Who else got busted by the "point creep" ?

To make a long story short, along with 2 friends, we had booked an antelope hunt in Wyoming for October 2026. At the time of drawing, we got busted!

In 2025, with 3,3 points in average for our group, we would have been 100% sure to draw tags. In 2026, it took 5 points for 100%. Outfitter said he missed 15 antelope hunters next fall because of the point creep. Versus 2025, our unit needed 2 more points to draw a tag, that was unheard of according to the Outfitter.

Anyone else got busted?

Not just point creep but as people gain more points they jump to other units where they might get lucky to draw. That and many units offering less non resident tags the last two seasons can bite you!
I don’t rely on an outfitter and just look forward to trying again next season-

No sir, I’d rather not play the points game and came to the conclusion my money was better spent elsewhere years ago.

deewayne2003 said:

No sir, I’d rather not play the points game and came to the conclusion my money was better spent elsewhere years ago.

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I landed on this as well

You didn't get busted, you and the outfitter must not understand that there is zero guarantee.

Draw season 2020 was when things really went to hell. A lot of people had time on their hands and were not in the office. Drawing any tag in 2020 was tough.

I don't know why people think forecasted draw results equals actual draw results.

You can not math the system. You have to remove emotion.

In any state but especially in Wyoming there are thousands of people not in the game. Just buying points. Any year they can jump into the draw.

No one knows when that will happen. So there is no way to game the system.

If the state or GoHUNT or Randy Newberg thinks you need 10 points to draw a tag you need 13. You should draw it with 10, but probably more likely draw it with 12. There will be years where it takes 13, and no one with a point total less than 13 will draw.

My 2022 antelope tag is a perfect example.

Took 11 on paper. That is what Gohunt and all the inter webs were saying. My unit was easy with 11.

The truth was totally different.

I had 13. I was the only one 13 points that drew, everyone in the 14-15 points range drew. I thought I drew a random, but after the results came out with the data, only on person had 13. So it was me.

Shot a just ok buck, my uncle and father gave me covid, but at least I got to hunt with them. They were done in 30 minutes and I killed the 5th buck we saw at 0800 in the morning on opening day. Was totally lame. 13 years of points. I am 51 years old, I don't need that kind of old man drama.

When I cash in my 12 mule deer points in Wyoming in 2027, I am going to drive right by their houses and hunt by myself and sleep in a motel.

Points programs are a cruel mistress.

3 absolutes of the programs.

1. The state will make money

2. Points do not equal a tag, they may or not depending on the whims of the public.

3. Burning points on a high quality tag may not equal an animal. I had a high end elk tag in 2019. Might as well have stayed home. Spent 5 days trying to find an elk. Walked over 40 miles in 5 days. Never got on a legal bull. Saw 20 cows a day, saw a lot of dead elk in pickup trucks. Saw Black bears daily. One of the best units in New Mexico. Just didn't get it done.

The point issue is one of the reasons I now hunt internationally. Many of these hunts can be done much cheaper and more frequently than playing the point game in the US.

HuntingGold said:

The point issue is one of the reasons I now hunt internationally. Many of these hunts can be done much cheaper and more frequently than playing the point game in the US.

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Bingo!

I had a little luck in the Nevada 2026 lottery a few weeks ago in drawing this Nonresident antelope rifle tag with 13 points.

I will take it as nothing is getting easier or cheaper to draw in any state in the Western US.

Best of luck in the draws and happy hunting to all, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

TheGrayRider said:

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I had a little luck in the Nevada 2026 lottery a few weeks ago in drawing this Nonresident antelope rifle tag with 13 points.

I will take it as nothing is getting easier or cheaper to draw in any state in the Western US.

Best of luck in the draws and happy hunting to all, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

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Congratulations, Tom.

I quit applying for most years ago…
Point creep made most hunts virtually impossible.
I do have WY Anteople, Mule Deer, and Elk
Forget about Sheep, Moose etc
Also AZ and other high demand areas.
I’d die an old man before drawing…. Just pay for outfitter tags, landowner, etc.

As a former Oregon resident, trying to cash in several high point totals. For deer, I applied for Applegate Blacktail muzzleloader, with 15 points. My Dad had 3, as a resident, which was guaranteed. Money paid, I drew, he didn't.
Outfitter looking for a landowner tag for him, or else he may do an elk hunt instead.

The whole system is just another money grab. I played for years, now just go to Africa.

Point creep has shut out my group past 2 years for Wyoming antelope as well. Last year with 4 points and this year with 5 each, we "should have" drawn, but no luck. We do DIY hunting so no outfitters involved at least.

I will be applying 2027 elk with 7 pts.
I play the Colorado, wyoming point game mostly.

Qc_BearHunter said:

To make a long story short, along with 2 friends, we had booked an antelope hunt in Wyoming for October 2026. At the time of drawing, we got busted!

In 2025, with 3,3 points in average for our group, we would have been 100% sure to draw tags. In 2026, it took 5 points for 100%. Outfitter said he missed 15 antelope hunters next fall because of the point creep. Versus 2025, our unit needed 2 more points to draw a tag, that was unheard of according to the Outfitter.

Anyone else got busted?

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I feel for you, the system in the US is very confusing for me.

When I was much younger I put in for Montana & Idaho draws/points without success, later went in the South Dakota Custer Buffalo draw, - eligible for B&C - when I started it was very reasonable price for a Big Old Bull & you could sell the meat, by the time I got close to a draw the Bull price had doubled & I couldn’t sell the meat, so double whammy !

Hence I’m Bisonless !

This is why I won't hunt anything that requires points or a draw system. Too many other opportunities that don't require points or a lottery.

Wyoming sent me an e-mail a few year's ago that basically told me I was wasting my money buying moose PP's.


I thought that was kinda nice of them...

I put in for antelope this year in Wyoming and also didn’t draw. There’s always next year.

The change in western US hunting opportunity in the last 20 years is almost unbelievable. 18 years ago, 4 of us applied to hunt a better-than-average pronghorn unit in SW Wyoming. We drew, and we weren’t terribly surprised. Odds were better than even, before the pp system started.

Now, it takes 7 or 8 points to draw that unit.

At my age, the math says I’m better off to just pay up for guaranteed tags and go where & when I want. I’m not even old! This year in Idaho, 4 of us went 0/10 on the draws, and not in “trophy” units. Last year we went 1/12. I drew many, many tags as a youngster here. My kids each drew one or two during their entire youth. My grandkids will probably just read about it…..

I’m building points in Colorado. Don’t know if I’ll ever get to use them……

Qc_BearHunter said:

To make a long story short, along with 2 friends, we had booked an antelope hunt in Wyoming for October 2026. At the time of drawing, we got busted!

In 2025, with 3,3 points in average for our group, we would have been 100% sure to draw tags. In 2026, it took 5 points for 100%. Outfitter said he missed 15 antelope hunters next fall because of the point creep. Versus 2025, our unit needed 2 more points to draw a tag, that was unheard of according to the Outfitter.

Anyone else got busted?

Click to expand...

@Qc_BearHunter It happens especially when tag numbers were reduced due to the tough winters and application numbers are up. I’ve got a buddy who we thought would draw an elk tag because he had 1 more point than needed last year, but going in with 7 this year he was 2 shy. I also saw someone burn something like 7 or 9pts on an antlerless tag. What your outfitter was telling you is speculation based on last years results.

@Muskox hit the nail on the head about people not “in the draw” but buying points. I’ve been applying in WY since 2005/2006 time. After the Antelope winter die off a few years ago, I stopped “applying” in the Red Desert and started just buying points. I had more than enough points to draw based on the last 2 years results, but have been holding off for the population to really rebound and what I feel are great conditions for horn growth. Given the low tag numbers for non residents in those units all it takes is someone else with more points than mine to jump in and make it where I don’t have enough. Additionally if/when I jump in (cause I’m still building points to keep ahead of a potential points creep) the prior year might’ve shown 15, 16 or 17 to draw but me applying that year might suddenly make it 20, or someone with more than me might make it 25 or 28.