CONative44
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- Mar 18, 2016
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I want to start building some points out of state (I am a CO res). What western states have the best point systems for those like me that are starting from scratch with 0 points?
Best Out-of-state point systems?
- Thread starter CONative44
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ShootsManyBullets
Well-known member
Idaho & NM - none needed. You can hunt Idaho every year if you want to so for opportunity it's way ahead of NM
Wyoming - you can hunt deer, elk, and antelope regularly without waiting 4-5 years
MT has general tags you can pull every year
AZ has good opportunities for elk and deer if you do some research and ignore the glory tags that take forever to draw.
Wyoming - you can hunt deer, elk, and antelope regularly without waiting 4-5 years
MT has general tags you can pull every year
AZ has good opportunities for elk and deer if you do some research and ignore the glory tags that take forever to draw.
Duck-Slayer
Well-known member
Yep - Idaho & NM.... The Nevada system isn't to bad except for glory tags, but everyone has a chance in the hat....
Idahoarcheryhunter
Well-known member
Depends on what animals you are wanting to chase. Wyoming can be pretty accommodating to non residents depending on the species you want.
Zim
Well-known member
Beware that almost all states move the goalposts after you buy in. Your points will be devalued down the road. That's just what states do. So don't expect the best system today to still be the best next year, much less 5 years from now. So I recommend burning whatever points you buy before reaching 4 or 5. Learn and hunt the same mid-tier units every 5 years. That's the way to go. By doing so you wont be sticking your neck out to get chopped.
From ground zero I'd pass on getting in the OR, UT & NV all together. But you never know, those states could easily overhaul their systems. But as is today, very poor ROI for newbies. NM would be best today if they offered 10% to unguided nonresidents, but they don't. It's only 6%. If the systems stayed the same today (which they won't), I'd do CO, WY, AZ, NM, ID.
8andcounting
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There's nothing wrong with just hunting gen or leftover tags either . My advise is hunt every year . That's my goal atleast is to hunt elk every year . Most will be on gen tag but hey I'll be hunting elk .
AvidIndoorsman
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As a CO resident you already have amazing hunting opportunities so I found focus on specific out of state hunts you want to do instead of just trying to a hoard points. Even if state X has a weird system if you really want to hunt a particular mountain range for a particular animal pursue that... don't drink the coolaid and think you need to build elk points in 5 states if realistically you are only going to be able to do a couple of out of state hunts in the next 10 years.
This is exactly what I and my buddies have done. The main goal is a sheep or goat tag, and once we are in for that, we selectively target a few elk/deer/pronghorn hunts that we like. We settled on NM, AZ, WY, and MT (sheep only). In all cases we have a (slim) chance to draw every year. the fallback is always here in CO, which is a nice consolation prize. My buddies (no points) are able to get some decent 1st rifle elk tags while I try and figure out what the h*ll to do with my low double digit elk points and hunt OTC archery in the same unit they rifle hunt.
If I was a colorado resident,I'd be buying points in Wyoming.And,without a doubt,be putting in for best units in NM.I doubt I'd waste money on other states unless your talking sheep,moose,goat.Wyoming and NM are close to you and both offer better hunting then where you live for the most part
Just so you know, if you start Nevada now, your odds will DECREASE each year for the next 15 or so years. So, you'll start out with a slim to none chance and it will only get worse. There may be some tags that are easier to draw where this won't apply, but for many of the tags that have any sort of demand you are in for a LONG wait without a lot of luck on your side.
BuzzH
Well-known member
It does depend on the animals you want to hunt.
If you're after sheep, moose, goat...apply for all of them. I've heard many people claim that by saving all your application money you can eventually just pay the $$ and go on a sheep hunt.
That's pure BS...the only way I was ever going to hunt desert sheep was to draw one. Its the same situation now with RM bighorn for me as well, I better draw a tag, as I'm not shelling out for a hunt in Canada.
If you're going to apply for all the states for sheep, moose, goat, bison...you may as well gain points where you can for the other species they offer as well. I made that error in judgement in Nevada with my tunnel vision of wanting to draw a sheep tag. I'm behind by about 4-5 years on elk, deer, and pronghorn from where I should be.
Most important is to have a short, mid, and long term plan and an understanding of how the various draw systems work. I've drawn some seriously long odds tags since I've been applying, drew some I knew I would, and have continued to hunt at least 2-3 states per year.
There is no "right" answer, but the one constant is that you will never draw if you don't apply. I am glad I did not listen to the skeptics like zim, I would have never drawn desert bighorn, mountain goat, musk ox, oryx, 2 shiras moose permits, and several other elk, deer, pronghorn that had less than 20% draw odds.
It seems daunting, but I'd rather be the guy in 20 years that has a bunch of points all across the West, than the guys still having odds of ZERO because they've never applied...
If you're after sheep, moose, goat...apply for all of them. I've heard many people claim that by saving all your application money you can eventually just pay the $$ and go on a sheep hunt.
That's pure BS...the only way I was ever going to hunt desert sheep was to draw one. Its the same situation now with RM bighorn for me as well, I better draw a tag, as I'm not shelling out for a hunt in Canada.
If you're going to apply for all the states for sheep, moose, goat, bison...you may as well gain points where you can for the other species they offer as well. I made that error in judgement in Nevada with my tunnel vision of wanting to draw a sheep tag. I'm behind by about 4-5 years on elk, deer, and pronghorn from where I should be.
Most important is to have a short, mid, and long term plan and an understanding of how the various draw systems work. I've drawn some seriously long odds tags since I've been applying, drew some I knew I would, and have continued to hunt at least 2-3 states per year.
There is no "right" answer, but the one constant is that you will never draw if you don't apply. I am glad I did not listen to the skeptics like zim, I would have never drawn desert bighorn, mountain goat, musk ox, oryx, 2 shiras moose permits, and several other elk, deer, pronghorn that had less than 20% draw odds.
It seems daunting, but I'd rather be the guy in 20 years that has a bunch of points all across the West, than the guys still having odds of ZERO because they've never applied...
poormanslam
Well-known member
Do a ton of research. have a heart to heart with yourself about the animals you really want to hunt in the particular state you want to hunt them. Then analyze the financial resources you have to throw at this addiction. The answer is different for everyone. I am in the pool in ten states and many on this forum probably think I am crazy but there is a method to my madness. It might work out, it might back fire, but the potential for some incredible adventures are at the doorstep. Enjoy the journey.
brownbear932008
Well-known member
That is a very good way to put it. It's all about what you want to hunt, where you want to hunt and how much your wallet can afford at the time. I personally am in the chase for a goat or sheep tag in numerous states. May draw one and get to hunt one some day before I hit the grave. I also put in a few states for deer/elk tags still. Elk has been my enemy and seems to be the one animal that alludes me for some reason.
AZ is tough to draw but with their recent change to the bonus point system half the permits going to nonresidents (up to 5% of the total per hunt code) are awarded randomly regardless of bonus points. You are in the running for a tag every time you apply. If you are a bowhunter the way you cash in on the $160 general license required to apply is by buying an over the counter archery deer license. Coues deer hunting with a bow is a blast. It's beautiful down in the desert during January. You live in Colorado so the drive isn't too bad either...
Lonesome_God_outdoors
Active member
Wyoming seems pretty good to me. As a resident I like the straight draw but for NR it seems to be pretty fair.
LopeHunter
Well-known member
Actually, AZ awards 5% of all elk and deer permits by hunt code to non-residents in the preference point pass. AZ does not guarantee a single tag to non-residents in the random pass. AZ will allow up to 5% of permits to be awarded to non-residents in the random pass. I also think in the random pass that your points do get you more chances but that then is random in the same way that Colorado runs the sheep, goat and moose draws.
WapitiBob
Well-known member
"the Department shall not issue more than 50% of the hunt permit-tags available to nonresidents with the highest number of bonus points through the initial bonus point pass of the computer draw..."
NR can draw from 0% up to 100% of their allotment in the 1-2 Pass depending on what happens in the Bonus Pass.
NR can draw from 0% up to 100% of their allotment in the 1-2 Pass depending on what happens in the Bonus Pass.
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