Banking elk points

I'm buying elk and antelope in Wyoming.

Use an outfitter to go bust a cow every couple of years. Buying points with some friends and we can "share" points if we put in as a group. Planning on a cow and antelope hunt next year and doing a Bull and antelope hunt in 2027.

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with the goal of accumulating enough to draw on one of those once in a lifetime (Arizona unit 10/23) type units. Anyone ever or are doing this?

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Have you hunted out west before?
I was just listening to a rokslide podcast and they were talking about this. Guys spend years accumulating points in an area that they know nothing about they get there and the weather is bad or they don’t know what the animals are doing and years of points get wasted. Hard to draw units have a lot of pressure from experienced people so it’s not a slam dunk.
I have two years worth of elk points for Colorado and two years for Montana but every state is different for Montana 3 pts is pretty much max and some states starting right now point creep will ensure you get a tag when your 80yr old.
Not trying shoot you down but just making sure you understand how it all works

Point creep is killing non resident Western hunting, but there isn’t much choice.
You say you’ll apply for units with low pressure. Sounds good, but cow hunts and deer hunts could be occurring at the same time.
Here’s my suggestions-

Apply for Arizona every year. You might get lucky and pull a random draw. Lots of quality bulls and they’re very vocal. Access is typically good and most elevations are reasonable. I will apply each year for Arizona until I can’t walk.

Buy Wyoming points every year. Go buy them tonight.

I’m about to return to Wyoming for rifle elk. My hunt area allowed me to archery hunt and return for rifle if not successful. I’d deer hunted the area before, so had some knowledge. Unfortunately, two prime Walk in Hunt Areas were not renewed for this season. Access is now more difficult. I saw some good bulls in archery, but they weren’t vocal at all. Only bugling one morning in daylight. It’s been very dry and the elk are staying on private where the water is. It may turn out to be one of those years. I do have private access for a trespass fee. I connected an old fellow with this ranch and he saw eight bulls together a couple of days ago. Hopefully, I can get into them.

I wouldn’t apply for Utah.

Colorado has a lot of elk, but they’re in some steep country. Colorado is worth building points for the deer. It’s the top muley state by a long shot. Over the Counter elk is about to end for non residents, fyi.

The draws and points game isn’t what it once was. Back around ‘06, I drew a bighorn tag in Idaho and my buddy drew one in Montana that same fall.

What'd that cost ya?

That was back in 2008 and it was around $5,000, if I recall.
Guided elk prices are through the roof now.
No idea what Grizzly charges now.
These days, I’m all about setting up my Kodiak Canvas tent and giving it a try on my own.

Duke, you have the right idea. I live here out west and you have to plan ahead. And if you draw a primo tag, you get a guide to nail down a surd trophy.
Its long planning, but it's worth it!!!

You are better off putting money aside every year for 20+ years (what it'll take to draw what you are talking about) and paying to go guided on private land.

You'll end up drawing an insane tag and be an older man with no elk hunting experience trying to figure it out on the go based on youtube and blog posts


I buy elk, deer, and antelope points in multiple states. That varies from $80-$200+ in each state annually... just for points and qualifying licenses when necessary.. Once you start applying, states like WY and NM require you to front the tag money ($1000+) when you apply

Oh yeah that’s a great idea, just send it in the states that have random allocation. You have at least a snowballs chance in hell with in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming if you just throw your name in the hat. Don’t be scared to burn your points, throw your name in the hat where it matches your plan, draw some tags, and chase some animals. Another idea is to get a September mule deer tag where you think you might want to elk hunt in the future. I think your idea of a dream hunt might change as you spend more time out there.

To answer your original question, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and Arizona seem to garner the most attention from people accumulating points. Montanas cap is on preference points, not bonus points. For non point states, Idaho and New Mexico. The odds are grim for Nevada and Utah and the social media hunting folks crap on those states but I have points there, it’s a personal choice.