point systems did was shift part of the odds from new entrants and provide prior entrants a better chance. There are only so many of those critters to hunt each year and demand exceeds the supply of tags by over 50x. Do the math and most of us will never draw a sheep or moose or goat tag if only applying for 30 years or so. You might draw one though. Have to apply to have a chance to draw or buy a hunt to hunt.

I hate the point rackets. I also like to hunt so have set aside funds to play the application game.

If you are as happy being out hunting whether touch off a round or the animal you get is just around average for the unit you are hunting then then you have lots of option for elk, deer and pronghorn. And bear and turkey.
 
While it doesn't help much, I would join the WSF and the >1 club. There is a raffle held at the WSF convention for >1 club members only (you have to be there to win) that has really good odds of drawing for three really good (read expensive) sheep tags.There is a very nice gear package that goes with them. There is a pretty good party for the >1 members as well. Check it out at the WSF website. While it doesn't matter to you, I've drawn an AZ desert sheep tag, a AZ rocky tag and a NR Col bighorn tag. I personally know of guy who drew an AZ rocky tag with 6 points. So start applying. Just so you won't feel too bad, I paid BIG money for a BC stone tag and hunted twice over two seasons (28) days and never saw a legal ram. Think about that, sucks. GJ
 
Last edited:
If you want to hunt bighorn sheep more than anything else in the world, Montana has the unlimited units. Arguably the hardest hunt in the Lower 48, but several members on here have done and have even been successful. You can have a sheep tag and be hunting sheep in 9 months.
 
Colorado also has OTC archery elk and antelope tags for a good portion of the state. Many units can be done by muzzleloader with no or 1 or 2 points. If you're dead set on rifle hunting there are OTC tags for elk in 2nd and 3rd season, but be ready for the orange army. Archery tags have much nicer weather, usually, and you can catch elk in the rut. There are some units you can get 1st or 4th season elk tags for no or very few points. In the Eastern part of the state there are very easy to get whitetail tags. There's no need to be discouraged if you look into things.
 
Welcome neighbor. First off, where the hell are you from? Lots of places in Nebraska. I wish Randy would require a location in the signature or something. Secondly, elk hunting is a no-brainer easy draw, UNLESS you are all wrapped up around antlers. You can hunt elk in many units in Wyoming and Colorado every year, if you get off the damned antler wagon and just go have fun. Figure out where you want to hunt antlers some day and start buying those expensive preference points. In the mean time, go hunt elk!
 
Keep your head up and throw your name in the hat every chance you can. You'll get one eventually.
 
Appreciate all the feedback, and you guys have some great advice. Will keep my head up!
 
Back
Top