Elk Tag Wyoming 2023 PP Help

Afhunter1

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Mar 30, 2016
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South Central, PA
A few years ago I started to apply for points in WY for my son with the goal of taking him on a nice bow hunt when he turns 16 (8/29/23) but little did I know preference point creep was gonna go so fast and almost squash my plans. We are so close but not close enough. Here is my dilemma:

He has 3 points and last year that was 45% in the special draw so it prob won’t be any better than that this year either. The special draw doesn’t discount for youth tags so it will cost the full $1,268 dollars for a “maybe” chance.

4 was 100% in the regular draw last year so let’s assume >4 or 5 will be 100% this year. Also, the regular draw discounted youth tag is only $275 saving me basically the fuel cost to drive him out. So here is my plea. Is there someone out there that will party app with him? I am not hunting I only have 1 point. This was just supposed to be him and me and all effort for him to get his first elk. So if you have 6 or more points and would like to make a father’s year please pm me. I don’t know what else to do.

Thanks!
 
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nphunter

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You can get an Oregon archery tag for both of you. The youth archery tag is good for most of the state, you would have to get a unit specific tag. An OR archery elk tag will cost you $760 each.
 

wytx

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Feb 2, 2017
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Where do you get $1268 for a chance Elk license is $692 for NR right now. Price increase will take a couple of years to go into place, it has not been even brought up before the legislature yet.
 

EVD

FNG
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Oct 6, 2019
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I'm still trying to figure out how the WY special license draw works. Do some people put in for both regular and special?

I have been fortunate enough to only purchase res tags so far, but now looking at NR tags and getting a bit of sticker shock.
 
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
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Wyoming
I'm still trying to figure out how the WY special license draw works. Do some people put in for both regular and special?

I have been fortunate enough to only purchase res tags so far, but now looking at NR tags and getting a bit of sticker shock.
The Special and the Random are two completely different pools. Of the total NR quota for a unit (or, in this case. statewide general allocation) 60% of the tags go to the regular draw and 40% go to the special draw.

Those individual pools are further broken down such that 75% are issued to preference point holders and 25% go to a strictly random draw. Because of rounding, sometimes there are no random tags available for certain units in some of those pools (typically the special pool)
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
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Simple.. Special is “usually” better odds for more money. With the General licenses that holds true but not for some others.

But yes you have to pick one… Special or Regular. As mentioned above both of those categories have 25% of the allotted licenses set aside for a completely random drawing where everyone has the same chance and you can draw with zero points.
 
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160andup

Lil-Rokslider
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Feb 21, 2015
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What makes you want to go special over regular? I haven't taken a deep dive into success rates on elk between the two, but given the cost and draw odds regular seems to be the way to go.

Side note...I vote against starting to refer to preference point creep as "PP creep"...:oops:
Not sure what you’re getting at here? There is no difference in the hunt provided by a regular or special tag. The only difference is the likelihood of you obtaining the tag.
 
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Afhunter1

Afhunter1

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You can get an Oregon archery tag for both of you. The youth archery tag is good for most of the state, you would have to get a unit specific tag. An OR archery elk tag will cost you $760 each.
My plan B is to put him into the MT draw also since he has 0 points he will have a small chance for a tag there.

Plan C is wait for him to be 17 I think and hopefully he can catch the special draw in WY.
 
Joined
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Not sure what you’re getting at here? There is no difference in the hunt provided by a regular or special tag. The only difference is the likelihood of you obtaining the tag.
I thought Special was different I guess. But the original post states that draw odds last year for special were 45% with 3 points, but regular was 100% with 4 points. Were draw odds for regular 0% with 3 points? Haven't brushed up on draw system in Wyo in a while.
 
Joined
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Messages
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What makes you want to go special over regular? I haven't taken a deep dive into success rates on elk between the two, but given the cost and draw odds regular seems to be the way to go.

Side note...I vote against starting to refer to preference point creep as "PP creep"...:oops:
What? Given the draw odds if you really want to hunt and your number of preference points is on the fence you pay the piper and go Special.

Success rates? I think you are misunderstanding the system. The licenses are one in the same once you draw. Same areas, same season dates etc.
 
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
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Wyoming
See post #13.
Yes - if it was 45% with 4 points, it was 0% with 3 points... during the preference point draw.

A few with 3 points likely drew in the random portion of the draw, but they had the same odds as any other schmuck with <4 points (and any non-schmuck in the draw for that matter)
 
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