15 Year Elk Plan

[CiK]

Limited rifle hunt question......

I got in late to the western hunting game. I am going to start buying points this year for limited rifle hunts. With my age (42), I think 15 years is a realistic number for me to target in points before I cash them in on a hunt.

With that information, which of states would you recommend targeting?

Thanks for the help.

 

[jryoung]

What is your goal? To go on one elk hunt? Waiting until you are 57 can work, but everything is only going to get harder.

You can hunt elk every year if you want and that would be my recommendation. If you can only go one one elk hunt I wouldn't wait 15 years, I'd start planning now and hunt next year or the following.

 

[jbm]

why wait so long. just a FYI 42 to is almost to old for some of the places i have hunted
this little hills and mountains are a bit steeper then anything you have back home and they seem to be getting steeper and taller each yr. i even toss off all the rocks i can when ever i make to the top of 1 or them but they still grow taller each.

not sure about other states but montana is a draw for non rez but these last few yrs they have not sold out on the draw and then the left over tags go up for sale
you would need to check in on when this takes place . i had a friend come over from new zealand this yr to elk/deer hunt and this is what he did. so if you really want to start elk hunting in 2016 this could be just 1 way to go

 

[CiK]

What is your goal? To go on one elk hunt? Waiting until you are 57 can work, but everything is only going to get harder.

You can hunt elk every year if you want and that would be my recommendation. If you can only go one one elk hunt I wouldn't wait 15 years, I'd start planning now and hunt next year or the following.

I plan on doing OTC hunts in Colorado, Idaho or Montana until that 15 year mark. Just looking for a state to target 15 years out.

 

[hank4elk]

Ditto.....Go Hunt.
...your 15 points that you have paid for might not cover the need to have 25 by the time you have 15................and in all honesty I do not know of a consistent real trophy area that is worth the points these days. Deer, or elk really. Trophy bulls can come from anywhere these days.

I gave up the points game years ago. My decision.
My 12 UT points that might have gotten a Books Cliff Buck hunt when I started was 16 when I gave up,and $165 a yr., just to keep my points.
... and it is not what it used to be, the Cliffs.
My CA 15 Muley and Elk points were useless.
I have hunted elk every year in good units for 12 yrs now. Only 2 yrs I haven't drawn,still hunted with LO tags. For way less money than I had invested in points.
Go Hunt MHO.

 

[Steelhead]

Are you planning on waiting that long because you feel that's how long it will take to draw a tag where you can bango a bull of a specific size? What size?
Also 15 years in several states will equate to several thousand dollars...then when you draw I reckon you'll probably hire a guide anyways so why wouldn't you just save up for a guided hunt every few years where you'll have a shot at a decent bull?

 

[huntin24/7]

If you have the time to go every year, I'd recommend picking a few states (Utah, Nevada, Arizona) to start gaining points for a premium tag. In the mean time, try to hunt as much as possible on tags you can draw basically every year (Montana, Idaho, Colorado) to hone your skills and just have fun elk hunting. A lot of the big bulls killed on this forum seem to be from general areas that a guy can hunt every year. A lot can happen in 15 years. Get out as much as you can now and enjoy it in the mean time.

 

[HighDesertSage]

Think about it this way, you're looking at about $200 bucks a year (generally includes deer, elk, and antelope) on average to get round of pref points as a Non Resident in most of the western states. Times that by 15 years (assuming no inflation, which is doubtful) and you just hit 3K. That's before acutally buying the tag, which 15 years from now I would not be surprised if they are over $1K. That's just one tag. For that kind of coin, you could get an easier to draw tag and go every year or every other year, and still have enough left over to rent some horses or do a drop camp to get to where the elk are.

I think quality hunts are available every few years to the average guy. I think the WY general tag offers some excellent options. You have a 40% chance of getting it with 1 point and 100% draw odds with 2. In the off years you can hunt MT, CO, or ID every year. I'm partial to CO, obviously, because I live here. Also, you can still accumulate preference points here and get a bull tag for any of the 4 rifle seasons as a leftover or OTC. Shoot me a PM if I can help any other way. Sorry, don't know to much about MT or ID.

 

[Pinecricker]

Are you planning on waiting that long because you feel that's how long it will take to draw a tag where you can bango a bull of a specific size? What size?
Also 15 years in several states will equate to several thousand dollars...then when you draw I reckon you'll probably hire a guide anyways so why wouldn't you just save up for a guided hunt every few years where you'll have a shot at a decent bull?

^^This makes a lot of sense.

Being successful with a DIY hunt will be difficult without putting in time scouting. Plus, there are some incredible guided hunts on public land out that require zero points. You can buy the tag over the counter. I'd check out a guided backcountry hunt in some place like Central Idaho in the Middle Fork Salmon River country. I'm sure Montana has some excellent ones too.You could go next year if you wanted too, and it would probably be more cost effective than buying 15 years worth of points, plus all your travel and logistical expenses while you are travelling and hunting.

A couple of things to remember about limited entry / controlled hunts. The reason they are limited is because the number of elk in controlled hunt / limited hunt areas are limited. Some people seem to have the perception that they are limited because they are some kind of premium hunt, where there are few other hunters and it is super easy to shoot a trophy sized animal. I don't think is really the case.

From my research, limited entry hunts don't have any less hunting pressure, its not any easier to kill an elk on a limited tag, and most of the harvests are average sized. Certain geographic areas grow big elk, but I don't think a limited entry hunt is the magic bullet.

 

[hank4elk]

This is very true.

 

[CiK]

Thanks everybody for the advice. I dont like the idea of buying points to several states, and I am lukewarm at best on doing it for any state. Sounds like others are in the same camp.

I am fully onboard for a DIY OTC hunt next year to get my feet wet.....and I can't wait for it.

I look forward to learning from you all.

 

[jbm]

FYI asking what any given state/area will be like for elk hunting 15 yrs out from today is kinda like your gf/wife asking how she looks in those pants
no matter how you answer it will always come back to bite you

good look on your first elk hunt next yr if you do end up getting any otc tags for the west

 

[Flatrock]

I'd say just go to MT every year. There are some great bulls that come out of the general units.

 

[1_pointer]

Thanks everybody for the advice. I dont like the idea of buying points to several states, and I am lukewarm at best on doing it for any state. Sounds like others are in the same camp.

I am fully onboard for a DIY OTC hunt next year to get my feet wet.....and I can't wait for it.

I look forward to learning from you all.

I hear you on not wanting to play the point game, but if you want to hunt some of the harder to draw units in some states, you have to. No way around it. Unless things really change with the points systems in many states, 15points will put you sort of in no-man's land. Not going to be enough for the really hard to draw units and more than enough for easier to draw units. That said, I fully believe having a state or two in mind for the very hard to draw tags is a good plan. Someone has to draw!

That said, I'd suggest getting your feet wet in states like ID and/or MT. You can put in for the better units and still hunt the general season if you don't draw.

 

[CiK]

I hear you on not wanting to play the point game, but if you want to hunt some of the harder to draw units in some states, you have to. No way around it. Unless things really change with the points systems in many states, 15points will put you sort of in no-man's land. Not going to be enough for the really hard to draw units and more than enough for easier to draw units. That said, I fully believe having a state or two in mind for the very hard to draw tags is a good plan. Someone has to draw!

That said, I'd suggest getting your feet wet in states like ID and/or MT. You can put in for the better units and still hunt the general season if you don't draw.

I appreciate the perspective. I have been thinking about this now for a few years, but I never researched it. Now that I am researching it, my head is spinning. Its a lot to take in.

I am just trying to formulate a plan for myself and my wife (who wants to "hunt" when the kids are grown) that makes sense and takes us into retirement and beyond. For us, I am not sure if it makes sense to include states past the initial Rocky Mountain states. Not sure I would pass up those states for any of the others further west unless the opportunity is better.

We aren't looking for trophy hunts per se, we just want to get into some game and harvest a few for the freezer from time to time. Hunting for the experience.......not so much the horns. Just thought earning points somewhere would give us something to look forward to.

 

[----]

I would say that Wyoming is probably a safe bet to invest in, but it sure sounds like eventually there'll be a nonresident cap around 10%. That will change things a bunch. It's probably the cheapest state, being $50/year.

Arizonas a little more expensive, but it seems like elk mecca, and if you're willing to do late hunts you should have plenty of options.

 

[old man]

If you are not looking for trophy bulls don't worry about points. if you would like at least one trophy bull only apply for the one state with the most trophy's killed every year, which is probably Arizona or new Mexico.