Both units provide excellent opportunity at a great bull. It looks to me like you needed 7 points to draw Unit 76 in 2008 and 12 for Unit 61. You may be in the game if you apply for 76 this year.

Your other option would be to apply for 61 as your first choice and 76 as second. If you happened to draw 76 you would get a tag and keep ALL your points. I guess it ultimately depends on which unit you really want to hunt!!!

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "...minimize the loss of my points". As soon as you draw a first choice tag, your points go back to zero, you don't just lose points equal to the minimum required to draw that tag.

Thanks the input Raghorn! What I was meaning by minimizing the loss of my preference points was what you had said in your reply. For a resident archery for example it would take a minimum of 3 points to draw unit 76. Leaving me in a position of losing 5 preference points. Which was something I wanted to avoid, but I am kind of in no mans land with the amount of points I have. I can draw anywhere in the state except 2,10, 201,61 and possibly 1. All the other units except 76 take 0-2 points for an archery hunt. Knowing any unit I put in for first choice would take all my preference points. Unfortunately putting in for unit 76 as a second choice wouldnt work either because your preference points only apply to your first choice hunt code. What would make a better second pick is a under drawn unit to ensure you draw the tag you were hoping for. saving your last choice for a general tag if all else fails.
Ultimately I am hoping for a good trophy 320+ B&C, but when it all comes down to it and reality I would be happy to have meat on the table. So ultimately when I get rid of my points I would like to begin hunting some of the easier draw units to increase my time in quality areas to every couple years. Thanks again.
-Joe

Makes sense now, Joe...sorry, I misunderstood!

Here's another idea for you: Keep banking points in CO and go hunt this year in Idaho. If you're after a 320 bull, Idaho is a great place for it and tags are OTC. Utah's general season would also be an option...they don't let you hunt the best units, but there are some big bulls to be found if you hunt hard.

Either way, best of luck to you!!!

Steve

Thanks Steve and no worries!
Sometimes the thoughts I mean to get out of my head when I get to typing dont come out as I had liked,lol. I will have to look into a few of those states. I had done a little, but kind of gave up on Utah as it seemed pretty difficult to get a tag there as well. I will just have to dig through the regs a lot more. Have you ever made it to either of those states? For some reason Utah sounds a little more appealing and a bit closer for me. I hear a lot about the wolves in Idaho so had kind of shied away from that one a bit, but it may be a good alternative. Thanks again!
-Joe

I've hunted Idaho each of the last three years. Once for elk and and the others for deer. Despite the wolves, there is still darn good hunting to be had in Idaho.

I'm taking a friend of mine on a general season spike elk hunt in Utah this year. It's his first elk hunt so a spike will be a good start.

Since you're looking for an archery tag, look at Utah's extended hunts in the Wasatch Front/Ogden area and also in the Uinta Basin. For any of the extended hunts you're required to take an online archery ethics course. I did it in about 15 minutes.

You could also look at the regular generals season hunts in the South Slope, Yellowstone, Vernal/Bonanza or North Slope - Summit/West Dagget areas. These units are any bull elk units.

There are others units to hunt but a lot of them are primarily private land and/or spike elk hunts.

Well from what I am hearing, the applications this year are way down, due to the slumping economy, alot of people are saying this could be the year to have a goiod chance at drawing that top notch unit,alot of guys have lost their jobs,and I am sure some will not be hunting or applying for points,who knows, may be worth it to try for it this year.If you do, GOOD LUCK TO YA.

I'm new to this big game hunting and preference points. We bird dog guys just usually find a place in South Dakota and go at it. Anyway, I booked a guided pack-in hunt in unit 52 (delta) for third week rifle (otc), but applied for first week as per the outfitters recomendation. Either way I know my buddy and myself will have a great time. But I was wondering about future hunts. I'm sure I will be back as my son is now a Colorado resident. It seems most of the outfitteres are booked more than a year in advance. If I put in for a draw unit or a draw week and get drawn, it seems I'll be scrambling to find a good outfitter in any given unit. Am I missing something here? If I use an outfitter am I more limited in options? I do not have the equipment, experience or time to do a self guided hunt the right way. Any suggestions for the future? Thanks!

I havent ever used the services of an outfitter, but that being said if you are paing for their services you mar have a better chance of getting limited liscenses.

It sounds as if you put in for 1st rifle season, if by some chance you are not successful you will ha awarded a Preference point. With one preference point you would have a great chance at getting several units...Sometimes it seems a little more complicated than it actually is. If you have any questions about the application process I would be happy to help. As far as out fitters go I would base your decision on the particular area of the state you are interested in. Unless the Division of Wildlife changes things with their regulations you will always be able to get a 2nd or 3 rifle season hunting license, you can add archery to that as well. Primarily I would say it would be a good bet to schedule a year in advance with an outfitter if you choose to go that way. Best thing to do would be to talk to them about the areas they provide their service and see if you need a preference point, or what the odds would be of getting a license for 1st or 4th rifle season.

Here is a link you may find useful
http://www.coloradooutfitters.org/

Here is another link you may find handy
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/HuntingGuide/

One more...here is the statistics and Preference points hunt recap and draw summaries for all units.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/HuntingGuide/

If you want to find more out about specific areas here are some herd DAU plans. http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/HerdManagementDAUPlans/

Thanks for the input I decided to go with my original game plan and stick to it. Maybe the economy will help a bit, at least I hope!!!

Depending on how your luck is I would at least think about putting in for a limited entry tag in Utah next year since the application date has come and gone. Utah uses bonus points, in that you may draw with 0 points where somebody else might have 10 or more. I drew a Book Cliff elk tag back in 2001 with 9 points and knew of 2 friends that drew with 0, it can get quite agrivating. Right now if you are looking for a trophy bull Utah is the place to go. On scouting trips for deer I regulary see 400 pt+ bulls wandering the hills. Also where the Spider bull was shot I have seen other bulls just as large as he was.