In or out on WY moose and sheep points?

[MNHunter]

You must be selling drugs to make $150 in 10 minutes! :W:

Nah, found a good niche though. Some days are better than others. Yesterday was one of those $150 in 10 minute days.

 

[LopeHunter]

I bought my first Wyoming Moose point in 2017 for $75, but now that they raised it to $150, I AM OUT! Feel for you guys with a big stack of points who are getting out.

I applied for an Alaskan moose this year, so my dollars will now be focused to the North.

AK moose are to Shiras moose as Eastern whitetails to Coues whitetails. The biggest Shiras will look about average next to an average AK moose which will look like a giant. Anyone got side by side moose mounts of AK and Shiras?

 

[millerpaul17]

For those of you bailing you shouldn't! Hard to hunt them when you don't apply! and both can be done unguided on public lands. I have 8 points for each I think. Funny story I am from Wyoming and when I was 18 the Wyoming game and fish somehow gave me 2 sportsman ID's. So while I was applying for sheep and moose on my 1st sportsmans ID from 12 years old to 18 I was building good points. Well when I was issued my 2nd sportsmans ID and I started applying for those tags my points were getting put on my 2nd ID. As you know if you don't apply for 2 years you lose your points. So when I was 20 I saw that I only had 2 points because I had lost the 6 points I had on my 1st ID. I called the Game and Fish Head quarters and talked to them and they admitted to giving me 2 ID's but wouldn't give my points back unless I showed them bank statements showing I bought the points! No way I could do that! Crazy huh so now I am only sitting on 8 points when I should have 14> It had happened to a few others that year.

Story my not apply to the original thread so sorry for that. Keep putting in!!!!

 

[brownbear932008]

I contemplated starting to buy points about 4-5 years ago for Wyoming for moose/sheep. I'm glad I didn't start because I think I would be in the "bail" category. I have 13 bonus points in Maine for moose. I had a friend from Pennsylvania that drew a few years back. I'm thinking about buying some of the extra 10-pack bonus points, maybe a couple hundred dollars worth, and just taking my chances with drawing it.

You and thousands of others have this same idea which is why the Maine moose lottery is a joke. I have done that several years without luck. My advise save your bucks and go to Newfoundland. Glad I did. I don't remember the exact numbers but hunting fool had them last year if I recall correctly around 12-13,000 applicants bought somewhere over 100,000 chances for less than 300 tags. I will try to find the numbers for sure.

 

[dcopas78]

You and thousands of others have this same idea which is why the Maine moose lottery is a joke. I have done that several years without luck. My advise save your bucks and go to Newfoundland. Glad I did. I don't remember the exact numbers but hunting fool had them last year if I recall correctly around 12-13,000 applicants bought somewhere over 100,000 chances for less than 300 tags. I will try to find the numbers for sure.

I will eventually do a NF combo hunt...caribou, moose, bear. That is kind of my "lifetime" hunt dream. I figure I'll keep trying Maine, although I know the odds are a long shot. It's money I would probably be using to buy points in Wyoming with if I thought I stood a good chance of ever drawing a tag there, but that doesn't sound likely. Nor does Maine, really. I'm hoping some of my friends luck rubs off. He had I think 9 bonus points when he put in for his tag, and he didn't even buy the extra chances....got a nice bull too. I told him he hit the "powerball". I don't think he realizes how lucky he was.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Never started. Never will. If the tag pool doesn't empty within 10 years, I'm not spending that kind of money for something that probably won't happen. I'd rather save up and go to Alaska. However, being a MT resident and having the ability to apply for resident tags keeps me in the game for sheep and moose.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Never started. Never will. If the tag pool doesn't empty within 10 years, I'm not spending that kind of money for something that probably won't happen. I'd rather save up and go to Alaska. However, being a MT resident and having the ability to apply for resident tags keeps me in the game for sheep and moose.

Smart fellow you are!

 

[brownbear932008]

I will eventually do a NF combo hunt...caribou, moose, bear. That is kind of my "lifetime" hunt dream. I figure I'll keep trying Maine, although I know the odds are a long shot. It's money I would probably be using to buy points in Wyoming with if I thought I stood a good chance of ever drawing a tag there, but that doesn't sound likely. Nor does Maine, really. I'm hoping some of my friends luck rubs off. He had I think 9 bonus points when he put in for his tag, and he didn't even buy the extra chances....got a nice bull too. I told him he hit the "powerball". I don't think he realizes how lucky he was.

No doubt man good luck. I drew a cow tag in Maine first year I applied back in 2009. It can be done but the multi pack money grab has ruined NR odds as you already know. I have a buddy who has drawn 3 yes 3 bull tags there in about a 10-15 year period. Lucky SOB....

 

[bob peterson]

I am seriously debating dropping out of moose, I have 12 points. I knew the tag price went up but didn't know about the point price too. If I can put together a solid DIY plan I may be able to do it, but going outfitted now it looks like easily a $10k hunt when you add the tag and travel expense. I had one good elk hunt in WY, and a few deer hunts, maybe that will have to do, as it seems I am being priced out. Tough for me to scout from WI, but I guess I'll just have to see what I can come up with. Sometimes you just have to know when to walk away.

 

[schmalts]

The big question is if WY really is going to make more of less money on this price hike.

 

[Zim]

Dumped 8 sheep points and got out immediately way back when they started the nonrefundable stupid money. Burned my moose points a couple years later and immediately bailed on that afterwards. I really can't believe when I read some of these posts from folks with low points who continued their donations. Since I got in the points games in 1996 in many states, I consider WY sheep & moose two of the easiest exit decisions by far. I've already been successful on 2 drawn moose hunts & have max NR points in Maine. That's more than enough by my standards. Much better investments out there.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I am seriously debating dropping out of moose, I have 12 points. I knew the tag price went up but didn't know about the point price too. If I can put together a solid DIY plan I may be able to do it, but going outfitted now it looks like easily a $10k hunt when you add the tag and travel expense. I had one good elk hunt in WY, and a few deer hunts, maybe that will have to do, as it seems I am being priced out. Tough for me to scout from WI, but I guess I'll just have to see what I can come up with. Sometimes you just have to know when to walk away.

Rather than dropping out why don't you apply for a cow tag in a couple of those units where you could draw that with 12 PPs?

 

[Flatrock]

The big question is if WY really is going to make more of less money on this price hike.

No doubt. I still think they'll take in more money but they definitely won't be doubling their revenue.

Also, I think a lot of people still mistakenly believe that they can just apply for a random tag and not pay the preference point fee. They're not going to be happy when they find out they paid $150 to get in the random draw...

I also think they'll eventually go to a 90/10 split on the allocation. That'll be a far bigger dagger than this price increase.

 

[bob peterson]

Hmmmm

Rather than dropping out why don't you apply for a cow tag in a couple of those units where you could draw that with 12 PPs?

Good point, I may have to look at that as an option. Always wanted a nice set of "Paddles" for the wall though.

 

[BARBARIAN-X]

Wow I had no idea what you guys go through to get a moose license. I love moose but when fur is on the ground all that romantic crap goes out the window and the real work begins...if you don't love it you'll hate it! lol

 

[WapitiBob]

Yea they're kind of big.

 

[LopeHunter]

I'd suggest you guys thinking of dropping out, wait just a bit....


That's all for now

Should I wait until WY whacks the NR allocation in half for moose and sheep? I see no way that does not get bipartisan resident support in the next year or two. The WYOGA will not be happy but if that is the bone to toss to get more NR General elk licenses...I see that deal getting blessed in a heartbeat.

 

[schmalts]

Rather than dropping out why don't you apply for a cow tag in a couple of those units where you could draw that with 12 PPs?

And what do you think is going to happen with the point creep for cow tags when everyone starts thinking that is the way to get out? You will need a lot more points to draw a cow tag now.

 

[BuzzH]

Should I wait until WY whacks the NR allocation in half for moose and sheep? I see no way that does not get bipartisan resident support in the next year or two. The WYOGA will not be happy but if that is the bone to toss to get more NR General elk licenses...I see that deal getting blessed in a heartbeat.

We don't need bipartisan support to whack the NR allocation...just the support of the commission. Nothing in statute to stop the commission from not issuing a single NR moose or sheep license.

WYOGA is not going to get any additional elk tags above the 7250 cap. What they may end up with is type 6 and 7 licenses being included in the 7250 cap, and reducing LQ full price elk tags available to NR's to 10% (which would free up more of the cap to issue more general tags).

I can assure you, the days of WYOGA getting their way are over...sportsmen here are on to them, big-time.

As a NR I would be letting WYOGA know that they better pump the brakes or their actions are going to have a negative impact on NR hunters...

 

[BuzzH]

And what do you think is going to happen with the point creep for cow tags when everyone starts thinking that is the way to get out? You will need a lot more points to draw a cow tag now.

Probably true...keep in mind there aren't many cow tags issued to NR's either.

I see point creep driving the bull tags in mid-tier units wayyyy up.