If I remember right, Nevada you must buy a license and a PP, ends up being over $100 and the mule deer tags take at least 7 years for a non-resident to draw...

I'm not sure what it is here in California for a non-resident, but there's nothing here worth trying to draw for anyway unless you are a resident.

If you have to buy out of state tags and licenses how/why in the world would people enter these drawings. It would cost thousands just to get a tag. There has to be something Im missing here

Welcome to the forum. I'm from Trumbull county in north east ohio. Where abouts are you from....


In short, you need to go to some state websites and do some reading. Wyoming, Colorado, and I'm sure other states allow you to buy a preference point only. This year I bought preference points only for mule deer and antelope in Wyoming. Next year I'll begin buying points in Colorado for elk... Doing it this way allows you to accumulate points, so that you can be drawn in future years for the hunt you want.... Some hunts are OTC, some hunts are drawn with just a few points, and some trophy areas require allot of points.... you'll need to do allot of reading to figure out all that....


My suggestion to you, being a new hunter, is put in for some points somewhere for something that you're interested in hunting. And plan on hunting there a few years out. In the meantime, continue to get whitetail experience. And practice with your gear. Shots out west can be allot farther than what you'll typically encounter in Ohio. Allot can be learned here in Ohio chasing whitetail, turkey, coyote and even small game. Learn how to hunt, add experience, and when you have the points you need for bigger stuff, then you'll be ready to go.


-Jake

Transitioning from whitetail to western game is eye opening. First off, those western states are BIG, so asking if a state is "good" is hard, some of the state may be great while other areas aren't.


You need to figure out what you want, then where you want to go, then pick a state or states to check into. You can elk hunt OTC in ID for example. My wife and I mulie/pronghorn hunted this year in WY with no points, but elk in that area takes lots of points.


Each state is different, but you don't have to buy a license to get a point , at least in my limited experience. You also get a license/tag per animal, so you can buy an elk point and get a deer tag for example.

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.

Zim,I hear you on states changing the rules in the middle of the stream.

Istarted applying for bighorn sheep here in Montana in 1975 or 76. Backthen Montana had a preference point system. I was unsuccessful each yearand accumulated a preference point every year until about 1983 when Montana FWPannounced that they were going to scrap their preference point system.

SoI checked the previous year’s drawing statistics and found a unit where with mypoints, I had a good chance of drawing a tag. I drew a tag, and shota nice ram on a DIY solo hunt.

Thenfrom 1983 to 2001 Montana did not have any kind of preference system. In2001 they instituted a bonus point system. Everyone that applies is inthe drawing, but for each bonus point, you get your name in the drawing thatnumber of additional times. Five bonus points and your name is in thedrawing one plus five additional times, just like everyone else that has fivepoints.

Thenin response to complaints by sportsmen that the bonus point system wasn’treally giving an advantage to hunters with more bonus points, it was onlymaking the numbers bigger, FWP said they will now square our bonus pints. So if you apply with 10 bonus points, theywill square your points and your name will be put into the drawing one plus 100additional times. Just like everyoneelse that has 10 bonus points.

Eachstate has their own system. I believePREFERENCE points favor those who apply the longest, and BONUS points giveEVERYONE a chance. But you won’t draw ifyou don’t apply, and the drawings will not get any easier.

PA has what they call a point system, it really isn't a point system. Every time you apply, the application fee is 5 dollars you get a point. However, there is no time that a certain number of points will equate to a license. What happens is if you apply for 10 years your name goes in the drawing 10 times. I have applied for an elk license for 14 years, I have accrued 14 points because I have applied for 14 years, so next year when I apply my name will go in the pot 15 times. It is a pizz poor system. You may also apply just for a point if you know you will not be able to hunt during the season.

What you are referring to is commonly called a Bonus Point system. There really isn't any system that doesn't have as many or more negatives that positives. IMHO the only fair system is a fully random draw for whatever tags are available

That was a very good overall synopsis of the point systems in the various states! IMHO there is not a single state with any type of a point system that is fair to every person that would like to apply. Most only reward the person who got in on the ground floor when tags for a certain animal like sheep are very limited. Many get into those systems with no thought that they will never draw a tag in their lifetime and the state selling the system certainly isn't going to tell them because all they want is the money!

that is how idaho does it. some are lucky and draw every year or two some (like me )are not and average a draw tag every 5-10 years. it is possible to put in ones entire life and never get a tag, though I have yet to meet that unlucky schmuck.

we recently looked into going point system but idahoans rejected it.