2021 Wyoming General Elk Tag

[j_volt]

A friend and I are planning to hunt on a Wyoming general elk tag in 2021. Going into the '21 draw, I will have 4 points and he will have 3 (due to him forgetting to buy a point one year). My question is: would you feel comfortable going into the 2021 Wyoming Regular Elk Draw with 3.5 points to draw a general elk tag? Here is what it has taken to draw the general tag 100% in the Wyoming regular elk draw for the past few years:

2020: 3
2019: < 3
2018: < 3
2017: 2
2016: < 2

Based on the above, I *think* < 4 will draw 100% in 2021, but would love to hear everyone's thoughts.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Z Barebow]

Nothing is guaranteed, but I like your odds in the regular pool, general tag. If you want to up your odds, ante up the coin and hop into the Special pool.

 

[slobow]

We played that game too this year and drew the "cheaper" tag. If you must plan on the hunt then buy yourself a guarantee and buy the special tag. Based on past years trends you should be sitting pretty with 3.5 point avg

 

[KHNC]

Reg tag should be fine

 

[Elktaco]

Regular will be 4+ this year

 

[mooretitan]

I hope you make it with 3 1/2. I am in the same boat with my dad and son. I will be putting them in at 3.5 and hope the make it. I am hoping to build a few more points so I can join them again in a couple years using my points and have more knowledge of the area.

 

[Indian Summer]

You’ll be fine with those points.

 

[blacktail sniper]

I would think you would be good. we used to draw every other then it seems about every 3 to 4 now. Good luck

 

[Kimber7man]

I will only have one and will be applying for the Special draw....

 

[Yooper]

Depends on how bad you want to go and if you've got other options if you don't draw. If you're counting on WY I'd go special general just to be sure.

 

[grossklw]

I would guess you'll draw, but I thought I'd draw this year and ended up hunting Idaho. You want it guaranteed go special, but I would guess you'll be ok.

 

[wind gypsy]

I'm with the herd, likely but not guaranteed.

I've been kicking around the idea of going into special with 2 this year..

2018: <1 was 28%
2019: 1 was 38%
2020: <2 was 37%

Seems reasonable to guess that 2 points in special will be about 38% in 2021..

 

[Herbie03]

Despite my efforts, and an hour on the WGF site, I still don't think I understand what the difference is between gen and special draw is.

 

[willy]

As I understand special draw vs regular general draw is a certain percentage of tags are allocated to the special draw. the special basically is double price, less put into this special so less points/years applying are needed to draw. However that number seems to be rising quickly, both apps and the pts it takes to draw.

 

[Indian Summer]

I remember when we could apply for a dream unit as our first choice and draw a General license as the second pick while gaining another point. Those were the days!

 

[Justinjs]

Isn't that how WY works currently?

 

[Indian Summer]

Absolutely not. If you want a General license now you have to make it your first choice and use your points.

 

[sasquatch]

wy takes total tags

lets use 100 nr tags for easy example purposes

60 go into regular draw and 40 to the special

then it breaks down into PP and random

its 75% to PP and 25% to random

so itd start like this

regular draw would have 45 tags allotted on a PP basis and then the remaining 15 tags left over for all unsuccessful applicants to go into and draw on a pure random basis

the special would have 30 tags allotted on a PP draw basis and then the remaining 10 tags left over for all unsuccessful applicants to go into and draw on a pure random basis

 

[AaronMColeman]

Two best perks of being a Wyoming resident: no state income tax, and a general tag can be bought at most grocery stores the night before season opens

Now I have no idea how the draw works for residents. I’ll have to look into that.

 

[TN VOL77]

grossklw..how many pref points did you have last year when you didn't draw? My group will have an average of 3, this will be my son's last year of being a youth hunter and would like to take advantage of the youth license price in regular draw. The special doesn't have a discounted youth price