MT and WY archery elk success rates

[Dos Perros]

I must have not had enough coffee today, can't seem to figure this out.

Is it possible to calculate hunting unit specific success rates for archery hunters in either MT or WY?

I can get unit specific harvest data, but they are not reported by weapon type (at least in the unit specific reports). I suppose for the draw units I could figure out how many tags were awarded, but I'm still at a loss for the general units.

Anyone tried to figure this out before?

 

[BackcountryMT]

You really can't for MT. The biggest issue is that MTFWP tends to half ass their data collecting resulting in very skewed and inaccurate harvest statistics. This mainly applies to amount of hunters vs successful hunters.

I do quite a bit of writing on specific MT units for a hunt planner website. Feel free to PM me if you have any units in mind. Generally, the old 10% figure is a pretty safe bet.

 

[Dos Perros]

You really can't for MT. The biggest issue is that MTFWP tends to half ass their data collecting resulting in very skewed and inaccurate harvest statistics. This mainly applies to amount of hunters vs successful hunters.

I do quite a bit of writing on specific MT units for a hunt planner website. Feel free to PM me if you have any units in mind. Generally, the old 10% figure is a pretty safe bet.

Is there a way to maybe look at hunter*days per animal, for archery only, for each unit? I'd love a quantifiable way to compare units. I'm trying to build a strategy where I draw some units every so often, and then hunt general or OTC on the off years I don't draw a tag. I guess I'm trying to avoid the situation of deciding a unit sucks after drawing and hunting in twice in 6 years (for example).

 

[BackcountryMT]

Is there a way to maybe look at hunter*days per animal, for archery only, for each unit? I'd love a quantifiable way to compare units. I'm trying to build a strategy where I draw some units every so often, and then hunt general or OTC on the off years I don't draw a tag. I guess I'm trying to avoid the situation of deciding a unit sucks after drawing and hunting in twice in 6 years (for example).

Unfortuneately, no. You can only see the number of hunter days in total. Beware of the numbers, however. Like I said, they are generally nowhere near accurate.

 

[LostArra]

pardon the interruption but in Wyo and MT are hunter surveys sent out after the season regarding days hunted and success?

 

[BackcountryMT]

pardon the interruption but in Wyo and MT are hunter surveys sent out after the season regarding days hunted and success?

Montana makes after season phone calls. They'll usually ask what unit you were in, how many days you hunted, if you harvested and, if so, how many points were on each side.

 

[Dos Perros]

Anyone have any input on Wyoming?

 

[LostArra]

I found this:

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/News/Game-and-Fish-hunter-input-needed

hunters can complete a survey voluntarily even if they don't receive one by mail or email


there is a lot of info here:

2014: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Hunting/Harvest Reports/HR2014_FullReport.pdf

or pick a year: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Harvest-Reports

 

[Dos Perros]

I found this:

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/News/Game-and-Fish-hunter-input-needed

hunters can complete a survey voluntarily even if they don't receive one by mail or email


there is a lot of info here:

2014: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Hunting/Harvest Reports/HR2014_FullReport.pdf

or pick a year: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Harvest-Reports

I had seen that 2014 report. Unfortunately I can't deduce from it the info I want, which is to compare archery only success rates by unit. If it's possible and I'm doing it wrong I'd appreciate to know how it's possible.

 

[mtluckydan]

Also in Montana, they may call you and not ask about all your hunting success. They may only ask about a doe(B tag) or one species. It is a screwed up way of doing business. They really have no idea what is killed. I have been interviewed on the phone and when they asked if I saw any wolves, no other questions about game animals were asked. All they were interested in was how many wolves were sighted and where. They also only run the check stations on the weekends and therefore no real data collection during the week - even over the Thanksgiving holiday. I would put no faith in the numbers they produce.

 

[BackcountryMT]

Also in Montana, they may call you and not ask about all your hunting success. They may only ask about a doe(B tag) or one species. It is a screwed up way of doing business. They really have no idea what is killed. I have been interviewed on the phone and when they asked if I saw any wolves, no other questions about game animals were asked. All they were interested in was how many wolves were sighted and where. They also only run the check stations on the weekends and therefore no real data collection during the week - even over the Thanksgiving holiday. I would put no faith in the numbers they produce.

The FWP could use a serious overhaul.

 

[rhinorv]

Did you ever get the info you wanted? Go to the wyo game and fish website and download the harvest report. It breaks down each area into tag type (type 9 is archery only). It gives you number of animals taken, sex of animals, percent success rate, number of days hunted etc. I think what you are asking is all right there.

 

[Live Montana]

I agree, in Montana you can't really tell true archery success as an absolute number. There are no absolutes for any stats with the way they collect the data anyway. You can deduct some general information from what they give you and come up with some decent information you can use. .

They give you Total Hunters
They give you Total Elk Harvested
They give you Total Bulls Harvested
They give you Cows and Calf Harvest
They give you total harvested by bow
They give you total harvested by rifle
Other points of data

It is basic, but if you take total bow harvest / total overall harvest as least you have % bow harvest and the same percentage for rifle. The percentages are sometimes better to use than the actual number especially when you are looking at ranking formulas.

Then you have to start making some general assumptions and working with that data. I do a fair amount of statistic formulas using those numbers above and a few others they give you. I use those numbers and formulas to break down every unit and then use a ranking sort/calculation to get a Raw Bull Rank, Bow Rank, 6pt Bull Rank and Total Harvest Rank.

I can then sort my dataset by the various rankings depending on what method I am hunting with. For archery, I look at my rankings and those units that have a decent bow harvest %, ect... I basically come up with a General Score, Archery Score and a Bull Score

Overall I like to write down the Top 10 Units in each of the above rankings. Those units that show up multiple times in the Top 10 Lists on the various ranking categories get the most attention from me.

That might be messy, but that is my best guess and trying to break down the units. It's kinda interesting how the numbers start to show a little light when you can really break them down.

 

[Dos Perros]

Did you ever get the info you wanted? Go to the wyo game and fish website and download the harvest report. It breaks down each area into tag type (type 9 is archery only). It gives you number of animals taken, sex of animals, percent success rate, number of days hunted etc. I think what you are asking is all right there.

It is for type 9 hunts/units, yes. But I don't believe the general units that allow archery hunting with the $30 stamp are possible to separate archery from firearm.

 

[Live Montana]

You are correct, the way I understand Wyoming is General Tags just by the Archery stamp. Not the Type 9 tag. The Type 9 tags are used in the controlled unit hunts... I put in for General Wyoming Tag this year and will be going both archery and then return for rifle with another group. Hopefully just helping the group.

 

[rhinorv]

You are correct, the way I understand Wyoming is General Tags just by the Archery stamp. Not the Type 9 tag. The Type 9 tags are used in the controlled unit hunts... I put in for General Wyoming Tag this year and will be going both archery and then return for rifle with another group. Hopefully just helping the group.

Ahhh...I see what you are saying now.