What to do with 8 Elk points?

[arcticm7]

I have 8 points this year and am an archery hunter. What are some suggestions for elk hunting in NE Oregon. I am looking at Walla Walla, Mt. Emily, and Wenaha. Obviously it will take more points to get but are they worth the wait? If so, which unit is the best?

[beardbuster]

My suggestion; if you dont have enough for Walla Walla or Wenaha I would put in for a point saver. You are still a couple years away from drawing and it doesn't hold back from the people who have the points (odds) to draw.

I hunted Walla Walla, it was good! Wenaha is probably the most popular tag for good reason.

[Art Vandeley]

From what I understand, Wenaha is the best, with Walla Walla be the runner up, and I think they are worth the wait if you've already waited long enough to get 8 points. I also think that it will take about 11-12 points to draw. There are plenty of ifishers who know more than me about it though so hopefully they will chime in.

Mitch

[bo4elk]

I hunted the Walla Walla 2 years ago, while a good friend was in the Weneha at the same time. Our camps were only 10 miles apart. The Weneha is well known (the difficulty to draw the tag is part of its mythos). While we both stayed within in our legal boundries, we were essentially hunting the same elk - not literally, but what does a few miles mean to an elk? The big difference between our hunts was that he was running into spike hunters at every turn. I didn't see anyone.

[Thehunter]

With this many points you should really do some scouting. You can spike Hunt them to get a better idea of the area and the bulls that are in there. I've played around up at Mt. Emily i saw sever nice bulls.

[QH's Paw]

Once you decide which unit, put in for the draw. Don't buy point saver unless you know you can't hunt it if you draw. It cost the same either way but, putting in for the draw is a chance(maybe snowballs chance somewhere hot) and point saver is not even a chance. 75% of tags go to high points and 25% go to draw of everyone else after that.
When people say 12 points to draw they mean gauranteed. You can draw within the 25% with 0 points. There is no advantage given for points in the 25% draw.
For example, in 2007, 22 Bull tags for wenaha no.2. There would have been 6 people that may or may not have had points going into the draw that actually drew the tag. Since there were 2898 1st choice applicants, you would have had a 1 in 500 chance of drawing. With point saver you have 0 chance. I did mention they cost the same.

[traks44]

If you have not got to spend much time in any of these units I would highly recommend a pointsaver this year. Come over this year and spend some time scouting the units and then when next years rolls around you will have a better a better idea of where you want to hunt, and then if you dont draw you will have even more time to scout and get used to this unit. You are wasting a good hunt and alot of points if you have never been in these areas. Some previous scouting can be the difference in a good hunt and a great hunt.

[arcticm7]

Scouting will be on the top of my priority list before I draw the tag. I will most likely wait for the Wenaha unit. After posting I did some more research and really liked what I saw. I really do appreciate all of the good input. Have a good day, Mark

[johndeeregreen]

Originally Posted by beardbuster

My suggestion; if you dont have enough for Walla Walla or Wenaha I would put in for a point saver. You are still a couple years away from drawing and it doesn't hold back from the people who have the points (odds) to draw.

I hunted Walla Walla, it was good! Wenaha is probably the most popular tag for good reason.

Good advice

[Mossyhorn]

256R WENAHA UNIT BOW 20 tags 1980 apps
13 1 0
12 25 15
11 26 0
10 73 0
9 119 0
8 113 0
7 143 0
6 184 0
5 186 0
4 194 0
3 242 0
2 314 0
1 291 0

This is from last years draw for the wenaha. If you have 8 points now, you have 342 people ahead of you, not including the people not listed here with point savers. 342/15=22.8 years until it's your turn to draw.

[Blue Tip Spinner]

Originally Posted by QH's Paw

Once you decide which unit, put in for the draw. Don't buy point saver unless you know you can't hunt it if you draw. It cost the same either way but, putting in for the draw is a chance(maybe snowballs chance somewhere hot) and point saver is not even a chance. 75% of tags go to high points and 25% go to draw of everyone else after that.
When people say 12 points to draw they mean gauranteed. You can draw within the 25% with 0 points. There is no advantage given for points in the 25% draw.
For example, in 2007, 22 Bull tags for wenaha no.2. There would have been 6 people that may or may not have had points going into the draw that actually drew the tag. Since there were 2898 1st choice applicants, you would have had a 1 in 500 chance of drawing. With point saver you have 0 chance. I did mention they cost the same.

if you have the time, put in for it, the money is the same, so why would you put in for a pointsaver when there is a chance to draw for the tag?

i have drawn the Wenaha tag in the past, you DEFINATELY need to do your homework there, the elk were EVERYWHERE, but getting to them was a totally different story.....

[Joe Schmo]

Originally Posted by Mossyhorn

342/15=22.8 years until it's your turn to draw.

Wow. Thanks a lot for that uplifting post. I think I'm just going to find a quiet place to have a cry .... what's a guy going to do.... keep putting in for the ol' 299 tag I guess!!

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by Joe Schmo

Wow. Thanks a lot for that uplifting post. I think I'm just going to find a quiet place to have a cry .... what's a guy going to do.... keep putting in for the ol' 299 tag I guess!!

If your bent on only hunting one unit, then why not put in for that unit every year its been mentioned multiple times above and it gives you a chance of drawing instead of having 0% chance with the 299 tag just to get more points

[Beamerfish]

Originally Posted by Joe Schmo

Wow. Thanks a lot for that uplifting post. I think I'm just going to find a quiet place to have a cry .... what's a guy going to do.... keep putting in for the ol' 299 tag I guess!!

I think it's not quite as bad as all that. Since the point system came into being 13 or so years ago, we have seen the points totals to draw creep up every year on these premium hunts like the Wenaha. Sooner or later things will equilibriate out and the points to draw will stabilize but point creep will be a factor of life for awhile. There will be guys giving up and falling out of the chase because they cash out for something else. On the other hand there are all the point saver guys that don't show up in the Wenaha application results. Some of those will jump in although the current point tallys for the Wenaha already reflect that to some degree.

I'm in the same boat as you - bow hunter with 8 elk points. I'm pondering whether to keep holding out for Wenaha glory or to cash in for Walla Walla or Mt. Emily. I'll see how the point creep goes over the next couple years. If it looks like I might be able to get close to Wenaha in another 5 or 6 years I might wait. Then again I could probably go to Mt Emily twice in that time or Walla Walla in another couple years and then start building back toward something else. In the meantime the archery general tag continues to be a good deal. I've also been doubling up with an out-of-state elk hunt for the last few years (and am thankfully fortunate to be able to do that).

[Joe Schmo]

Ok. Good point. Put in for the 25% random drawing instead of just giving up and going the 299 road. However as a NONresident I don't think that I would have ANY chance at those (4?) Wenaha tags that make up the 25% random drawing...maybe one of them could possibly go to NR's??

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by Joe Schmo

Ok. Good point. Put in for the 25% random drawing instead of just giving up and going the 299 road. However as a NONresident I don't think that I would have ANY chance at those (4?) Wenaha tags that make up the 25% random drawing...maybe one of them could possibly go to NR's??

true probably less than .1% but thats still better than 0% barely

[Katie Ann II]

you guys are missing a good unit what about sled springs

[Mossyhorn]

Since there is a maximum 5% cap on tags for NR's, there is only 1 tag available for NR's and that will go to the highest point holder I'm pretty sure. And in addition, that is only available to NR's every other year. Every other year it is given to an outfitter that an NR could purchase for a nice fee.

[huntercgr]

This is how I would look at your options, if it were me. This also depends on your age.

This would more than likely be a once in a lifetime hunt. It takes more than one season, and when I say season, I mean the hunting season, to successfully scout a unit such as this. The best scouting, imo, takes place during the season so you can see and get a feel for how the elk react to hunting pressure. You can also get a feel for where hunters are going, and not going.

Scouting also entails learning the lay of the land. The more confident you are in knowing you won't get lost, the more confident you'll be able to hunt. Sure, you can learn the land by pre-season scouting. But that'll take many hours of hiking around. And by doing that pre-season, you may bust animals totally out of an area.

Like Traks stated, you're best off putting in for a pointsaver and get over there during the season and learn.

[bo4elk]

One valid reason to apply anyway, rather than 299, is that you have a small chance. If you can draw the tag before your odds reach 100%, then you'll start down the road of rebuilding your points sooner.

[hunter97051]

Starky exp. forest????? It looks pretty good also!!!!

[MuleyBuck]

Originally Posted by Mossyhorn

256R WENAHA UNIT BOW 20 tags 1980 apps

13 1 0
12 25 15
11 26 0
10 73 0
9 119 0
8 113 0
7 143 0
6 184 0
5 186 0
4 194 0
3 242 0
2 314 0
1 291 0

This is from last years draw for the wenaha. If you have 8 points now, you have 342 people ahead of you, not including the people not listed here with point savers. 342/15=22.8 years until it's your turn to draw.

Hey there,

Thank you for posting these stats. I currently have (12) Preference points and have been applying for this Unit. I have been putting in for Point Savers for the last three years including this one to build up the vacation if I do draw this Unit. Had Identical Twins this year so it has put a damper on my hunting, but it almost looks like a guarantee for me in the next year or two.

MULEY BUCK

[willametteriveroutlaw]

Katie Ann,
Sled springs is not even in the same league as far as quality as wenaha, walla walla, or Mt emily.

Hunter 97051,
Starkey EXP forest used to be a decent hunt for archery, but they messed with the season this year and it is not going to be anywhere near the caliber of hunt it was before.

This typifies the problem with hunting in Oregon, there are very limited opportunities for a quality hunt, and even those are overrun with spike hunters.

[Joe]

What we really need is for one or more of the units that has a elk herd that is actually increasing (or has the potential without damage kills) to be managed for trophy bulls as in 6 point or better. The take could be much higher and the line for these few would go way down. I have 10 points and would be pretty content to have a solid chance to kill a 300" bull somewhere else rather than wait will I'm old and feeble to have a chance at a 400" bull in the Weneha. AND NO SPIKE HUNT DURING THE TROPHY HUNT I'VE WAITED 10 YEARS FOR! That is freakin' moronic.....

I'm still undecided about this year.......

[whtelk]

the only reason these are fairly good is because the state limited the tags because the elk population was plummeting. Purely by accident that these hunts are for quality bulls. Oregon does not manage for quality.

[dubl_t]

well, whatever tag you draw, MAKE SURE YOU CAN GO! I used my 6 points for a tag last season and only got to hunt 1 day