Wyoming Trespass Fees

[PAHunter10]

Planning a trip to Wyoming in a couple years with low preference points. Have found a few units where the PP draw odds are great for low points but looks like minimal public land access. Anyone with any information about general cost of trespass fees (daily/weekly/etc), if there is a database of landowners who offer trespass hunts, etc would be greatly appreciated!

 

[tjhester20]

Planning a trip to Wyoming in a couple years with low preference points. Have found a few units where the PP draw odds are great for low points but looks like minimal public land access. Anyone with any information about general cost of trespass fees (daily/weekly/etc), if there is a database of landowners who offer trespass hunts, etc would be greatly appreciated!

Last time I was there they were asking an average of $500-1000 per hunter for Antelope. Cheapest I was quoted was $350. Id assume deer would be more.

 

[Laramie]

Planning a trip to Wyoming in a couple years with low preference points. Have found a few units where the PP draw odds are great for low points but looks like minimal public land access. Anyone with any information about general cost of trespass fees (daily/weekly/etc), if there is a database of landowners who offer trespass hunts, etc would be greatly appreciated!

The information you are asking for is highly sought after and very property dependent. One ranch may charge $500 a gun while one 5 miles away may change $5000. The experience on each would likely be vastly different as well. Sorry but no easy button to press on this one and good luck getting anyone to give up a contact for a reasonably priced, good hunt, in an easy to draw area. If that information was easily obtainable, the draw odds would no longer be easy.

If you are willing to spend money to hunt sooner, guided is your easiest route.

 

[PAHunter10]

Last time I was there they were asking an average of $500-1000 per hunter for Antelope. Cheapest I was quoted was $350. Id assume deer would be more.

Appreciate the input. Yeah I would think deer would be more, just not sure how much. Is that price you were given just a one time fee for the hunter? So if you had a week long trip, you paid the $1000 and were good for all 7 days?

 

[PAHunter10]

The information you are asking for is highly sought after and very property dependent. One ranch may charge $500 a gun while one 5 miles away may change $5000. The experience on each would likely be vastly different as well. Sorry but no easy button to press on this one and good luck getting anyone to give up a contact for a reasonably priced, good hunt, in an easy to draw area. If that information was easily obtainable, the draw odds would no longer be easy.

If you are willing to spend money to hunt sooner, guided is your easiest route.

Thanks for the insight. I can definitely understand higher percentage areas costing more. The areas I’m looking at aren’t necessarily the “best” hunting areas since our points are low, but I feel like a trespass fee would give me better access to more land than just public. I wouldn’t imagine anyone giving up a good contact they have, more so just how they found them. Could be as simple as looking up property maps and making phone calls but I didn’t know if a known database was out there that property owners could subscribe to

 

[tjhester20]

Appreciate the input. Yeah I would think deer would be more, just not sure how much. Is that price you were given just a one time fee for the hunter? So if you had a week long trip, you paid the $1000 and were good for all 7 days?

I believe it was a one time fee. The $350 guy said you only pay if you shoot one, so that was sweet. We went over with a cooler full of fresh salmon to trade with landowners. Turns out salmon isn't worth much in eastern Wyoming

 

[fishdart]

OST.

Will want to find similar for '25 season.

 

[PAHunter10]

OST.

Will want to find similar for '25 season.

Forgive me if this is a dumb question. What does OST stand for?

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question. What does OST stand for?

It usually means "Old School Tag." It is a term borrowed from another forum. It means the poster is replying to the tag, so he can monitor subsequent replies.

 

[Laramie]

Thanks for the insight. I can definitely understand higher percentage areas costing more. The areas I’m looking at aren’t necessarily the “best” hunting areas since our points are low, but I feel like a trespass fee would give me better access to more land than just public. I wouldn’t imagine anyone giving up a good contact they have, more so just how they found them. Could be as simple as looking up property maps and making phone calls but I didn’t know if a known database was out there that property owners could subscribe to

Big antelope/deer/elk don't know what a high or low % area is. Giants are grown in all types of areas. High point areas are that way primarily due to the amount of public accessible land. One of the best elk and deer ranches I know is in an easily drawn area. That fact actually drives the cost to access way up, not down because more people can get the tag creating competition for the space. Highest bidder wins type of scenario.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you are not going to find what you are looking for on here.

You are correct on one point, paying a trespass fee on the right property would be a game changer for your hunt. That fact is why 1000s of people are looking for the same thing.

You might want to take a look at Colorado. Their system is different in that they allow landowner tags to be sold to individuals like yourself looking for private access. Competition is very high for those as well but if you search enough you can likely find a decent ranch to hunt.

 

[manitou1]

I believe it was a one time fee. The $350 guy said you only pay if you shoot one, so that was sweet. We went over with a cooler full of fresh salmon to trade with landowners. Turns out salmon isn't worth much in eastern Wyoming

How many years ago???

 

[manitou1]

I live here in WY. I would say about 95%+ of all ranches are leased to outfitters now, meaning they cannot go the treaspass fee route due to contractual agreements.
Tresspass fee hunts are nearly a thing of the past.
There are a few out there... very few... but they are guarded well.

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

I find the term "trespass fee" curious. I have never heard it before. If you have permission, you aren't trespassing, so using it to describe the money you pay for access seems odd. Oh well.

 

[PAHunter10]

I live here in WY. I would say about 95%+ of all ranches are leased to outfitters now, meaning they cannot go the treaspass fee route due to contractual agreements.
Tresspass fee hunts are nearly a thing of the past.
There are a few out there... very few... but they are guarded well.

Appreciate the information! Starting to look more and more like it's not really an option, but that's better to know now than later!

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I find the term "trespass fee" curious. I have never heard it before. If you have permission, you aren't trespassing, so using it to describe the money you pay for access seems odd. Oh well.

They are allowing you to trespass, but for a fee.

It's still common practice for the farmers and ranchers in the area of Wyoming that I hunt. Not as common as it used to be in that area but lots of guys are still doing it every year for elk, antelope, whitetail, and mule deer.

Not only does it give hunters access to more land but a large majority is farmland that butts up to really good cover/habitat. Usually it's friends of friends, family, long time deals in place etc. Getting in today in that area would probably cost close to a full guided hunt I'd imagine. I can find out the real numbers with one phone call and PM you.

 

[PAHunter10]

They are allowing you to trespass, but for a fee.

It's still common practice for the farmers and ranchers in the area of Wyoming that I hunt. Not as common as it used to be in that area but lots of guys are still doing it every year for elk, antelope, whitetail, and mule deer.

Not only does it give hunters access to more land but a large majority is farmland that butts up to really good cover/habitat. Usually it's friends of friends, family, long time deals in place etc. Getting in today in that area would probably cost close to a full guided hunt I'd imagine. I can find out the real numbers with one phone call and PM you.

A PM would help a bunch if you don’t mind!

 

[tjhester20]

How many years ago???

2020

 

[cnelk]

There are landowners that won’t enroll in the WIAs but want hunters to help reduce herd populations.

You won’t be able to shoot a bull elk but cows are fair game.

Do your research

 

[tracker12]

I find the term "trespass fee" curious. I have never heard it before. If you have permission, you aren't trespassing, so using it to describe the money you pay for access seems odd. Oh well.

That phrase has been around a long time for western hunters. I paid it to hunt property back in the late 70’s. Remember paying $250 to hunt second season first time. Boy those days are long gone.

 

[Sako76]

Geez, I remember hunting around Medicine Bow in 84 and 86 and the ranchers were happy if you remembered to put the $5 landowner voucher in the milk jug on the gate!