Splitting points in WY

[Johnny Bravo]

It looks like WY point sharing is real, I was at the sportsman expo yesterday and one guy offered me to share my 10 points for guided hunt, I just have to pay small fee. This idea is not leaving my head now, I was planning to built points for few more years, but don't know what my points will be worth in couple years, I mean will I be able to draw better units with 12-14 points than now with 10?

You share your points and YOU have to pay a fee? Um, no…

 

[Neighwp]

It looks like WY point sharing is real, I was at the sportsman expo yesterday and one guy offered me to share my 10 points for guided hunt, I just have to pay small fee. This idea is not leaving my head now, I was planning to built points for few more years, but don't know what my points will be worth in couple years, I mean will I be able to draw better units with 12-14 points than now with 10?

In 3-4 years you'll be able to draw a few units that are currently taking 11 and there will be a unit or two that currently take 10 that you can't draw. One thing is certain, it'll cost more in 3-4.

 

[Kevin W]

I was planning to built points for few more years, but don't know what my points will be worth in couple years, I mean will I be able to draw better units with 12-14 points than now with 10?

Building points for a few more years sounds great until the NR elk unit quotas get cut in half and your points will have half their value. Not to mention point creep. I am at 9 elk points now and am burning them on a 100-4 cow tag. I am coming up on 60 yrs old and once I burn them I am never buying another Wyoming elk point. I’ve never elk hunted for myself. This is a one and done for elk. I also have 10 and 11 points for deer and antelope with a plan to do one in 2026 and the other in 2027. After that any trips to Wyoming will be for fishing in the Yellowstone area.

 

[cgasner1]

Building points for a few more years sounds great until the NR elk unit quotas get cut in half and your points will have half their value. Not to mention point creep. I am at 9 elk points now and am burning them on a 100-4 cow tag. I am coming up on 60 yrs old and once I burn them I am never buying another Wyoming elk point. I’ve never elk hunted for myself. This is a one and done for elk. I also have 10 and 11 points for deer and antelope with a plan to do one in 2026 and the other in 2027. After that any trips to Wyoming will be for fishing in the Yellowstone area.

Sounds to me like you should have a shirt made that says I have 9 nr Wyoming elk points and go wonder around a expo wearing it

 

[cgasner1]

Don’t sell yourself short with those points guys

 

[Wulffhunter]

Building points for a few more years sounds great until the NR elk unit quotas get cut in half and your points will have half their value. Not to mention point creep. I am at 9 elk points now and am burning them on a 100-4 cow tag. I am coming up on 60 yrs old and once I burn them I am never buying another Wyoming elk point. I’ve never elk hunted for myself. This is a one and done for elk. I also have 10 and 11 points for deer and antelope with a plan to do one in 2026 and the other in 2027. After that any trips to Wyoming will be for fishing in the Yellowstone area.

There’s several units worth more than a type 4 tag in 100 if you want to hunt cow or spike elk even. I can name several, all good hunts.

 

[The_Yuki_Yama]

In South Dakota, a party application uses the minimum number of points of anyone in the application. I personally think more states should adopt this method. I have met many guys that find others that don't know what they're doing but have points and offer to take them to get in on their application. Others that buy points for parents, spouse, cousins etc. just to be able to get in on all their application, even if the other person doesn't hunt. How does this make any sense?

 

[Neighwp]

It doesn't "make sense", but since G&F are making money on the license and the preference points, don't look for it to change.

 

[Treeshark]

Others that buy points for parents, spouse, cousins etc. just to be able to get in on all their application, even if the other person doesn't hunt. How does this make any sense?

I’m sure some people do this, but wouldn’t you have to purchase two tags in this scenario?

Would the second non-hunter be able to turn their tag in for a refund and have the hunter keep their tag?

 

[WapitiBob]

Others that buy points for parents, spouse, cousins etc. just to be able to get in on all their application, even if the other person doesn't hunt. How does this make any sense?

And how do you know those people will never hunt?
Case in point, my brother stopped hunting 35 years ago, woke up one day and said he wanted to hunt Pronghorn in WY. Had I not been buying him points, the choices of where to hunt would have been severely limited.

 

[WapitiBob]

I’m sure some people do this, but wouldn’t you have to purchase two tags in this scenario?

Would the second non-hunter be able to turn their tag in for a refund and have the hunter keep their tag?

Yes, licenses are paid for at the time of application, and no, you don't get to turn a tag back in WY unless you have 1 foot in the grave. I know of an instance where a broken leg didn't qualify ...

 

[Treeshark]

Yes, licenses are paid for at the time of application, and no, you don't get to turn a tag back in WY unless you have 1 foot in the grave. I know of an instance where a broken leg didn't qualify ...

That’s what I figured. I’m not sure how many people are actually willing to do that, but perhaps I’m mistaken.

 

[cgasner1]

That’s what I figured. I’m not sure how many people are actually willing to do that, but perhaps I’m mistaken.

My thought also I don’t even do it for my wife in my home state I have a hard time seeing people budget for multiple people in multiple states to party apply later

 

[The_Yuki_Yama]

My thought also I don’t even do it for my wife in my home state I have a hard time seeing people budget for multiple people in multiple states to party apply later

Those that I know that do this buy two tags. Some states you may be able to return the other? Not sure. I personally would pay twice as much if I could get a tag that I'd otherwise have to wait 5 years for, but wouldn't feel to good about myself using this method to cut the line.. Think of a tag you really want but will take ya 5 years to likely draw. If someone offered you the choice to guarantee the draw if you paid twice as much you wouldn't do it? Guess it really just comes down to a guys finances.

And how do you know those people will never hunt?
Case in point, my brother stopped hunting 35 years ago, woke up one day and said he wanted to hunt Pronghorn in WY. Had I not been buying him points, the choices of where to hunt would have been severely limited.

I'm fine with people buying points that may one day hunt for their own use. I'm just not sure they should be able to essentially transfer half of those points to someone else by using a party application so that someone that just had a tag can get another tag, meanwhile another guy is waiting and getting his own points doesn't get a tag. I can't really think of a reason why that would be a good thing? Maybe it would encourage the person that has a lot of points but hasn't been hunting to actually hunt by essentially pairing them up with someone that is actively hunting?

Maybe this isn't a big issue. I just happen to have independently met four different guys that do it but maybe that's far from the norm. While black bear hunting this last fall, I ran into a guy in a hard to draw mule deer unit (9+ points) in CA that has hunted it the last four years in a row...

 

[cgasner1]

Y

Those that I know that do this buy two tags. Some states you may be able to return the other? Not sure. I personally would pay twice as much if I could get a tag that I'd otherwise have to wait 5 years for, but wouldn't feel to good about myself using this method to cut the line.. Think of a tag you really want but will take ya 5 years to likely draw. If someone offered you the choice to guarantee the draw if you paid twice as much you wouldn't do it? Guess it really just comes down to a guys finances.


I'm fine with people buying points that may one day hunt for their own use. I'm just not sure they should be able to essentially transfer half of those points to someone else by using a party application so that someone that just had a tag can get another tag, meanwhile another guy is waiting and getting his own points doesn't get a tag. I can't really think of a reason why that would be a good thing? Maybe it would encourage the person that has a lot of points but hasn't been hunting to actually hunt by essentially pairing them up with someone that is actively hunting?

Maybe this isn't a big issue. I just happen to have independently met four different guys that do it but maybe that's far from the norm. While black bear hunting this last fall, I ran into a guy in a hard to draw mule deer unit (9+ points) in CA that has hunted it the last four years in a row...

Your talking 10+ points at 50 a point and 2x on tags I can spend that money elsewhere to get a tag and not feel like a asshat for gaming the system

 

[The_Yuki_Yama]

Your talking 10+ points at 50 a point and 2x on tags I can spend that money elsewhere to get a tag and not feel like a asshat for gaming the system

I realize this thread was specifically about elk in Wyoming but I guess my brain got me thinking about other states and tags. In CA the application to earn a point is ~$10 and a tag is $40. Not too bad to draw a pretty sweet mule deer unit that someone else has to wait a decade for.
Probably not a big deal just annoys me when I hear it or see threads like this, but it probably is fairly rare and not illegal so good for them I suppose.

 

[cgasner1]

I realize this thread was specifically about elk in Wyoming but I guess my brain got me thinking about other states and tags. In CA the application to earn a point is ~$10 and a tag is $40. Not too bad to draw a pretty sweet mule deer unit that someone else has to wait a decade for.
Probably not a big deal just annoys me when I hear it or see threads like this, but it probably is fairly rare and not illegal so good for them I suppose.

Maybe a case for residents in their home state but for nr chasing things across the west if you got the kinda money to play that game your buying hunts anyway to do that for a elk in Wyoming would be 4500 ish for a special if someone wants a general special that bad let them have it the state wins