First Time Entering Drawing - Wyoming

[CoastalPlains]

Last year a buddy and myself bought our first preference point in Wyoming for pronghorn. Neither of us have ever hunted pronghorn, but we heard this was where you need to start for Western big game.
If you all had 1 point and never hunted pronghorn before, would you just buy another point this year? Would you go ahead and enter the draw as odds are good enough with one point to get a quality hunt?
Really just looking for some advice here as I am so new to this.

 

[Big Fin]

I would enter the draw and hope to snag one of the random tags. 25% of all tags are issued randomly, so there is always that chance. If you don't draw, buy another point until you get to a point level that you know will get you the tag you want.

Note - You do have to pay the application fee, pay all fees upfront, and a 2.5% credit card fee, so it is not without some financial cost to play the random tag game.

 

[TJT96]

I’d do what Randy said and if you were really wanting to get out and build some experience, put in for one or two of the type six (doe/fawn) tags in an area you are interested in hunting the type one tag in.

 

[NEWHunter]

If you really want to go, I’d put in for a harder to draw unit (as Randy suggested) and a unit you can draw second choice along with some doe tags. This way you can build points and still hunt. You’ll gain hunting and field judging experience and have a great time. I wish I would have done this when I started buying points 5 years ago.

I have used this kind of strategy each of the last two years. Pulled two second choice tags and got two decent bucks (see avatar). I’m hoping point creep doesn’t get me again this year and we can burn our 6 points. But if it does, I’m hoping we’ll be able to get our second choice. Good luck - keep us posted.

 

[HandgunHunter]

It’s a blast to even chase the does.
You can add a little more hunt to the does by looking for the “uncommon” or horned does.
Man I love a speed goat hunt!

 

[CoastalPlains]

I would enter the draw and hope to snag one of the random tags. 25% of all tags are issued randomly, so there is always that chance. If you don't draw, buy another point until you get to a point level that you know will get you the tag you want.

Note - You do have to pay the application fee, pay all fees upfront, and a 2.5% credit card fee, so it is not without some financial cost to play the random tag game.

Randy, thank you so much for the advice! If you do not draw are you refunded all but the credit card fee? Sorry if this is a dumb question, first timer here.

 

[Big Fin]

Randy, thank you so much for the advice! If you do not draw are you refunded all but the credit card fee? Sorry if this is a dumb question, first timer here.

You will not get refunded the $15 application fee or the 2.5% credit card fee. The remainder will be refunded.

 

[ClearCreek]

Randy, thank you so much for the advice! If you do not draw are you refunded all but the credit card fee? Sorry if this is a dumb question, first timer here.

Wyoming refunds the license fee but keeps the application fee and credit card fee.

ClearCreek

EDIT: Did not see the Big Fin post before I posted.

 

[np307]

I was in your spot last year. Cashed in my 1 point and took 2 buddies who got doe tags and we had a great trip. I wouldn't trade our experience for another point.

 

[CoastalPlains]

I was in your spot last year. Cashed in my 1 point and took 2 buddies who got doe tags and we had a great trip. I wouldn't trade our experience for another point.

np307, were you all able to harvest an animal and get a good hunt in? Did you feel like you didn't have enough public land to work with?

 

[np307]

np307, were you all able to harvest an animal and get a good hunt in? Did you feel like you didn't have enough public land to work with?

Short answers:
We did not all harvest an animal, but we all had opportunities to do so. Definitely had a good hunt and didnt feel like there wasnt enough land to go around.

Long answer, see the thread I made about it: https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/3-first-timers-day-by-day.292597/

 

[CoastalPlains]

Short answers:
We did not all harvest an animal, but we all had opportunities to do so. Definitely had a good hunt and didnt feel like there wasnt enough land to go around.

Long answer, see the thread I made about it: https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/3-first-timers-day-by-day.292597/

Sorry that took so long I was reading your whole thread. That was awesome!

 

[NDMuley]

I have had 2 awesome hunts the last 2 years in a 0 to 1 point area. Plenty of goats and ample public land to roam.