OhioHunter,
Take it from a seasoned veteran of the big game lotteries across the West & NewEngland.......BEWARE.......I’ve been playing the game for over 20 years. It started out great and I drew many slammer tags back when the states were ethical, but since then it’s morphing into another game. A game where attorneys (professional liars & thieves), politicians and even state game departments have morphed it into more or less Ponzi schemes to separate you from your money. They get you to buy in, then move the goal posts in the middle of the game. Only 2 of 12 states I’ve applied in during the last 22 years have not cheapened my hard earned points………and neither is out West (Iowa & New Hampshire). Every other one has either lowered the NR quota, converted tags to outfitter welfare or even worse…….auction, changed the rules to screw me. Hell, Maine destroyed my points by later peddling all the bonus points anyone wants for $55/6 packs. What a complete joke. They do it because they can. If you tried what they do in private industry you’d be thrown in jail for classic bait-n-switch business practices. This is a FACT not an opinion. Some of the states still have decent systems in place, but don’t buy in with the expectation that your money invested won’t be raped. New Mexico has crappy odds since outfitter welfare, but at least they don’t deceive you because they don’t sell points. Idaho is another, so you can’t get burned in those states. Colorado & Wyoming have the best VALUE right now, but no doubt they will devalue points at some point in time. Both have done it in the past and had more legislation proposed since then. In any case if you do buy in anywhere, target units that take 3-5 points, no more. Otherwise you will be walking around with a big target on your back with unscrupulous politicians eyeing your every move. You will have more to lose with any screwing rule “changes”.
There are some states you should avoid at any cost. They are Oregon & Utah. Both for different reasons. They offer very little to the ground floor investor. If you study the odds, you will figure this out quickly. And Utah is the most corrupt state in the country. Even their F&G Dept. is in bed with special interest group SFW. Nevada & Arizona are pricey if you can afford. Oh and BTW Arizona was the latest state to screw invested hunters like me (17 points) by trashing our points from basically preference to bonus, vastly extending our waits to beyond my retirement age. If I’d known what they had in store I’d have been burning points on a totally different unit the last 15 years and hunted 3 times. Instead me and the 400 investors ahead of me got totally screwed. So that is why I say if you buy in anywhere, don’t let your points get above 3-5.
Again, these are all FACTS, not opinions. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either a green horn to the game, someone who profits from the game, or just plain ignorant/delusional.
Last edited by Zim; 12-21-2016 at 11:03 PM.