The future of NR hunting in Wyoming

[Archer86]

It'd be interesting then to see what the license number is that PR funds, the application number, or the drawn successfully number

It's says paid license holder so one would assume you are not a holder until you are drawn....

 

[Hnthrdr]

For western states I think we are already there. A DYI out of state elk hunt is in the $xxxx range now all in, without gear. Depending on the state average units are already a lottery draw after several years of waiting with the bar being raised yearly. Inflation is >20% and not a single slow down in recreation has been seen, that ship has sailed.

The future is grim for those of us with kids if you don't live in specific states. The next generation and the one after that is what matters.

I agree, it is a weird state of things. I have a hard time not siding with residents though. I’m a Co res with points in, MT, Co, WY, and Az. I am “native to Co a couple generations” have a place in the hills that my wife and I worked damn hard to buy. It’s would be tough to not be able to hunt Co every year as a resident. I wouldn’t ask anyone from any state to sit out in their home state so some guy from the other side of the country can play in your backyard for 2 weeks. I think if everybody is honest they would have to agree with that. Wyo, MT and AZ are all once in 10 year or so hunts for me, I have a lot of family and connections/ private land access in AZ but I don’t expect to hunt it annually. So I get wyo being stingy with tags. What I don’t get is their damn wilderness rule though hahaha

 

[cuerro viejo]

When you apply for a big game hunting license in Wyoming and do not draw that license, you are refunded all the money you "sent in" minus an application fee. No amount of the money is retained for a hunting license.

You may be thinking of Idaho??


ClearCreek

Or NM, CO, UT, ID, AZ, NV etc

I did look, it’s fees not actual hunting license. Good for WY. I like them more now, but they charge as much as a Hunting License for PTs though

 

[Trackerbacker]

It's says paid license holder so one would assume you are not a holder until you are drawn....

So if to apply, you pay the license fee, per wyoming, and if draw is unsuccessful, the fee for the license is returned.

My question is, what number is used. Successful draw applicants license fees, or all applicants license fees, Successful or otherwise.

We are talking government AND money. Safe to not assume anything other than waste.

 

[jonnyviceroy]

I still don't see why people are so worked up about the "special draw" price hike. It doesn't affect anyone but the people doing the special draw, guess what you can still put in the drawing without paying the extra price. The special draw has always cost more. You can still draw an Elk license without putting in the special draw.

But it affects those in the regular draw significantly. I’m estimating at least a decent percentage of people will go back into the regular draw and increase the point creep at a more rapid pace as they stop applying for the special draw.

 

[Archer86]

So if to apply, you pay the license fee, per wyoming, and if draw is unsuccessful, the fee for the license is returned.

My question is, what number is used. Successful draw applicants license fees, or all applicants license fees, Successful or otherwise.

We are talking government AND money. Safe to not assume anything other than waste.

I would say it's not a question. It clearly states licenses holder you are not a licenses holder in wyoming until you draw the tag.

I get where your going with goverment and money though!

 

[ClearCreek]

So if to apply, you pay the license fee, per wyoming, and if draw is unsuccessful, the fee for the license is returned.

My question is, what number is used. Successful draw applicants license fees, or all applicants license fees, Successful or otherwise.

We are talking government AND money. Safe to not assume anything other than waste.

I am pretty sure the number used is licenses issued not applied for.

I know it may be difficult to believe, but there are fairly stringent rules when it comes to states receiving federal aid (PR and DJ funds).

ClearCreek

 

[Bob58]

I'm sitting on 9 elk points in Wyoming, not sure what I'm going to do at this point. I have 3 antelope points but my honey hole was ruined by the GPS chip, not a lot of public access but before the hunting gps maps (now OnX hunt) came out I was able to draw it as a 3rd. choice now it takes 8 or 9 p. points to draw. Where Wyoming really sticks it to the NR hunter is with the wilderness area exclusion.

 

[Kimber7man]

Speaking as a NR who loves to hunt in Wyoming every year, I'll keep buying preference points and applying to hunt every year. Special going from $1300 to $2000 doesn't matter much to me when I consider that the group of guys I'm with is doing it for our annual get together, experience and camaraderie, plus the great Wyoming surf and turf if we're successful...

 

[Overdrive]

But it affects those in the regular draw significantly. I’m estimating at least a decent percentage of people will go back into the regular draw and increase the point creep at a more rapid pace as they stop applying for the special draw.

How do you know it affects anyone in the regular draw? It hasn't even passed yet. People get so panicked over a consideration before it's even made policy.

No one knows what will happen until it happens.

 

[jonnyviceroy]

How do you know it affects anyone in the regular draw? It hasn't even passed yet. People get so panicked over a consideration before it's even made policy.

No one knows what will happen until it happens.

I’m not panicked, just showing how it obviously would affect those in the regular draw, not everyone can afford a 2k elk tag and some would switch back to the regular draw. I assumed this would just be common sense but I guess I’m missing something here. I mean I’m sure others will also say to hell with wyoming and less people apply at all so you could be correct but I would assume regular draw applicants would notice at least small repercussions.

 

[Brooks]

I bet Buzz H is going nuts !!

 

[Rich M]

I agree, it is a weird state of things. I have a hard time not siding with residents though. I’m a Co res with points in, MT, Co, WY, and Az. I am “native to Co a couple generations” have a place in the hills that my wife and I worked damn hard to buy. It’s would be tough to not be able to hunt Co every year as a resident. I wouldn’t ask anyone from any state to sit out in their home state so some guy from the other side of the country can play in your backyard for 2 weeks. I think if everybody is honest they would have to agree with that. Wyo, MT and AZ are all once in 10 year or so hunts for me, I have a lot of family and connections/ private land access in AZ but I don’t expect to hunt it annually. So I get wyo being stingy with tags. What I don’t get is their damn wilderness rule though hahaha

I do agree that Res should be able to hunt every year in their state but within reason.

Problem is that the "need to hunt" and "can't wait for a higher point draw" folks have made the general and OTC hunts be in demand as opposed to just needing a few more points for better units.

I have 2pp for elk/deer/antelope. Money down the drain or am I the new leader for general in 8-10 years? Another way of asking….does a general tag now cost me an extra $500 when the time comes?

You have to make that call. Plenty of guys are gonna stay the course.

You need to figure out your plan of attack - where you want to go, how badly you want to hunt, trophy quality desired, etc. Then know what you want and track the points yearly after the draws. Just having 10 points and not knowing where to go is not where you want to be. You want to be applying as soon as you think you can draw the unit you want.

I was doing that with antelope - after point creep for a few years, threw in the towel and going guided. Paying more but getting it done probably 3-5 years sooner than if waiting and trying to draw. Can then move on to the next "thing" and 3-5 years sooner.

 

[Lawnboi]

Residents really have nothing to complain about. I mean it’s supply and demand. If you don’t like hunting with the public you could just buy your own land?

 

[LostArra]

You want to be applying as soon as you think you can draw the unit you want.

Why not apply every year even if you're behind in points for that area? Wyoming has a random draw allocation. You might get lucky.

 

[Archer86]

Residents really have nothing to complain about. I mean it’s supply and demand. If you don’t like hunting with the public you could just buy your own land?

Same thing can be said about nr they really have nothing to complain about no one is forcing nr to hunt out of state if you don't like the crappy draw odds expensive tags hunt your home state!

 

[Lawnboi]

Same thing can be said about nr they really have nothing to complain about no one is forcing nr to hunt out of state if you don't like the crappy draw odds expensive tags hunt your home state!

Same thing can be said about nr they really have nothing to complain about no one is forcing nr to hunt out of state if you don't like the crappy draw odds expensive tags hunt your home state!

I enjoy going out west because of the large tracts of public land able to be hunted. The market has priced me out of ever owning any significant land.

Just trying to portray that some of us appreciate the opportunity to have access to thousands of acres that without states like wyoming, would be unobtainable.

And to hear the supply and demand to be poor somewhere else talk from residents really chaps my ass.

I mean come on do you really want to shit on the guy working for a living wanting to come hunting on what is not obtainable in their own state?

I’m not asking for a finger in the ass over here, just a tag every once in a while. Increases of 25% a year like they have been on tag costs, fees, points is pricing me out of big game. I’d rather see opportunity go down, and it still be obtainable rather than the rich hunt yearly scheme most western states have adopted.


Don’t get too upset over my initial post you quoted. It’s mainly sarcasm.

 

[dham6574]

You can also thank the guys looking for an ego boost that post: Had a great trip to WY. Four of us tagged out in three days. Then posting pics of all their 1.5-2.5 year old bucks they slaughtered.

I mean if I spent a lot of time and money planning and going on one of the handfuls of trips you'd get out west, I'd rather come back with a young buck than with nothing at all.

 

[manitou1]

I mean if I spent a lot of time and money planning and going on one of the handfuls of trips you'd get out west, I'd rather come back with a young buck than with nothing at all.

That is the problem. Have 5,000+ people do that every year and then we see our mature bucks disappearing.

 

[dham6574]

That is the problem. Have 5,000+ people do that every year and then we see our mature bucks disappearing.

I mean yes, I understand that, but to act like people are just shooting small bucks because they want an ego boost on social media isn't true. It's easy to be a keyboard warrior and say oh I'd pass up on that young buck if I were in that position, it's whole other thing to be over a grand in the hole on a week-long hunt you've been waiting for years to go on, and getting a your first shooting opportunity on a young buck on the 6th day as the sun is setting