Applying for second choice

[BrentD]

I want to put in for a tag this year but also buy a preference point for the future. I think I can do this by applying for a second choice that has a good chance of winning this year with zero points. And then I should still be able to buy a preference point later this summer. Is that correct?

Can I put in an application with nothing in the first choice? Or do I simply need to pick an impossible to draw unit (like Region G)? We have zero points at this time.

Thanks for any advice on this.

 

[madtom]

You’re correct about drawing second choice and buying a point later. I’m pretty sure you’d have to swing for the fence on first choice instead of leaving it blank, but I’ve never tried the blank route.

 

[Clzandstra79]

I did same as you did but I put unit 60 in for first choice. Last year one needed 12 points to draw there.

I also plan on hunting a zero point unit while saving my preference points.

 

[LopeHunter]

I think you are required to have a first choice in order to enter a second choice. Some WY deer units, including most of the Top 10 Blue Chip units, simply have so few non-resident tags that by the time the 25% allocation to non-residents gets split 60/40 between regular/special and then those each get split 75/25 preference/random then many years there is one or fewer random tags to award. Take Guy Eastman's #5 Deer unit pick from 2018. Had 1 random tag in Special at 1 in 240 odds (about 4 in 1000 odds) and 1 random tag in Regular at 1 in 483 (about 2 in 1000 odds). If you put in for that unit with less than max points and draw that tag in 2019 then a higher power wants you to go hunt that GMU. If you put in for a party of 2 then could draw since WY will award a party for deer each tags if is drawn even if only 1 tag left in the quota pool. Feeling lucky?

 

[ignorethefringes]

Hope you don't mind me tagging on Brent since I'm looking to do something similar in the next year or two. . .

How can you determine which tags you'll be likely to draw as a second choice? Are you just looking at units/regions that didn't totally draw out and went to leftover?

 

[BrentD]

ajricketts,
Sure thing. Not a problem at all. What I'm doing is looking at last year's draw odds and hunting for any unit that did not sell out all their tags to first choice applicants with no points.
This is the PDF you can download from the WG&F website.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Hunting/Drawing%20Odds/DRAW_DEER_PP_NONRES_2018.pdf

 

[wytex]

Just remember you'll probably have at least some remote chance at drawing a random tag, you could still lose those PP. I wouldn't put a first choice as a tag I wouldn't want to hunt.

 

[BrentD]

Yes, I know we could draw, but we currently have 0 points, so we can't lose any. We could, however, get stuck with a premo tag that we weren't counting on. I guess we would have to deal with it...

 

[Edwin]

going in special deer will improve your odds of drawing a second choice. there are very few if any you can get in the regular as a second choice

 

[BrentD]

going in special deer will improve your odds of drawing a second choice. there are very few if any you can get in the regular as a second choice

True, and we have from time to time (before recent major price increases) done that. However, with zero points, it would still be a pretty mediocre area at best and the extra cost for mediocrity is not something I'm willing to do. The "full price" tags are expensive enough. But we have thought about.

We have a plan now. Only time and good fortune are in play now.

Thanks to everyone for the comments. They were all very helpful in making the decisions we needed to make. Now we wait.

 

[smw110136]

Does Wyoming take your points if you are awarded your second choice in the draw? I've got four elk points now and wish to keep buying and building points for the future, but would also like to put in for some of the easier to draw cow elk tags. Anyone with more knowledge than myself know the answer?

 

[VikingsGuy]

second choice, third choice and doe tags do NOT cost you your points.

 

[smw110136]

second choice, third choice and doe tags do NOT cost you your points.

Thanks!

 

[LCH]

ajricketts,
Sure thing. Not a problem at all. What I'm doing is looking at last year's draw odds and hunting for any unit that did not sell out all their tags to first choice applicants with no points.
This is the PDF you can download from the WG&F website.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Hunting/Drawing%20Odds/DRAW_DEER_PP_NONRES_2018.pdf

You're looking at the wrong document. You need to look at the random draw odds. Take the # of tags available, deduct # of first choice applicants entered in the random draw, divide remaining tags by 2nd choice applicants and you have last year's odds.

 

[BrentD]

The an

You're looking at the wrong document. You need to look at the random draw odds. Take the # of tags available, deduct # of first choice applicants entered in the random draw, divide remaining tags by 2nd choice applicants and you have last year's odds.

You are correct. Interestingly the only two Regions that show up in the random draw data are X and Y.

 

[wytex]

pm sent BrentD