# Colorado 7 points plans



## Posey Laker (Dec 27, 2010)

I will have 7 elk points and 2 mule deer points for a 2019 trip. 

With point creep the really good units are 25 or more..... I'll be an old man by then!

I'm guess I'm in no mans land so to speak....

Should I just burn these points? And get out of an OTC area?
Weapons doesn't matter, I'm open to gun archery or muzzy.

Also, my hunting buddie is now a Marine Core officer. Unfortunately he can't commit too much for the next few years. I would prefer DIY, but if anyone has an outfitter I may have too, being solo.

Thanks for your input!


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## wolf76 (Apr 1, 2015)

Was in a similar situation and ended up using a guide. They are really not that expensive when you start factoring everything. I like diy when it makes sense. Not being able to drive 1200 miles each way to scout before the hunt and not being familiar with the area leads to low chance of success. You've planned for this hunt a while, why take big risks. My group shot great bulls in the second season with an awesome outfitter. I paid 3K for an outfitter and that included lodging, food, guide, and private land to hunt. Took a good bull on the first day
If you're dead set on diy, go second season and save your points.


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## anon09082020 (Oct 27, 2011)

Posey, grabbed this paragraph from my paid site. It's worth a look. 

*What can I do with 5 to 15 elk preference points?*
With 5 to 15 points there are far fewer options. Toward the upper end you have hunts like Unit 76 archery, 66, 67 muzzleloader and 20, 76 1st rifle. Mid level points, you might consider Unit 40 archery or Unit 49, 67 muzzleloader, or Unit 49 1st rifle. On the low end of this point range you might look at Units 20, 501 muzzleloader, or 20 late rifle. There may be a few more mixed in that you can explore with Filtering 2.0 but these represent some of the best options in that range. Units 40 and 20 are good guided options for a big bull, but will require access to ranch properties that only outfitters will be able to grant you. If a guided hunt or the other options don’t match what you are looking for, consider the OTC seasons while you continue to build points. Be aware that point creep for the best hunts may still be so bad that even at 15 points you could wait 30+ years for the best hunts.


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## pigeon (Jan 25, 2009)

wolf76 said:


> Was in a similar situation and ended up using a guide. They are really not that expensive when you start factoring everything. I like diy when it makes sense. Not being able to drive 1200 miles each way to scout before the hunt and not being familiar with the area leads to low chance of success. You've planned for this hunt a while, why take big risks. My group shot great bulls in the second season with an awesome outfitter. I paid 3K for an outfitter and that included lodging, food, guide, and private land to hunt. Took a good bull on the first day
> If you're dead set on diy, go second season and save your points.
> View attachment 299460


Do mind sharing what outfitter u used?


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Posey Laker said:


> I will have 7 elk points and 2 mule deer points for a 2019 trip.
> 
> With point creep the really good units are 25 or more..... I'll be an old man by then!
> 
> ...


I recently contacted a long time and well respected hunt broker to see if he had a hunt where I might burn my 16 elk PPs and/or 9 deer PPs before I get too old to crawl around in the backcountry. I have no reason to doubt the response I received so if I do not burn my points this year I am certainly not going to apply for more anytime soon. Below is the redacted response from the broker. FM

_"........ You might not like what I have to say, but I believe it to be truthful and accurate. Once Colorado denied non-residents the option of hunting the Ranching for Wildlife ranches, it basically took away much of the incentive for a non-resident to collect points. Unfortunately, no-one seemed willing to put that information in front of the general public._

_Now points are getting close to of little or no use in many areas. Areas that are requiring 8, 12, even 20 points- are just not producing awesome animals. I see it every year- guys do not like what I say, so book somewhere for 19 or 15 points, then call me to say they never saw a bull over 270" or a deer over 165". Truthful outfitters will say the same thing. No reason anymore to try to get huge point numbers, you are too far behind the curve, and the places out there are not worth the points they require by and large._

_..........Another down side that has crept into the point game, is that a high number of points needed now means high pricing, regardless of the true trophy quality left in the unit. So many tags are being issued that the quality has suffered. For example, .... deer hunts that used to sell for $4500, that now require 4 to 8 points and now sell for $8500. Some great deer are taken if you want to spend that much money. And every year the prices creep up as guys build points. Points no longer equate to quality animals in many areas. You have far more points then you need to draw a decent hunt, but are far short of the points needed to draw a premiere hunt- and honestly those premiere units have been getting hammered for years now......."_


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Forest Meister said:


> I recently contacted a long time and well respected hunt broker to see if he had a hunt where I might burn my 16 elk PPs and/or 9 deer PPs before I get too old to crawl around in the backcountry. I have no reason to doubt the response I received so if I do not burn my points this year I am certainly not going to apply for more anytime soon. Below is the redacted response from the broker. FM
> 
> _"........ You might not like what I have to say, but I believe it to be truthful and accurate. Once Colorado denied non-residents the option of hunting the Ranching for Wildlife ranches, it basically took away much of the incentive for a non-resident to collect points. Unfortunately, no-one seemed willing to put that information in front of the general public._
> 
> ...


That says it all Pat. Thanks for sharing.


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## Captain (Feb 11, 2000)

I'll have 6 mule deer points after this year and plan on going next year....Any suggestions on zones for a 2019 rifle hunt?


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## Posey Laker (Dec 27, 2010)

Thanks for the replys. Sounds like I may as well burn the points I have.


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## wolf76 (Apr 1, 2015)

Posey Laker said:


> Thanks for the replys. Sounds like I may as well burn the points I have.


Don't know that you should burn them, but rather don't try for 20. Areas requiring 5 or more points are generally better than no point draw blms. In short, make them count. JMO

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk


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## Posey Laker (Dec 27, 2010)

wolf76 said:


> Don't know that you should burn them, but rather don't try for 20. Areas requiring 5 or more points are generally better than no point draw blms. In short, make them count. JMO
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk


I'm going to apply next year and use these points.....can you give a referral for your outfitter?


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## ezcaller (Feb 21, 2009)

Go now! My friend and I thought we were in the front of the line 25 years agur plan to hunt trophy elk in areas 201,10,or 2 has been a dream.We sit on 25 points ,now have new knees and hips and probably couldnt make a worthy effort.If I draw I will go sit on a stump hopefully hear an elk just to be able to say I went.


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## GrizzlyHunter (Jun 17, 2005)

ezcaller said:


> Go now! My friend and I thought we were in the front of the line 25 years agur plan to hunt trophy elk in areas 201,10,or 2 has been a dream.We sit on 25 points ,now have new knees and hips and probably couldnt make a worthy effort.If I draw I will go sit on a stump hopefully hear an elk just to be able to say I went.


EZcaller,

I'm in a similar boat. I think I have 26 elk points and it might take another 7-10 years to draw in the 201, 10 or 2 GMU with the way it's going. I'm not sure what to do yet. One of my hunting buddies has around 18 elk points. We might just look for a GMU that he can draw and then burn both of our points.

I remember when I started this race it only took 7 points for a NR to draw in GMU 201. :-(


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## JoeyBhuntin (Dec 8, 2018)

Posey Laker said:


> I will have 7 elk points and 2 mule deer points for a 2019 trip.
> 
> With point creep the really good units are 25 or more..... I'll be an old man by then!
> 
> ...


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## JoeyBhuntin (Dec 8, 2018)

Curious on what your research led you to, (what GMU? Guided or unguided?) I am in a similar boat and was thinking about 2020, I will have 9 points for elk in Colorado and a solo hunter as well.


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## Posey Laker (Dec 27, 2010)

Not sure of 2019 or 2020 plans... probably know more after Christmas. Feel free to pm with any ideas. 



JoeyBhuntin said:


> Curious on what your research led you to, (what GMU? Guided or unguided?) I am in a similar boat and was thinking about 2020, I will have 9 points for elk in Colorado and a solo hunter as well.


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