Odd request.

I am going to law school and will be unable to do an out of state hunt until fall of 2021. Luckily I am either going to go to Denver or Missoula for law school in order to hunt in state all three years of either Montana or Colorado.

I would like to set my self up with a good, but affordable state to start building points for mule deer. It also should be one that the unit I apply to would be about a 5 year, or little more, draw time. I was thinking North/Northeast Nevada late mid to late season rifle. However, is there a better option to where I do not have to eat 150 plus dollars every year? I dont mind spending money and if I dont draw getting reimbursed less a few a dollars. But Nevada with my plans might be over 1000 bucks to eat while applying. No problem of I wasnt going to school. Any suggestions for better states?

I have researched a bit my self, and have some ideas, but want to know what you veterans think.

Not much help on your application destination but I will say that if you have been enrolled full time in school for more than six months in CO you get to do resident license. I did that this year. There are plenty of good units you can draw near Denver every year and get the tag for under $40.

Pretty sure if you come to Montana that you can buy a res license if you are a student, or a discounted one.

I am moving to Bozeman on Monday so I will have that residency for next season, and potentially law school if I choose U of M. I am more concerned where I should start putting in for an affordable quality mule deer hunt after school ends. I am leaning towards Nevada or Arizona. But after crunching stats I still don't quite know where to start or if paying license fees every year are worth it for one on a tighter budget. Or if there is an up and coming state that is better. I have figured out Montana's system and have my non res combo license for this year. But, with my real fascination about big mule deer I know there are much better states than Montana to start building points in, thus I'm going to try and get some practice in western hunting this fall, not necessarily concerned with the biggest deer, just a respectable deer.

Thank you for the reply folks.

If you're on a tight budget Bozeman is not going to be fun without 2-3 roommates..the "opportunity cost" of BZN may be more than a non-resident permit

Law school should help you decipher a lot of the regulations out there.

Haha, WhiteBuffalo, I have already put my legal education to use with some of the regulations. I have my room and board budgeted already. I left my "tightness of budget" on the hunting end. I agree that Bozeman is expensive, but any college town is bad, even here in the Midwest. I have been researching more about Nevada, and I think even though I am eating 150 bucks each year, when I do draw, the tag itself is not too bad for a nonresident. Compare that to a tag that only costs me a 10 or 50 dollar application fee every year, but then the tag costs 3 times as much as Nevada thus it all pretty much equals out I figure. So, next step is becoming familiar with the application process and figuring out where I want to go. Right now I am thinking units 151-156, 101-109, or 141-145.

No matter where you buy points I'd say your chances that state doesn't morph their system and cheapen your points by 2021 is Slim and none, and Slim just left town. So it is fairly impossible to know what points would be a good investment today. If all systems remained the same, which they won't, CO, WY & AZ would be my picks.

Zim said:

No matter where you buy points I'd say your chances that state doesn't morph their system and cheapen your points by 2021 is Slim and none, and Slim just left town. So it is fairly impossible to know what points would be a good investment today. If all systems remained the same, which they won't, CO, WY & AZ would be my picks.

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I agree with the very wise Zim. Question, where do you want to live post-law school? If the answer is in NV then build points there. If is WI, then will be tougher to drive to your mule deer hunt that you spent X years building points so could draw.

If you knew, for example, you would try to live in CO then I would build points in CO now and the bordering states would be places I would consider, as well, to build points. Driving to a hunt by driving less than 10 hours is not so bad and you can take all the needed gear and bring back meat when the hunt ends. If fly, the return airline ticket date may be the only option for the day you head home from the hunt, especially if flying in/out of regional airports.

For a balance of cost to apply, years to build points, cost of tag and quality of hunt I am a fan on WY for elk, deer and pronghorn and NV for all species. If you are willing to consider Coues deer hunting or archery hunts for elk then add AZ for all species. NM should be on your list once you reach the point in your life you can take time to hunt that year and elk, deer and pronghorn tags are a good deal but sheep, ibex and oryx are a lot. No point system in NM so no discriminatory point system for youth (you are absolutely youth for anyone sitting at Max Pool in WY sheep).

If you get bitten by the sheep or moose or goat bug at some point and can afford the fees and tags then apply in CO, NM and ID. You will not draw a ram bighorn or goat or bull moose tag until max out your Preference points at 3 so no risk will draw those $2K tags while in law school.