Considerations for Quality Elk Points

[Mossyoak]

I have been putting in for hard to draw hunts for 16 years, like many other people on this site. I have low Bull Elk points and cow points. I took the family into the woods last weekend and it got me thinking about what to do next year with my draw hunts. My son just turned 5 and is showing a lot of interest in hunting. I am thinking about putting in for ghost points for the next 4 or 5 years, I really would like to share it with him.  Though probably still won't ever draw one! Am I crazy? I am thinking about focusing on out of state elk in the mean time. I have quite some time left to hunt but the tags are only getting harder and harder to draw....Is there anyone else out there who has done this?

[X-Force]

So are you thinking of putting in as a group hunt on an easier to draw tag with you son when he gets to be hunting age?

[trophyhunt]

I would put in with your son now, he can do youth and quality elk at the same time.  If you want to hunt with your family or son every year, don't rely on the draw system to have good hunts w your family.  You'll just get old quick!  I'm on 22 years for quality elk and bull, if I had to do it over, I wouldn't put my hunting adventures on drawing a permit!  If you have the money, take your family to Idaho and make it a yearly hunt, you can kill deer, elk, does at the same time.  Or just plan your hunts in Washington every year that dont need special permits.  Drawing a special permit in this state is only going to get tougher, stay young and don't wait to draw to build memories, it's just not worth it. 

[Mossyoak]

I was thinking of putting in with him or trying to draw it alone. I definitely won't be waiting for the draw, it seems like the tough draws are almost like OIL tags anymore. I am using WA as a supplement to my hunting year...depending on draws. I will be going to Idaho with him when he is old enough. That's where we went last weekend. Thanks for the input.

[Elkcollector82]

If it was me. I would continue to put in for the hunts. Now when your son becomes of age to hunt. I would still put in for them and have him in youth hunt draws. Once you do draw that tag you been trying for all these years. Your son probably would have drawn a couple youth tags for elk and deer by then. So I would then start putting in for hunts together.

[trophyhunt]

I was thinking of putting in with him or trying to draw it alone. I definitely won't be waiting for the draw, it seems like the tough draws are almost like OIL tags anymore. I am using WA as a supplement to my hunting year...depending on draws. I will be going to Idaho with him when he is old enough. That's where we went last weekend. Thanks for the input.

idaho has cheap youth tags, like 35.00.  Think they are called mentor tags, I'd take advantage of that.

[HookedOnQuack]

I was thinking of putting in with him or trying to draw it alone. I definitely won't be waiting for the draw, it seems like the tough draws are almost like OIL tags anymore. I am using WA as a supplement to my hunting year...depending on draws. I will be going to Idaho with him when he is old enough. That's where we went last weekend. Thanks for the input.

idaho has cheap youth tags, like 35.00.  Think they are called mentor tags, I'd take advantage of that.

My son is 11 and just passed hunters ed this summer and thats what i will be doing with him. I have a few really nice bucks on trail cams and as much as i would like to tag it myself im more excited to see what he gets this year!

[Elkcollector82]

I was thinking of putting in with him or trying to draw it alone. I definitely won't be waiting for the draw, it seems like the tough draws are almost like OIL tags anymore. I am using WA as a supplement to my hunting year...depending on draws. I will be going to Idaho with him when he is old enough. That's where we went last weekend. Thanks for the input.

idaho has cheap youth tags, like 35.00.  Think they are called mentor tags, I'd take advantage of that.

My son is 11 and just passed hunters ed this summer and thats what i will be doing with him. I have a few really nice bucks on trail cams and as much as i would like to tag it myself im more excited to see what he gets this year!

  all about the kids. I’d be way more excited for my son to bunch a tag verses me. I’ve been there, done that. It’s his turn.

[Bob33]

I would put in with your son now, he can do youth and quality elk at the same time.  If you want to hunt with your family or son every year, don't rely on the draw system to have good hunts w your family.  You'll just get old quick!  I'm on 22 years for quality elk and bull, if I had to do it over, I wouldn't put my hunting adventures on drawing a permit!  If you have the money, take your family to Idaho and make it a yearly hunt, you can kill deer, elk, does at the same time.  Or just plan your hunts in Washington every year that dont need special permits.  Drawing a special permit in this state is only going to get tougher, stay young and don't wait to draw to build memories, it's just not worth it.

His son will need to pass hunter education and get a hunting license in order to apply for an elk permit or point in Washington 

[trophyhunt]

I would put in with your son now, he can do youth and quality elk at the same time.  If you want to hunt with your family or son every year, don't rely on the draw system to have good hunts w your family.  You'll just get old quick!  I'm on 22 years for quality elk and bull, if I had to do it over, I wouldn't put my hunting adventures on drawing a permit!  If you have the money, take your family to Idaho and make it a yearly hunt, you can kill deer, elk, does at the same time.  Or just plan your hunts in Washington every year that dont need special permits.  Drawing a special permit in this state is only going to get tougher, stay young and don't wait to draw to build memories, it's just not worth it.

His son will need to pass hunter education and get a hunting license in order to apply for an elk permit or point in Washington 

Absolutley, to keep hunting he needs the class and to hunt in Idaho.  But he can hunt one year without the class.

[HookedOnQuack]

I would put in with your son now, he can do youth and quality elk at the same time.  If you want to hunt with your family or son every year, don't rely on the draw system to have good hunts w your family.  You'll just get old quick!  I'm on 22 years for quality elk and bull, if I had to do it over, I wouldn't put my hunting adventures on drawing a permit!  If you have the money, take your family to Idaho and make it a yearly hunt, you can kill deer, elk, does at the same time.  Or just plan your hunts in Washington every year that dont need special permits.  Drawing a special permit in this state is only going to get tougher, stay young and don't wait to draw to build memories, it's just not worth it.

His son will need to pass hunter education and get a hunting license in order to apply for an elk permit or point in Washington 

All you need in WA to apply for points is a WILD ID number, they have to be ghost points but you dont need hunters ed or a liscense

[carlyoungs]

Only for OILS

I would put in with your son now, he can do youth and quality elk at the same time.  If you want to hunt with your family or son every year, don't rely on the draw system to have good hunts w your family.  You'll just get old quick!  I'm on 22 years for quality elk and bull, if I had to do it over, I wouldn't put my hunting adventures on drawing a permit!  If you have the money, take your family to Idaho and make it a yearly hunt, you can kill deer, elk, does at the same time.  Or just plan your hunts in Washington every year that dont need special permits.  Drawing a special permit in this state is only going to get tougher, stay young and don't wait to draw to build memories, it's just not worth it.

His son will need to pass hunter education and get a hunting license in order to apply for an elk permit or point in Washington 

All you need in WA to apply for points is a WILD ID number, they have to be ghost points but you dont need hunters ed or a liscense

[carlyoungs]

Only for OILS

[NRA4LIFE]

Start putting him on for youth points!  Elk, deer, moose, etc.  Wild ID is all you need.

[bobcat]

You can't apply for deer, elk, or bear special permits without first buying a hunting license for each one.

[Stein]

I put my kids in for OIL points as soon as I found out you could do it without a license.  Then, I signed them up for hunter's ed the first year I thought they could handle it and they both did great.  Now, I put them in for everything. 

Then, we hunt what we draw, general tags or out of state, depending on the year.  Out of state youth tags are usually a ton cheaper and I really like being the guide.  I usually have way more fun if I'm not carrying a rifle.

[vandeman17]

Unless there are crazy circumstances where you 100% can't hunt, I don't think ghost points are useful. With point creep and the already terrible odds for the better permits, I would put in every year. At your son's age, if you draw, it would be a great chance for you to bring him along on all your scouting trips and help teach him everything that goes into a hunt. 

[fishngamereaper]

The year you skip is the year you would draw. Just keep trying to draw and roll with it. I was the same as you when my kid was young. I kept trying anyway and haven't drawn anything spectacular yet and he's a teenager now. So it worked out.

[Stein]

I ghost my son for all big game and my daughter when she was young.  Until they wanted to go for something and could shoot a centerfire well enough, I ghost point their apps.

[Mossyoak]

Thanks for all the info, I really appreciate it. He already has 4 points for the OILS, glad his applications are half of what mine are. Can't beleive the WDFW would leave money on the table . I will definitely look at the mentor kid tags, Idaho has it figured out. I like how you can transfer tags to kids as well, what a great way to get kids more involved. I wish WA would make some changes.