Wyoming south draw predictions

[wytx]

The NR aren't generally making two trips for archery and then rifle. You and I both know that a large % of residents do hunt both. Lower the NR quota all you want but it won't change what this region has become.

If they put it to a vote, I'm guessing you would be surprised how many residents would prefer choose your weapon for the general areas. I would vote yes in a heart beat and wouldn't likely pursue elk with a rifle again unless i drew LQ.

Some sure do and I would love to see NRs choose their weapon.
Yep, we all love being able to hunt both seasons , gives me a chance to hunt archery with my longbow then hunt rifle with more success for the meat.
Sure many folks want choose your weapon, they archery hunt for big bulls not meat necessarily.
What about those folks with lifetime archery licenses, make it choose your weapon and for some and that license would never get used again. Refund the price I say if they go that route.

Lower the NR quota in General areas, that would help the problem, or maybe make Rs choose their Region.

Same folks voting for choose your weapon probably want mt lions over dogs only, just sayin'.

 

[Laramie]

Some sure do and I would love to see NRs choose their weapon.
Yep, we all love being able to hunt both seasons , gives me a chance to hunt archery with my longbow then hunt rifle with more success for the meat.
Sure many folks want choose your weapon, they archery hunt for big bulls not meat necessarily.
What about those folks with lifetime archery licenses, make it choose your weapon and for some and that license would never get used again. Refund the price I say if they go that route.

Lower the NR quota in General areas, that would help the problem, or maybe make Rs choose their Region.

Same folks voting for choose your weapon probably want mt lions over dogs only, just sayin'.

That's a fair point regarding the lifetime archery license and probably one of the reasons they haven't done it yet. However, that license would still be good and they could keep some tags good for archery and rifle, like all LQ tags, without adding more pressure.

Limiting non-residents won't fix what's wrong but I don't see any reason you couldn't go to choose your weapon for them. However, this won't change anything really since 99% of non-residents make their one trip out for the hunt.

The problem in the general regions you hunt, is there are two and arguably 3 population centers closest to your general region areas. Laramie, Cheyenne, and many from Casper (Rawlins and the many smaller towns also add to it), flood the Snowies and bleed over to the Sierras making for very high hunting pressure. People from the same regions, and add in Ft Collins and some from Denver do the same with their UTVs, hiking, fishing, mushroom hunting, broke back mountain pow wows, and all the other BS. You have hunted there a long time just like I have - you know how much it has changed. The only real fix is to spread the hunting pressure out, just like all the other states have done when pressure became too concentrated. I think they would kill more elk and be able to sell a few more tags so it would be a win/win for all involved.

 

[Skerhunter]

I support the chose your weapon/region once crowding becomes an issue (which it is in Montana and parts of Wyoming now). I get that it might be a tough sell to some people, but it could be structured so it is still an option for some hunters (special limited tags).

I also really like the idea of split seasons (example - type 1 tag gets 2 week season before it opens up to everyone else).

 

[S.Clancy]

We have this same conversation in MT and everyone always blames NR. In reality, most of the increase comes from residents (barring some stuff like our legislature increasing NR options by removing 10% cap on cow/doe tags or adding small set off's). So, the obvious answer is to put increased controls on residents (and NR too). Which means, instead of having general licenses that cover most of the state, make them region, or even better individual units, specific. Managing at the unit level is always better.

But, just like telling residents to take on more of the management costs (ie increased resident license fees), asking them to give up the freedom to go wherever they want across the state causes some ruffling of feathers.

Now, some downsides come when you start to do this because you will have units that are currently underutilized (aka low hunter numbers) that will increase substantially when managed at the unit level. Thus, you get similar pressure across all units since they are managed at the unit level, based on animal population.

The choice, for residents, is either deal with increased pressure of certain areas, find other general units to hunt that see less pressure, or manage at the unit level. There is no free lunch.

 

[wapitibob]

The Commission had the chance to fix crowding but caved to Sly Sy and went with three regions instead of 11.

 

[Laramie]

The Commission had the chance to fix crowding but caved to Sly Sy and went with three regions instead of 11.

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Would be interesting to see the resident numbers broken down the same.

I would also like to point out that the data above is an estimate provided by surveys that aren't sent to everyone and are not mandatory so their accuracy is questionable. I do know they are doing a better job getting them out now vs 15 years ago.

 

[Jethro]

Except the line of 100 SxS cruising up from Colorado and playing music so loud you could hear for miles. The dust was so bad I thought a fire started. I didn't experience more than a few hikers but lots of ATVs and SxS cruising the roads and many not hunters. I don't blame them as they have the same right as I do just can be a pain.

Did the sxs traffic negatively impact your hunt?