Wyoming 2022 Application Book

[88man]

It would if a couple interest groups would stay out of things...along with the legislature.

Honestly, with how complicated the draw is, hell I don't know why anyone would even bother with hunting Wyoming.

Montana is much easier, one tag, 6 months of season, one fee...no fuss.

Buzz, you are so right! I tell everyone I talk to about how simple Montana is to apply and how its the perfect state for the DIY guys. So simple. Tons of Public> Peak to Prairie and fishing second to none.

 

[Lost Arra]

I'm betting lots of youth applied for those tags and took nice bulls with way more than 4 pts. Looks like most went on 2nd choice.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Hunting/Drawing%20Odds/2021-Res-Elk-Demand-Report.pdf

Thanks. Were the bulls all 2 1/2 yr old or did busted off tines not count toward the 4 point criteria?

 

[wytex]

They don't count what isn't there, broken pts. I know some big bulls with broken main beams were taken, legally, but youth can take any elk on that license.

 

[Kiwi]

They don't count what isn't there, broken pts. I know some big bulls with broken main beams were taken, legally, but youth can take any elk on that license.

Is there somewhere that provide details on this hunt? eg. is it available to non resident youth? I cant find any info after looking at gohunt, hunter planner and the regulations.

 

[WapitiBob]

season info is in the full booklet, youth Elk info is in the chapter 7 regulation

 

[lifesupport4u]

Sitting on 5 elk, 5 deer and 6 antelope points for non-resident. Probably get points again this year and maybe look to hunt WY in 2023… but that’s not set in stone.

 

[Caseknife]

We just want to hunt elk, and have a chance. That's why we're looking at cow/antlerless. We don't have enough between us all to get a bull/general tag, we're realizing now. I 'thought' we had a chance for the units near Sheridan (Bighorn range), within the time limitation we have (end of September, 1st week of October). It appears the only thing available then are cow/calf tags. So we're now looking at applying for one of those, and maybe a couple of deer tags.

Quite a few units with Oct 1 openers for "any elk", but require many more points than you have as a group, 1+. A lot of those same units have type 4 cow tags, full price, for the same time frame that would be achievable with your points. Good luck

 

[gjensen]

Holding on 13 deer points…. Early on I tried to catch unit 89… now I can catch it, but switched to 119 and some years 87… last year almost caught 105…I have been switching between special and regular, but mostly special… . Always 1 point behind… if anyone has recommendations send me a PM…

 

[nmassey]

I have 8 elk, 7 deer, and 2 antelope points going into 2022. With the possible changes coming in 2023+ it is making me nervous on deciding what to do. There are several good units it looks like I could draw for elk (pending what other higher point holders decide to do), would love to hunt Region G deer in a year or two, and the area my dad and I like to hunt for pronghorn takes 4-6 points. With that said, it makes me wonder what the future will hold and if I should go ahead and burn the elk and deer points.

 

[Big Fin]

I have 8 elk, 7 deer, and 2 antelope points going into 2022. With the possible changes coming in 2023+ it is making me nervous on deciding what to do. There are several good units it looks like I could draw for elk (pending what other higher point holders decide to do), would love to hunt Region G deer in a year or two, and the area my dad and I like to hunt for pronghorn takes 4-6 points. With that said, it makes me wonder what the future will hold and if I should go ahead and burn the elk and deer points.

Just one person's opinion, but I don't think anyone ever regretted burning points and going hunting. Points get devalued each year due to a multitude of factors. More applicants, the mysterious "point buyers" getting off the sidelines and finally jumping in the game to apply, possible tag cuts, changes to the system in the future.

To your question about the future; nobody knows. We just know it won't be the same as the present. Ask the folks who were building AZ points. They got a big bonus when AZ changed the system to carve out 20% of tags to the highest point holders. That gave them a huge leg up that they weren't expecting when they started. Yet, within a few years AZ realized all the non-resident tags were going out in that first part of the draw, so they capped that no more than half the non-resident limit could go out in that first part of the draw. That was a kick in the crotch to those guys who just a few years earlier had benefited from a change.

Converting preference points to bonus points sometimes gets considered. Some states start squaring bonus points and that only benefits the max point holders to the detriment of folks at your point level.

In 25 years of doing this, I've seen a ton of changes. Enough that I don't count on next year being the same as this year. And because of that, I try to burn as many points as I can every year (though the states usually don't take those points).

 

[WapitiBob]

I have 8 elk, 7 deer, and 2 antelope points going into 2022. With the possible changes coming in 2023+ it is making me nervous on deciding what to do. There are several good units it looks like I could draw for elk (pending what other higher point holders decide to do), would love to hunt Region G deer in a year or two, and the area my dad and I like to hunt for pronghorn takes 4-6 points. With that said, it makes me wonder what the future will hold and if I should go ahead and burn the elk and deer points.

There are no changes coming in 2023 that will affect any of your species.

 

[nmassey]

Just one person's opinion, but I don't think anyone ever regretted burning points and going hunting. Points get devalued each year due to a multitude of factors. More applicants, the mysterious "point buyers" getting off the sidelines and finally jumping in the game to apply, possible tag cuts, changes to the system in the future.

To your question about the future; nobody knows. We just know it won't be the same as the present. Ask the folks who were building AZ points. They got a big bonus when AZ changed the system to carve out 20% of tags to the highest point holders. That gave them a huge leg up that they weren't expecting when they started. Yet, within a few years AZ realized all the non-resident tags were going out in that first part of the draw, so they capped that no more than half the non-resident limit could go out in that first part of the draw. That was a kick in the crotch to those guys who just a few years earlier had benefited from a change.

Converting preference points to bonus points sometimes gets considered. Some states start squaring bonus points and that only benefits the max point holders to the detriment of folks at your point level.

In 25 years of doing this, I've seen a ton of changes. Enough that I don't count on next year being the same as this year. And because of that, I try to burn as many points as I can every year (though the states usually don't take those points).

Randy,

Thank you for the insight and I agree with your opinions. It is something that I have heard over and over the past few years but that has taken time to sink in. I also think that I entered the game of western draws with not a clear understanding of how complex and difficult it would be to draw "premier" tags in the future. But with that said, just in the past few years priorities have changed in regards to family and life and I value the time spent on trips no matter the size of the animal being pursued.

Again, thanks for the insight from you and everyone on the forums.

 

[Lost Arra]

I also think that I entered the game of western draws with not a clear understanding of how complex and difficult it would be to draw "premier" tags in the future.

You are definitely not alone. I know plenty of guys buying points every year whose understanding of point creep and draw odds is no better than their understanding of quantum physics.

 

[MTGomer]

Thinking about trying to get a general tag. Not looking for honey holes, but if anybody knows some approximate areas that I can hunt 350 bulls, close enough to a road that I don’t need horses, preferably outside of high Grizzly Bear density since I will be backpacking it alone and it’ll take me a day or two to get one out, my PMs are open.

I’m joking, but am I really?

 

[RobertD]

Thinking about trying to get a general tag. Not looking for honey holes, but if anybody knows some approximate areas that I can hunt 350 bulls, close enough to a road that I don’t need horses, preferably outside of high Grizzly Bear density since I will be backpacking it alone and it’ll take me a day or two to get one out, my PMs are open.

I’m joking, but am I really?

Must be joking since you didn't openly solicit a WY res to take you into a wilderness area

 

[ccc23454]

Thinking about trying to get a general tag. Not looking for honey holes, but if anybody knows some approximate areas that I can hunt 350 bulls, close enough to a road that I don’t need horses, preferably outside of high Grizzly Bear density since I will be backpacking it alone and it’ll take me a day or two to get one out, my PMs are open.

I’m joking, but am I really?

Got lots of spots that meet most of that criteria except all my bulls limit out at 348 7/8"....sorry cant help

 

[MTGomer]

Got lots of spots that meet most of that criteria except all my bulls limit out at 348 7/8"....sorry cant help

I’d take it in the later part of the hunt

 

[westbranch]

Thinking I better just put in the for general tag this year. Would be good to hunt elk somewhere other than North Idaho. I'll take waypoints by PM plz.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I have 2-3 hunts planned for 2022 before considering elk, so I just put in for a premium elk tag in the random pool.

 

[madtom]

Must be joking since you didn't openly solicit a WY res to take you into a wilderness area

Psh, if they’re decent folks and have pack animals I can benefit from, I’ll sign the resident guide license.