If you had 3 years left
Elk
What 3 states would you start buying points
If I only had 3 years left, I’d buy points in WY, and no others. You can’t get any states besides a WY general tag with less than 3 points. I’d save my money and hire outfitters or buy landowner tags
Since you posted on elk forum, I will assume elk. Wyoming. Most other states Would be a waste. And in 3 years, Wyoming at 3 could be a donation also. Even in special pool. I would be applying in Wyoming and hunting OTC every moment I could.
In 3 years you'll only have 2 PPs. That probably wont even get you a WY Gen tag then.
None.
Would book hunts for Stone sheep, Desert sheep, Bighorn sheep, go to Alaska for a bunch of hunts, Newfoundland, Greenland, buy a couple of commissioner’s tags in Wyoming, and maybe a landowner tag in NM...
I’m assuming you mean 3 years left until retirement and then you can start hunting other states, for elk? In that case, I would buy points in Wyoming, and once I was ready to start hunting I would apply in Idaho Montana and Wyoming, perhaps NM as well. You should be able to hunt every year in one of those states if you do it right
None. All my money would be needed for doing guaranteed hunts. If you mean 3 years until you start hunting elk, your plan is already flawed. Start hunting elk immediately. Plenty of great memories, encounters, country and experiences available in OTC units every year. You need gas money, the price of a tag and a week off. You eat whether you are home or away, no fancy gear required if you already hunt other big game.
I’m with Don.
I’ve not been in a position to worry about accumulating points, and at my age, I honestly don’t see the point.
I’ve dreamed about The Big One like everybody else, but (and maybe it’s because at least 2/3 of my beard has gone white?) I’m not that motivated by antlers. Even at 24-25 and living in Laramie, I never thought I’d want more than one nice, representative specimen of any one species.
At some point, hunting ceases to be about what you kill. Either that, or you’ve missed the whole point of of one life’s greatest experiences.
And FWIW...
Who says any of us DOESN'T have 3 years left? Who’s to say any one of us DOES?
So far this year, we’ve lost my mother-in-law, who had a good, long life and dedicated far too few of those years to enjoying it. We lost my wife’s best friend of nearly 40 years who - at 63 - was picked off by a car on her daily ride. And we lost the high-school Varsity hockey coach who has had a great impact on my son, even though he has only been able to make it to JV thus far. And the coach was all of 49.
Hopes, dreams and goals - even Trophies- are all well and good. But if they push your wife, your kids or your family out of your life, or if they limit who your friends are because you can only relate to or get along with people who are as obsessed as you are...
At that rate, if you DO live to a ripe old age, you may get there and realize that it really wasn’t worth it.
“Come on man”
3 years left to retire from job ? 3 years left retire from hunting? 3 years left before start hunting elk? Doctor says 3 years left?
Wanderlust what say U?
In 3 years a Wyoming general will take more than 3.
Gf Nearly everybody comes around to your way of thinking relatively few do it with enough time left to change anything that matters
If I had only 3 years left the last thing I'd worry about is buying points. I'd get my affairs in order, make sure my wife is left in a good financial situation, focus on spending time with my family and try not to spend a single second on anything that wasn't important. But then I guess I try to do that anyway already with no knowledge of whether I have 3 seconds or 3 decades left.
Great post GF.... all truths. At some point you start to have your eyes opened to what really matters. I went antelope hunting with my dad, brother and nephew. I didn't have a tag. It basically takes a minimum of 5-8 years to draw a ND antelope tag, as things now stand. Not that big a deal on the surface.... but, my Dad is 78..... this very well could have been his last goat tag. Rifle hunt, we drovr out to western ND, my dad and brother shot a couple of very average goats.... and I wouldn't trade one second of it for a 180" whitetail. We argue, constantly.... we're all headstrong as people come... but I would never trade the memories from this weekend.
.....so, in short, sorry, I don't know the answer to your question. But I hope you figure it out, seriously... good luck!
All good points, just an observation on perspective. I am 37, I took his post to mean 3 years until retirement where he can make it out west to hunt elk finally because for all these years he’s been putting all the important things ahead of his elk hunting dream. Others, much older than I, I presume, thought he meant 3 years left of life. Great reminder of perspective and the different seasons of life, no matter which season you are in, make sure you’re taking care of the important stuff, thanks GF!
If I had three years left and was asking for advice I’d define what three years meant!
I think the OP baited all of you fur bearers
Nothing unusual for the bowsite and fun to watch
3 years?????????
I sent him a PM. He says he feels like he has only 3 years left to bow hunt hard.
In that case - and barring a degenerative condition - I would recommend a thorough physical, a good gym membership, and reading about Paul's annual Elk huts while he's on the treadmill or the exercise bike..
That's just Stinkin' Thinkin'....
"Either get busy living or get busy dying."
I just Hope I've got 3 years left!! haha
Ya won't have 3 points in Wyoming if ya apply in 3 years after buying points......
Good luck, Robb
Whiskey, cigars, hookers. Not necessarily in that order. There someone said it. I know you guys were thinking it!!!
