Wyoming Elk General Tag vs LQ Tag

[Newk]

I think you are missing my primary point. Which, in all fairness, I didn't really make clear.

Point averaging is allowing fictitious point holders to displace actual humans that want to hunt.

This really isn't about Grandpa Joe with his 12 preference points allowing his grandson with 0 to average into a 6 point draw together and enjoy one last hooorah before Joe is pushing flowers......

This is about the guys who are doing the following:
Wife-10 points.
Kid 1- 10 points.
Kid 2 10 points.
Aunt-10 points.
Uncle Ron - 10 points.
Uncle Bob - 10 points
Dad- 10 points points.

Year 1 Dad hunts and burned his points on a nice LE hunt.

(GREAT. He got a nice bull and Wyoming will see him again in 10 years????)

NOPE!

Year 2 dad applies as a group (General season Elk 5 point average) with wife and wife doesn't hunt.
Year 3 dad applies as a group (General season Elk 5 point average) with Kid 1 and Kid 1 doesnt hunt.
Year 4 dad applies as a group (General season Elk 5 point average) with Kid 2 and Kid 2 doesn't hunt.
Year 5 dad applies as a group (General season Elk 5 point average) with Aunt and Aunt doesn't hunt.
Year 6 dad applies as a group (General season Elk 5 point average) with Uncle and Uncle doesn't hunt.
Year 7 dad applies as a group (General season Elk 5 point average) with wife and wife doesn't hunt.

This is the scenario that is playing out.

There is now 6 people being displaced in the draw who ACTUALLY want to hunt. This pushed point creep higher and higher.

Point averaging is a JOKE and people with money are gaming the system like a MF. If I had a ton of application money I would 100% could have been doing this for the last 15 years and been living the dream, hunting Wyoming yearly. Just pay for my groups general tag, and when I get it, toss it in the trash if they don't want it and go hunting.

How do you think people are able to hunt G every year as a NR? Think that's fair?

Maybe. Maybe not. I guess it really and truly depends on what end of the point spectrum you are sitting on.

young hunter here. didn't realize this was going on. makes me wonder about buying points every year (considering I will never catch up) when I personally could afford to just pay for landowner fees. although that would seem to take the adventure out of it.

 

[wapitibob]

young hunter here. didn't realize this was going on. makes me wonder about buying points every year (considering I will never catch up) when I personally could afford to just pay for landowner fees. although that would seem to take the adventure out of it.

If you're trying to "catch up", you'll be disappointed. Change your hunt expectations, apply for what you can draw, and go hunt. If you're set on a "high end" hunt only, that LO tag is probably the way.

 

[MallardSX2]

If you're trying to "catch up", you'll be disappointed. Change your hunt expectations, apply for what you can draw, and go hunt. If you're set on a "high end" hunt only, that LO tag is probably the way.

Well said and this is solid advice to anyone looking to start hunting out west.

 

[Newk]

If you're trying to "catch up", you'll be disappointed. Change your hunt expectations, apply for what you can draw, and go hunt. If you're set on a "high end" hunt only, that LO tag is probably the way.

Well said and this is solid advice to anyone looking to start hunting out west.

appreciate it. truthfully don’t care much about trophy quality. for me the “trophy” is the unique experience of hunting a new species and studying its way of life. in this way I would consider myself a “collector”.

though, I personally choose not to subscribe to the idea that there are “too many” new hunters or that western hunting is being “ruined”. What I care about most is conservation, and the more people who care about our wild places, the better. Even if that means I don’t get to harvest as often in certain places, if at all.

I’d rather be able to go explore the public land with no tag, than have it be sold off by the government. In a way the growing popularity of western hunting has worsened this issue (due to increase profitability of running private or leased land outfitting operations), however I believe it will be a net positive 50 years from now.

In a roundabout way, what I mean to say is that it is ok if I never catch up, so long as the resource is protected, I know I’ll have my fair share of opportunities as I age.

Blessed am I with this youthful and healthy body.

 

[Laramie]

appreciate it. truthfully don’t care much about trophy quality. for me the “trophy” is the unique experience of hunting a new species and studying its way of life. in this way I would consider myself a “collector”.

though, I personally choose not to subscribe to the idea that there are “too many” new hunters or that western hunting is being “ruined”. What I care about most is conservation, and the more people who care about our wild places, the better. Even if that means I don’t get to harvest as often in certain places, if at all.

I’d rather be able to go explore the public land with no tag, than have it be sold off by the government. In a way the growing popularity of western hunting has worsened this issue (due to increase profitability of running private or leased land outfitting operations), however I believe it will be a net positive 50 years from now.

In a roundabout way, what I mean to say is that it is ok if I never catch up, so long as the resource is protected, I know I’ll have my fair share of opportunities as I age.

Blessed am I with this youthful and healthy body.

I can understand and appreciate your perspective. I just think anyone who enjoys the outdoors, and specifically elk hunting, should experience a great limited quota hunt at least once in their life. It is a different experience on so many levels. I think guys can get the general tag experience by getting cow tags while building points for their once (or maybe twice) in a lifetime LQ experience.