Is it worth it?

[jamesctaylor17@gmail.com]

Recently I've been thinking about the high cost of gaining bonus points and the prevalence of point creep. In some states, including my home state of Utah, it's going to take 15+ years to draw a good Limited Entry type tag for elk. With so many other states following suit and the max points for good areas going up every year my question is simple...
Is it even worth it anymore???
Is your time and money better spent hunting lesser known units or states with no bonus points vs. waiting for that "once in a lifetime" tag? What's everyone's thoughts?

 

[Pig_Pen]

I am brand new to the points game so forgive my amateur opinion. That being said, I have been doing a lot of research over the last two years with regards to "playing catch up" and the value of playing the points game. I am just shy of 40 and I can't see spending the next 15-18 years dumping money into a chance to hunt a unit that has a specific history for big critters. I will be focusing more on the hunts that only take 2-4 points just to cut the fellow Hunter numbers down from the otc units. I would rather hunt a good unit every few years than a great one once a decade and fit OTC hunts in between when my work schedule allows. I am physically and financially set nowadays to hunt elk and Muleys out west every year and my "itch" won't wait til I am closing in on retirement.


If I had gotten into the points game when I was a teenager I may have a different view. I may be theodd man out here but I prefer a wall covered in 130-140 inch whitetails with great memories than one or two 190-195's.

 

[jvanhoy]

Build points and hunt otc units in the meantime.

 

[nclonghunter]

If I was a young man I would get the points and hunt OTC. A great hunt is your reward.

 

[Eye in sky]

I think building points is still a great idea. I have realistic goals. I put in for some hunts that I may never draw and some hunts that I'll probably get in 5-10 years. I also do a lot of OTC hunts in between.

 

[Napoleon54]

It seems to me that hunting OTC and building points/putting in for a "middle of the road" limited entry hunt that won't take the rest of your life to draw is the most reasonable compromise approach.

 

[Immortal_Ben]

If I were worried about trophies, I would worry about points for a particular GMU. Since my wife and I are meat hunters, I like to go for areas with high percentages of filling tags.