Elk points

[mtman]

I did the ghost points for 7 years while hunting the west side. Then put in for a blues tag and drew it. I understand I was lucky. You could always hunt the north east corner of the state if your looking for a branch bull. I would not waste my points on a west side permit. Alot of the big westside bulls are from general hunts anyway.

[bucklucky]

If I were you or anyone that didnt have max point, I would ghost point it till you have 20 points and then start putting in    Seriousely though, only way you will draw is to put in for the tags you want. Your odds are drawing are not great but still you have a chance. Plan a out of state hunt and go hunt branched bulls if you dont draw your coveted washington tag.

[bobcat]

If you really are only interested in drawing and hunting a unit on the eastside, then I would apply for that hunt every year until you draw it. If you don't apply, your odds of drawing are zero. So apply every year to maximize your odds. It might be smart to hunt that same unit every year for spikes. That way when you do draw the bull permit you'll already know the unit.

[JPhelps]

I'm telling you this is a question that only YOU can answer.  Everybody is going to to tell what THEY would do.

I have set up a system that certain units are worth a certain amount of points.  Once I get "invested" past that unit I move on to the next tier of units that I feel are WORTH my points.

[kentrek]

I have set up a system that certain units are worth a certain amount of points.  Once I get "invested" past that unit I move on to the next tier of units that I feel are WORTH my points.

just for kicks id like to see your system

im having a hard time putting years of applying to inches of horn

[LBES]

I'll have 16 points for Quality elk this year... good right? Except, if I put in for East, I gotta hunt east!  I'm torn by this durn rule!

[jasonstevens]

I would put in for margret but points system doesnt work right I drew two cow tags back to back with zero points and my dad drew nothing with14 points

[JBar]

Another option is multi season. Put in and if drawn put in for east side and still hunt west if you draw you east big bull permit. 

[JPhelps]

I have set up a system that certain units are worth a certain amount of points.  Once I get "invested" past that unit I move on to the next tier of units that I feel are WORTH my points.

just for kicks id like to see your system

im having a hard time putting years of applying to inches of horn

Here is my system.  It uses out of state hunts to supplement my need for a chance at big bulls.

I have 5 west side units that I would ever use points on:
Tier 1: Only one unit that I will use all points on
Tier 2: One unit I was willing to use 7 points on
Tier 3. There were 3 units I thought were worth 3 to 4 points

Some Day I would like to use my points on the east side but it isn't that important.

[coachcw]

Just draw a muti season elk tag then you can put in for whatever hunt you want . If your a west side hunter then whats wrong with putting in for a west side quality tag ? you get to hunt bulls every year any how . I was gonna start putting in for the blues this year but figured that I rather hunt a unit I know better .

[colockumelk]

Just draw a muti season elk tag then you can put in for whatever hunt you want . If your a west side hunter then whats wrong with putting in for a west side quality tag ? you get to hunt bulls every year any how . I was gonna start putting in for the blues this year but figured that I rather hunt a unit I know better .

I hope you draw the tag I think your putting in for.

[coachcw]

Just draw a muti season elk tag then you can put in for whatever hunt you want . If your a west side hunter then whats wrong with putting in for a west side quality tag ? you get to hunt bulls every year any how . I was gonna start putting in for the blues this year but figured that I rather hunt a unit I know better .

I hope you draw the tag I think your putting in for.

;)thanks cloc.

[dvolmer]

You guys should be applying and hunting the east side if you want a big bull in the future.  Just talk to a Westsider that hunts the west until he finally draws the east side tag of his dreams.  He then has to go to the east side and hunt an area he is not familiar with and take it from me that its not all as easy to get a wall hanger on the east side if you dont know the area well.  If you put in for the east side when your points get built up and dont get drawn than you still need to hunt if for spikes for the years you dont and this is how you will learn what to expect when you do finally get drawn.  We drew five of the 13 Dayton big bull permits in 2006 and one in 2007 and another last year.  Thats a total of seven tags and we filled five of them.  398, 358, 335, 315, and 300 were how they scored out and we have been hunting the Dayton area every year for over 25 years.  That country is tough to hunt and you had better no where those buggers are at or you wont get what you want or think you will get.  When you do finally draw out make sure you deer hunt the unit that year also even if you never have.  Chances are you wont get a buck but the year you draw your tag the only thing on your mind is Big Bull Baby!  Use the deer season to scout for big bulls and if you are lucky you might just punch out on a buck to go along with it.  Just a few thoughts from one that has done it already.

[idahohuntr]

I am not sure about quality of either unit you discussed...but I do crunch numbers on all the draw units and your odds of drawing the mudflow permit (hunt 2041) with 9 points using 2012 data is 1.658%.  For comparative purposes, again using 2012 draw info., if you had 9 points for the Dayton unit (hunt 2006) your draw odds more than double to a whopping 3.652%   

The only way not to get drawn is to not put in, but when you look at the numbers they are grim...I really lost hope when I found that even IF I had 20 points going into the 2012 draw, the odds of getting a Dayton tag would be 16.825%   

[kentrek]

I am not sure about quality of either unit you discussed...but I do crunch numbers on all the draw units and your odds of drawing the mudflow permit (hunt 2041) with 9 points using 2012 data is 1.658%.  For comparative purposes, again using 2012 draw info., if you had 9 points for the Dayton unit (hunt 2006) your draw odds more than double to a whopping 3.652%   

The only way not to get drawn is to not put in, but when you look at the numbers they are grim...I really lost hope when I found that even IF I had 20 points going into the 2012 draw, the odds of getting a Dayton tag would be 16.825% 

at least the probabilities keep adding from year to year..so around 10-15 points it shouldnt take too long to get the tag ya want..which is still way to long  gives lots of time to scout tho

Here is my system.  It uses out of state hunts to supplement my need for a chance at big bulls.

I have 5 west side units that I would ever use points on:
Tier 1: Only one unit that I will use all points on
Tier 2: One unit I was willing to use 7 points on
Tier 3. There were 3 units I thought were worth 3 to 4 points

thats pretty much the same idea ive came up with..starting to feel like im past "my" tier 3 and tier 2 already tho so who knows how long its gona take to draw

im starting to think a Vancouver island hunt might not be such a bad idea....