Utah Points Game

[ridgerunner]

With the current system in place in Utah is it worth it to begin accumulating bonus points in the hopes of drawing a good tag down the road. Given the high number of people with tons of points I'm wondering if I should keep playing or just drop out of the Utah point game. Maybe I should save the money I'd spend on a license and buy a CWMU tag in 5 years. I only started applying last year so I've only got one point and am wondering if I even have a chance of drawing a premium unit in the next 20 years.

 

[ktc]

ridge,

It is a gamble big time. You could draw, but where is your money best spent? Utah will be a long shot. Every year we see people defy the odds, so it is up to you?

 

[RACKMASTER]

YES...indeed stay with it!
I think you could draw Buck Le permit everY 6,7-8 years!
In mean time hunt the Southern or south eastern gen deer hunt and apply in Nv, Wy, Co, or where ever! I drew the Paunsagunt with 1 POINT in 2000' so it does happen..
rm

 

[fish4evr]

I think everyone should drop out, it will better my odds.

Ha Ha.

 

[RACKMASTER]

(rookies in fantasy land....just a thought!)
rm

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

Ridge, I don't know how old you are but that is something to consider. I am on the 5 year waiting plan now and once that is up I will start applying for elk points again with hopes of hunting those big ol stinky things again in my home state. I will be 45 when I can apply again. I would say that if you only have 1 point and you are 60, you're better off saving your money and buying a tag. If you're 20, apply, apply, apply. You can't win if you don't play the game.

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com

 

[PleaseDear]

Sure ya should...

I am on round 2 of the LE elk after already drawing and waiting 5 years.... I have 3 pts now and I have no doubt I will draw again.

Go for it.

Robb

 

[ridgerunner]

I'm in my early 30's so age is definately on my side, I just wouldn't want to waste my money if I had basically no chance of drawing some of the premier units. Sounds like I do though and that Utah will get some more of my money from here on out.

 

[thebuckstopshere]

Let me see, to apply in Utah for a bonus point it costs $25 for a "hunting license" and $10 for the point/chance at draw. I know money doesn't grow on trees . . . but I think the possible reward is worth it. My guess is if your looking for a Henry's tag you may wait 20 - 30 years. I think the odds for the Henry's unit will look a lot different next year after about half the state decides to pick that unit over their old unit. Which of course means, more opportunity in the other units.

Just my thoughts.

 

[txhunter58]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-07 AT 01:11PM (MST)[p]I wish it were that cheap thebuckstopshere for us nonresidents !

It is $65 for a nonresident license and $10 for application. Total $75

For residents, it is a no brainer. Keep applying

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[RACKMASTER]

what are you guys going to do when gas hits 4 dollars a gallon?
its only money!
rm

 

[joesikora]

I just happen to look at my UT points and good news bad news
Bad: still haven’t drew my elk tag
Good: I thought I only had 16 elk points turns out I have 17 points
Look out 2022

 

[WapitiBob]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-07 AT 01:11PM (MST)[p]I wish it were that cheap thebuckstopshere for us nonresidents !

It is $65 for a nonresident license and $10 for application. Total $75

For residents, it is a no brainer. Keep applying

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

surely you don't buy the license every year....

 

[joesikora]

Oh no

 

[Blank]

If you live close, having a fishing license also softens the blow. Took 24 years for the Pauns deer, but only 6 years for antelope!!!

 

[roadrunner]

what are you guys going to do when gas hits 4 dollars a gallon?
its only money!
rm

Pay for it like we are doing now...

 

[txhunter58]

surely you don't buy the license every year....

Nope. Every other year ?. Until the year I don’t have to buy it but I get drawn! ?

Dang. That post was 14 years old!

 

[hornkiller]

I think it should be 70/30 split cmon ut!

 

[nocwalker]

I'm in my early 30's so age is definately on my side, I just wouldn't want to waste my money if I had basically no chance of drawing some of the premier units. Sounds like I do though and that Utah will get some more of my money from here on out.

Ridge. Here’s my theory. At 30. Yes apply

my guess is a lot of point holders are in they’re 60s now, in 20 yrs or less a lot of us will be out of the game or dead. I believe it will leave a smaller pool of applicants and YOU will want to be near the top
Apply, apply, apply

 

[ORIONTHEHUNTER]

Ridge. Here’s my theory. At 30. Yes apply

my guess is a lot of point holders are in they’re 60s now, in 20 yrs or less a lot of us will be out of the game or dead. I believe it will leave a smaller pool of applicants and YOU will want to be near the top
Apply, apply, apply

Sounds nice but you know the system will change at least once in that next 20 years

 

[Zeke]

Joe dragged this one up from the grave!

Ridge should have 14 more points if he kept with the game and zero if he didn't

 

[nocwalker]

Joe dragged this one up from the grave!

Ridge should have 14 more points if he kept with the game and zero if he didn't

Heck Zelenograd. I had no idea this was that old

heck, ridge runner is an old guy now

 

[ridgerunner]

Kind of funny this one came up. I stuck with it and am now in my mid 40's with a boatload of Utah bonus points. Hoping to get a tag one of these years but draw odds across the west keep going down, there may be some old guys dropping out but there are plenty of young and dumb ones getting into the game too.

 

[roadrunner]

Kind of funny this one came up. I stuck with it and am now in my mid 40's with a boatload of Utah bonus points. Hoping to get a tag one of these years but draw odds across the west keep going down, there may be some old guys dropping out but there are plenty of young and dumb ones getting into the game too.

I'd sell all mine in a heartbeat if it were legal to do so. But since it's not, I'll cash in on some good hunts in the next few years.

 

[BeDawg]

We are all going to die with a huge amount of points. Hopefully the DWR Spends our sacred money on projects that invest in long term habitat protections so generations can enjoy at least a fraction of what we did. I say buy points, contribute and hold the DWR accountable for where they spend our money.

 

[tracker12]

Well I have drawn a limited unit elk tag in CO, UT and WY but it took me years to draw those three tags. I started in CO when I was 39 and drew the tag when I was 60. WY and UT took me 9 and 11 years. Unless I get lucky UT is not going to be in the cards. I have 21 moose points and doubt I will ever see that tag. I went to NF and ended up cheaper if I ever draw with points a tag fee. I do feel bad for out youth they will never see most opportunities at the best units. I have a bunch of deer points in WY, UT and CO that I hope to use up and get out of the points game.

 

[DoubleDropMuley]

I bailed already wished I could transfer my points to someone else?

 

[Blank]

Two dozen moose points as an NR, and still trying. That would be the last of the Utah tags that I even stand a chance for.

 

[jims]

Ridgerunner, hopefully you've been fortunate to hunt other great units as a UT res since 2007? It sounds like you are staying true to applying for a premium muley tag in Utah as a res. Are you getting close to drawing a high bonus pt tag. Obviously odds of drawing a random tag for Henry's tag is like winning lotto. I guess everyone is different and needs to decide if it's worth staying the course for premium tags or draw a tag elsewhere and go hunting. The scary thing about it, there is no guarantees that all the stars will align for a super buck once you draw a premium tag.

There comes a point where a guy needs to decide if it's truly worth it waiting for a premium unit that he's set his mind for. Times can definitely change not only with draw odds but also quality of critters, tag allotments, etc. The reason I say this is that Colo was re=writing the B&C books for muleys for years. Those days are likely long gone now that the CPW has decided to increase tag numbers and push season dates into the prime rut.

I've accumulated a pile of deer pts in Colo waiting for a premier unit and decided to bite the bullet and go hunting this year with later season dates while the quality is decent......even though it wasn't my first choice of season dates and units. Something similar could happen on the Henry's...you never know.

As a nonres, I'm finding that it's costing around $200+/year to apply in each state for multiple species. If I apply in 4 states that's close to $800/year. That's $8,000/10 years or $16,000 for 20 years. There are a lot of exciting trips that can be taken for that kind of $! That's one reason I've tried to speak up for nonres in Wyo for 90/10 and will likely be doing the same thing here in Colo when they try the same thing.

I really think the hunting heritage as we know it is slowly but surely dying throughout the Western US. You better live in a state that offers great opportunity as a resident or be willing to fork out a lot of $ as a nonres. Pretty sad to see for the young generation just starting out!

 

[kalielkslayer]

I’m 61 but still get around pretty good. But with 13 NR deer points, I’ve been applying for a late muzzyloader tag in a general unit the last 4 years, just trying to hunt.

but that hasn’t happened yet.

 

[Lukegarrett2002]

Currently I’m 18, just hoping that my generation sticks to the part and they all turn out to be pussified vegans that are too nature friendly and innocent to hunt…

 

[BLooDTRaCKeR]

Currently I’m 18, just hoping that my generation sticks to the part and they all turn out to be pussified vegans that are too nature friendly and innocent to hunt…

I’ll bite. Even though from 2007?

LG,

Your “flatty/hip” generation ain’t too much help to the hunting world whether they hunt or not!

It’s a lose, lose for you youngsters! 30 years ago and beyond…..that’s when hunting was “magical.”

Good luck with your goals and aspirations in the hunting game! It’s getting beyond ridiculous to get a tag and find a spot that isn’t powdered with new boot track trails and littered with trail cams! We’re fast approaching the day when “manned drones” will take s right to the heart of big buck and bull country with no effort. Arm chair scouting, social media, and long range weapons are driving the fantasy world of “I could be the next instant gratification candidate” if I can kill this giant at 950+ yards! The respect and conservation by the average sportsman toward what we hunt is all but lost. Very few give back to the creatures they hunt beyond their “entitlement tag momey.”

Just don’t grow up to be one of those who exploits the wildlife for their own personal gain and at all costs by wounding multiple animals to achieve “insta-fame.” We need folks who care. Folks who hunt for the preservation of the sport. We need folks who are not ignorant to our current situation. We need folks who are responsible for their actions and understand the need for ethical behavior!

A young hunter without the above mentioned criteria can do a lot of damage to what remains of this sport! Help us preserve what is left of it!

 

[Alwayshunting]

Sadly, the best strategy for acquiring the tags for everything you want to hunt in your lifetime is capitalism. Find something you can do well that people are willing to pay for. Refine whatever that is until you can do it better than anyone and charge a premium for it. Take that money and go buy the tags. And do what it takes to accomplish it with young legs. You will run out of health and time sooner than you think and those two things can’t be purchased.

 

[Lukegarrett2002]

I’ll bite. Even though from 2007?

LG,

Your “flatty/hip” generation ain’t too much help to the hunting world whether they hunt or not!

It’s a lose, lose for you youngsters! 30 years ago and beyond…..that’s when hunting was “magical.”

Good luck with your goals and aspirations in the hunting game! It’s getting beyond ridiculous to get a tag and find a spot that isn’t powdered with new boot track trails and littered with trail cams! We’re fast approaching the day when “manned drones” will take s right to the heart of big buck and bull country with no effort. Arm chair scouting, social media, and long range weapons are driving the fantasy world of “I could be the next instant gratification candidate” if I can kill this giant at 950+ yards! The respect and conservation by the average sportsman toward what we hunt is all but lost. Very few give back to the creatures they hunt beyond their “entitlement tag momey.”

Just don’t grow up to be one of those who exploits the wildlife for their own personal gain and at all costs by wounding multiple animals to achieve “insta-fame.” We need folks who care. Folks who hunt for the preservation of the sport. We need folks who are not ignorant to our current situation. We need folks who are responsible for their actions and understand the need for ethical behavior!

A young hunter without the above mentioned criteria can do a lot of damage to what remains of this sport! Help us preserve what is left of it!

I’m definitely going to try to keep the idea of conversation in mind at I grow up in the outdoors but to be honest there isn’t much I can do except sit back and watch as social media glorifies western big game hunting and makes it next to impossible to draw anything good, and I also can’t do much about growth and development destroying everything.

for the foreseeable future I’m just going get general season tags and do what ever it takes to have a memorable fun hunt, if that means climbing to the top of the highest mountain multiple miles in, so be it!

 

[Vanilla]

I love old threads.

You can’t draw a tag if you’re not applying. If you want to hunt, you have to have a tag. Seems pretty simple: if you like hunting, then apply for tags in whatever system you want to participate.

 

[Bux n Dux]

I love old threads.

You can’t draw a tag if you’re not applying. If you want to hunt, you have to have a tag. Seems pretty simple: if you like hunting, then apply for tags in whatever system you want to participate.

There’s conversations always remind me of the little kids that always want to change the rules in a game when they can’t win playing the normal rules. They want to change things in hopes it will benefit them more than others.

 

[BrowningRage]

I think you'd be better off saving for the CWMU tag. Leave the public land bucks to us Average Joe's. LOL.

 

[Deerlove]

Or even better yet a canned hunt.

 

[txhunter58]

All I hear him saying is that if predictions come true and hunter numbers fall in the future, he will have less competition.

But he will come to understand that will be a double edged sword. More vegan antihunters will vote to allow more wolves and less hunting. So if that comes true, he will be worse off than we are.

 

[BearBait49]

Old post but still the same addage gotta apply if you want a chance to play the game. I drew arguably the best archery elk tag Nevada offers this year as a non resident with 12 bonus points. I was shocked as non-resident archery elk tags in Nevada are EXTREMELY hard to draw and I honestly thought I would never draw that tag in my life but it happened and I never would have drawn it if I didn't apply.. My hunt starts a week from tomorrow and the excitement and anticipation are almost unbearable now but sn't that what it's all about! ? You never know when you might get lucky but you gotta have your "name in the hat" to have a chance however small that chance might be

 

[DeerHunter53]

I agree with Bearbait this year in Kali we have what we call SHARE hunts for elk on private property. The F&G works with the landowners to get the elk off of their land.
Well I had already drawn a great deer tag this year so on the last day I looked at the hunts I would be able to do given the deer hunt and applied for 12 of them.
One week later I got a successful notice that I was drawn to hunt a Roosevelt Elk on private land in Crescent City. Can't tell you how excited I am to go on that hunt.
Can't play if you don't pay...... Someone has to win.