Preference points and point creep

[Lockdown]

Holy moly, South Dakota is insanely different than it was 10 years ago. We first went there in 2007, all three of us drew “any deer” tags (good for whitetail or mulies) with ZERO preference points. In that zone, today I think it would take 2-3 points to draw as NR, maybe more. The zone I applied for this year is more popular and I was unsuccessful with 5 points. I’m by no means complaining. It has to be done this way. The fact of the matter is I might not even draw within the next few years!

The culprit is point creep. Supply and demand. The more people that apply the more points you need to draw. Man alive... due to Fb pages and the internet there has been quite an explosion of applicants.

Anyone else dealing with a tough draw that used to be easy?

[jmaas07]

Rifle correct?

[Lockdown]

Rifle correct?

Yes. There are talks of doing draws for NR archery though.

[Maverick1]

The definition of point creep is found in having Colorado elk preference points!

[DhD]

I would rather have a draw than have to wait a month longer than residents to hunt on public land.

[Noreast10pt]

This is my first year here is SD, any idea how their draws work?
I was unsuccessful with my application also but do I still have a chance in the other draws that will happen? I think there is a total of 4 draws.

[seazofcheeze]

I wish I had the knowledge, money, and wherewithal to start buying preference points in my early twenties. It would be pretty easy to accumulate points and stagger different out of state hunts that way. But, I was broke, dumb, and chasing a different kind of whitetail

Overall, it does seem like its getting harder to draw a tag everywhere. I blame it on insurance lobby groups, which results in "sustainable/healthy" (see: reduced) herd sizes, an explosion in leasing, and ever increasing difficulty in accessing land. Prime example, it's extremely hard (not impossible, just difficult) to get hunting permission in Michigan, especially in better areas, due to leasing and people's concerns over liability issues. This sounds like a similar issue in a lot of the eastern states with high hunter densities (NY and PA come to mind) As a result, guys that can afford it and have the time go out of state, often start leasing in other locations (Ohio/Kentucky/Wisconsin/Kansas) with better age structure/big buck potential. I believe this waved happened starting in the early 2000s when the internet became accessible to the majority of the population. These areas are now much harder to get on than they used to be, so now guys go one step further to harder to draw states or farther away (Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, etc). I think this has happen in the last 10 years. Throw in some EHD and CWD, and I don't see it getting any better. Just my take.

[WV Bowhunter]

I hear ya LD!! I’ve been eyeing a elk unit in Wyoming that would take 3 pts to draw in 2012, I’ve applied several years and this year was unsuccessful again with 8 pts. I believe it took 10 pts this year and every year it keeps a point or two ahead of me. I’m probably going to look at a different unit next year and burn my points and get out of that point game.

[Lockdown]

I hear ya LD!! I’ve been eyeing a elk unit in Wyoming that would take 3 pts to draw in 2012, I’ve applied several years and this year was unsuccessful again with 8 pts. I believe it took 10 pts this year and every year it keeps a point or two ahead of me. I’m probably going to look at a different unit next year and burn my points and get out of that point game.

That’s basically the situation I’m in, the only problem is I can’t give up, as I’ll likely never have enough points to draw this unit again. I want to get back to the group hunt with my friends to get our tradition going again, but there’s no way I can bail on these points and waste them. So I’m stuck applying until I draw

They applied for whitetail only and were successful. Whitetail tags are MUCH easier to come by.

[Lockdown]

This is my first year here is SD, any idea how their draws work?
I was unsuccessful with my application also but do I still have a chance in the other draws that will happen? I think there is a total of 4 draws.

Yes you still have a chance, but all the sought after zones will be void of tags. Any leftover tags are usually for zones with very little public, or mediocre hunting at best.

There’s usually leftover doe tags, so most guys just fill the freezer. If I were you I’d get doe tags where you intend to buck hunt in the future and scout it out. That way you’ll have an inventory of spots and know what to expect when you do draw.

That or bowhunt

[Buckshot20]

I'm dealing with preference point burn out myself. There is a quota hunt on a wma near my house that I now have 8 points for...there is not a deer in this area worth that many points but I feel like I'm committed at this point....maybe next year

[huntinsonovagun]

WY antelope is experiencing the same issues. What I don’t get is the hunter recruitment issues I keep hearing about?? Why is everything getting harder to draw if hunter numbers are declining?....or are they?

[First Sit]

Point creep is happening all over the west. One factor is the economy doing better so more guys apply. Wasnt too long ago you could buy general deer tags after the draw in Montana now you have a 50/50 chance to draw one.

Access to info is a lot easier now so it doesnt take long for word to spread about some big bucks in a unit.

Some areas across the west have also been getting higher than average winterkill. So tag allocations have been reduced in some areas.

In general points doesnt mean a big animal. Many guys think they can burn 10 points on a unit and not work hard to kill a great animal. Honestly I dont think a lot of units are worth the points they take to draw. Some maybe but a lot are not. Points usually just gets you in a unit with lower pressure and a higher percentage of top end bucks/bulls. The majority of hunters dont kill the top end bucks that attract the points required and kill bucks that could be had in easy to draw areas with a little work. The other thing is that in those trophy areas more guides and serious hunters are looking for those top end animals as well so you actually might have more competition for top end animals in trophy units as they attract attention by guys looking for top end animal's.

The unit i hunt elk in CO takes 10+ points to draw for deer. I've seen a lot of deer and decent bucks in that unit however I've seen all my biggest bucks in CO in the unit I hunt deer that takes 1-2 points to draw. I'd rather hunt a unit that can produce nice bucks that I can hunt more often. Lots of good OTC and 0 to 3 point units for Mule Deer and Elk across the west.

[BorealBushMN]

WY antelope is experiencing the same issues. What I don’t get is the hunter recruitment issues I keep hearing about?? Why is everything getting harder to draw if hunter numbers are declining?....or are they?

Yes they are declining. SeazofCheese brought up some great points as well. As more and more land becomes locked up as private, and land prices continue to go through the roof, more and more hunters are getting squeezed out and forced to fight over the remaining public lands. There is also the fact that there is so much more exposure to other hunting opportunities across the country, that way more hunters are out there trying to get in on the action. Social Media, YouTube, etc. has introduced the possibilities to a lot more people and has planted the seed.

[UntouchableNess]

After three trips out west, I decided to walk away from elk points in Az and Wy, left them on the table so to speak. So don't blame me for point creep,there is one less person applying now.