Wyoming Random Draw Is No More?

[Miahjera]

It's application season, and so I find myself digging deep in 2024 draw odds and regulations. I've been applying for Wyoming for a few years now hoping to be the lucky guy to draw a random tag for bighorn sheep, moose, or mountain goat, but it looks like the commission may be trying to do away with that entirely for sheep and moose.

Currently there has to be more than 4 available non resident tags in a unit for them to issue one of those tags through the random draw. For sheep, there is only one unit that meets that requirement, and only two units for moose. However, if you look at their draft regulation for 2024, there isn't a single unit with 4 or more available nonresident tags.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would effectively end all randomly issued tags for sheep and moose, and the only way to be drawn now is with max points. Is this really true?

 

[horniac]

It's application season, and so I find myself digging deep in 2024 draw odds and regulations. I've been applying for Wyoming for a few years now hoping to be the lucky guy to draw a random tag for bighorn sheep, moose, or mountain goat, but it looks like the commission may be trying to do away with that entirely for sheep and moose.

Currently there has to be more than 4 available non resident tags in a unit for them to issue one of those tags through the random draw. For sheep, there is only one unit that meets that requirement, and only two units for moose. However, if you look at their draft regulation for 2024, there isn't a single unit with 4 or more available nonresident tags.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would effectively end all randomly issued tags for sheep and moose, and the only way to be drawn now is with max points. Is this really true?

Yes unfortunately it’s true…

Horniac

 

[Maverick1]

It's application season, and so I find myself digging deep in 2024 draw odds and regulations. I've been applying for Wyoming for a few years now hoping to be the lucky guy to draw a random tag for bighorn sheep, moose, or mountain goat, but it looks like the commission may be trying to do away with that entirely for sheep and moose.

Currently there has to be more than 4 available non resident tags in a unit for them to issue one of those tags through the random draw. For sheep, there is only one unit that meets that requirement, and only two units for moose. However, if you look at their draft regulation for 2024, there isn't a single unit with 4 or more available nonresident tags.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would effectively end all randomly issued tags for sheep and moose, and the only way to be drawn now is with max points. Is this really true?

Gotta be something like over $12M reasons to keep this type of info on the DL. And these numbers are from several years ago. Keep blindly buying those points!

 

[Miahjera]

Dang, that's crazy! Obviously I'm biased as a nonresident, but that seems like a big mistake for Wyoming.

Who would've ever thought a nonresident would have better odds pulling a sheep tag in California than Wyoming...

 

[Miahjera]

Gotta be something like over $12M reasons to keep this type of info on the DL. And these numbers are from several years ago. Keep blindly buying those points!

View attachment 700718

Yeah, I've never even bought a preference point for Wyoming. I'm only 30, but the thought of spending money every year to chase a point creep that I may never catch is insane.

These numbers are pretty eye opening though. It'll be real interesting to see what those numbers looks like after these changes. Like you say though, that's if the information gets out. Who knows how many people just blindly apply for what they did the year prior without looking at any regulation changes.

 

[Wyo_hntr]

Might switch to bonus points in the next couple of years.....sooo there's that.

 

[Steve O]

Very sad. But true. I was so close. Now I wish it wasn’t so important for me in those first 20 years to do it on my own. The final insult will be the switch to bonus points. I hope they leave residents as preference point or make a blended preference/bonus system. That will be my only chance.

 

[wapitibob]

The TRW committee will be discussing changing pref points to bonus points at their next meeting.

 

[wapitipaw]

The WY sheep & moose dream died pretty fast for me once I learned to read the statistics and learned to properly value my dollars and allocate better… I’ll tell you what though, it is NICE not to care about those draws. I reccomend EVERYONE who is not near max to pack it in. It ain’t happening, it’s not your fault. But get that monkey off your back and just..walk… away.

 

[CMF]

Might switch to bonus points in the next couple of years.....sooo there's that.

That would be the only way I jump in for MSG...

 

[Wyo_hntr]

That would be the only way I jump in for MSG...

Even as a resident it's the only way I will ever draw on points.

 

[cbeard64]

Last year there was one NR random draw tag in Area 5. I expect that will be the case from now on. I have 22 NR points and (unless they go to a bonus point system) will never have any realistic chance to draw a sheep tag.

I have drawn random draw moose and mountain goat tags in WY though (which I would have probably never put in for unless I was already putting in for sheep). So I guess I can’t complain too much.

 

[TXCO]

Have they officially cut unit 5 tags to below 4?

 

[wapitibob]

Have they officially cut unit 5 tags to below 4?

discussing it right now

 

[wytx]

Even as a resident it's the only way I will ever draw on points.

Don't be so pessimistic, we've drawn 4 Moose tags in Wyoming and none took max PPs. I'm still in the game at 7 and hoping for a random myself, or a cow tag.

Look over the odds and play them to your advantage, and good luck.

 

[Wyo_hntr]

Don't be so pessimistic, we've drawn 4 Moose tags in Wyoming and none took max PPs. I'm still in the game at 7 and hoping for a random myself, or a cow tag.

Look over the odds and play them to your advantage, and good luck.

Correct, but that was through the random portion of the draw. I specified drawing by points.

 

[deadwolf]

Been out on Wyoming sheep for about 4 years now…walked away from double digit points.

Was always in the random pool anyway, not having max points. When Wyoming started letting people apply for sheep and not buy a point, I knew it was over. I could’ve done the same thing I suppose, applied and not buy a point, but I was irritated over the amount of money spent previously acquiring points and the writing was on the wall that it was going to disappear altogether. And at the same time, we were being bent over with the point cost going up every year, with Wyoming knowing full well that buying points wasn’t going to do a damn thing for anyone who wasn’t near the very top.

I’m not mad, I swear.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cbeard64]

I am in the arena that believes such rare tags should be reserved for residents.

They pretty much are. Even though (like many other western states) most hunting is done on federal public land. Almost all of which is paid for by nonresidents. Just like the huge chunk of WGF budget funded by nonresidents . Just like almost all the WY tourism $$$ come from nonresidents.

But, hey, (even though they pay for most everything and we’re all fellow Americans) - screw ‘em!

 

[Steve O]

Last year there was one NR random draw tag in Area 5. I expect that will be the case from now on. I have 22 NR points and (unless they go to a bonus point system) will never have any realistic chance to draw a sheep tag.

I have drawn random draw moose and mountain goat tags in WY though (which I would have probably never put in for unless I was already putting in for sheep). So I guess I can’t complain too much.

 

[wapitibob]

Guess what? Those of us that live here actually pay the taxes, eat at restaurants, buy our land and homes and spend almost all our $$$ here. Your tag fee pales in comparison. Not even a drop in the bucket.
Property taxes have tripled in three years for us.

And none of that money goes to the Dept.