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Will market volatility and or heath concerns with the virus influence your western hunting plans

Will stock market volatility and the virus curb you from heading West to hunt?

  • To much financial risk and or health risk in traveling - not going this year

    Votes: 23 7.3%
  • Risky, will apply and decide later whether to go

    Votes: 60 19.0%
  • Not concerned, headed west with no changes planned

    Votes: 232 73.7%

  • Total voters
    315
I was planning to hunt Wyoming for deer this fall I have 1 point so I was gonna try for a sure thing unit , but now with uncertainty of things I probably won’t since I put in for Montana and am likely to draw a big game combo with 2 pref points , 1 10 day out of state hunt this fall will be enough .
 
Not sure about my September elk trip yet. My income is secure but my wife’s is iffy right now so that could throw a wrench into things. We purchased flight tickets for a trip to Colorado in May at exactly the worst time. Two weeks later the virus panic set in and airfare has dramatically lowered. As days go on I’m doubting whether or not travel will even be back to normal come May. Might be stuck with a Southwest credit.
 
My Wyoming antelope is still a go. My trip to Argentina is totally up in the air at this point. I might just have to try to right that off as a donation to RMEF.
 
It’s crazy to think of but the worlds fifth largest economy just closed it’s doors. I’m sure they’ll be more to follow. That’s going to hurt. I think going hunting this fall will be the least of their worries.
 
Gonna be interesting for sure . Hopefully by fall people can still do trips and support small town hotels and bars/restaurants.
 
Without a doubt - there will be less people in the hills this fall. Draw odds will improve. Guys won’t be putting in for 6-7+ states anymore. A lot of people will be affected financially by this in some way, shape or form.
I'm hoping it makes my draw odds in NM as a resident better.
 
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Changed my vote from no to maybe. My employer issues new travel restrictions every day. As of right now I can request special permission to cross state lines, but even then if I have contact with any person who has so much as a cold I am locked out of work for 2 weeks in mandatory home isolation. I only have so much sick leave I can burn through. I am doubtful of going on my July WY scouting trip, but am optimistic I can still hunt come Sept out of state. Really depends on how long this stuff lasts and there are models showing a couple months and other models showing 18 months.
 
I answered “no” weeks ago, but with as much as things have changed, it’s pretty tough to know at this point. Planned on applying in the special for Wyoming deer and would be all but guaranteed to draw. Now with school being shut down for at least six weeks (teacher) I really have no idea what school will look like in the fall and if getting personal time off will be cut out. May be another year of local Oregon hunts.
 
Feel terrible for those who have been laid off or lost their jobs over the hysteria we created. Especially considering
the minuscule %.

Our household has been extremely lucky, so far. That could change at the drop of a hat tomorrow and we're prepared for that.
But we're certainly counting our blessings and thankful. If I was a NR I would be cancelling all applications besides the local easy to do hunts.
There are bigger things than hunting.
 
I would like to think that we’ll be okay. My job is probably ‘essential’ but if a slow down was big enough maybe less people would be needed to do those essential things.

My wife is a NICU RN, so I imagine they’ll be busy as ever in 9 months with everybody spending all this extra time together!


I’m beginning to see people I know get laid off and they are hunters. Also worth noting is that oil is at $20 right now too. That will effect a lot of people even if CV goes away now.
It’s a different world than it was a month ago, that’s for darn sure.
 
I say the opposite. With soooooooo many people having to stay at home with their kids now, I bet people are saying "no f&#*)*% way we're having another kid."
That's what I was thinking! The wife and I have never spent this much time together. Were going to kill each other soon haha.
 
This was going to be my first year in the application game. Had to change plans due to the already significant economic impact on my business. Now I’m looking at OTC only to be conservative. COVID-19 is not my primary concern at this point.
 
I am more concerned than I was when this poll was first posted. Our trip is still on as planned except we will probably camp at night while traveling back and forth rather than getting a room and will have it arranged where our only planned stops while traveling back and forth are for fuel.
 
My money says that it’s going to impact NR odds FAR more than resident odds.

yep, i agree

i imagine there will be some dips in resident apps, but perhaps not enough to really be counted as significant

i'm throwing my name in the hat for a 5-6 point resident elk unit with zero points just in case i'm wrong and something unexpected happens with resident apps

things are still up in the air for my NR apps, which is only wyoming, current plan is still put in all my antelope apps up there though.
 
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