Help me understand Wyoming

[TrickyTross]

Alrighty. I bought a point for Elk last year, but I was under the impression that you couldn't buy OTC tags here. Would make more sense if I could though. Keep buying points, go buy left over for the years when I don't put in. Make understanding and knowing a unit alot easier.....

What am I missing?

 

[jerm8352]

Non residents can not just buy an over the counter tag in wyoming like you can in Colorado. You may buy leftover tags (or certain cow tags in the cow/calf draw) without burning your bull points. However, most of the leftover tags are for hard to access units and sell out quickly.

 

[Wapiti23]

What I do is apply in the January. If I don't get drawn which has happened every year for the last 8 years then I plan to hunt cows in the same unit with the reduced price cow/calf tags to learn the area better. Also buy points when they come available at the same time.

 

[Caseknife]

You should be able to apply in January for the unit you want to hunt and learn. Use your first choice for the "any elk" tag, which you probably won't get drawn for, and your second choice for the reduced "cow/calf" tag in the same unit, which you probably will get drawn for. That way you will gain the preference point because you didn't get drawn on your first choice and you will be able to hunt the unit for elk and learn the unit for when you do get drawn for the bull tag. That way you can avoid the left-over tag sale where it is first come first served at a rapid pace. You do have to put in for the preference point option when you apply in January though.

 

[TrickyTross]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate it!

 

[Topgun 30-06]

You should be able to apply in January for the unit you want to hunt and learn. Use your first choice for the "any elk" tag, which you probably won't get drawn for, and your second choice for the reduced "cow/calf" tag in the same unit, which you probably will get drawn for. That way you will gain the preference point because you didn't get drawn on your first choice and you will be able to hunt the unit for elk and learn the unit for when you do get drawn for the bull tag. That way you can avoid the left-over tag sale where it is first come first served at a rapid pace. You do have to put in for the preference point option when you apply in January though.

You can't do what you're saying, as the reduced price tags are a different price and are in a separate random draw where no points are used! Your second and third choices, if you put any down, would have to be for full price tags. The reduced price tags would have to be done as a separate transaction, but can be done at the same time. You also don't have to put in for the PP when you apply in January. That can also be done any time between 7/1 and 10/31 during that PP application period.

 

[BuzzH]

Alrighty. I bought a point for Elk last year, but I was under the impression that you couldn't buy OTC tags here. Would make more sense if I could though. Keep buying points, go buy left over for the years when I don't put in. Make understanding and knowing a unit alot easier.....

What am I missing?

This gets asked a lot, so....

I think this idea works in theory better than reality...(hunting a cow to learn the unit for a later bull hunt).

It does depend on a couple things. If a person were to archery hunt for cows during archery season, then, yes, you will be learning the unit for an archery hunt for bulls in the future.

But, if you're planning to rifle hunt when you draw an any elk tag, and then hunting cows on say a late season type 6 or 7 late season tag...you aren't learning much of anything about the unit for the future (other than where to hunt cows in December and January).

Hunting bull elk, any time of the year outside the rut, is much different than hunting cows, they just don't typically use the same areas. Most of the better spots I hunt bulls, I mainly see only bulls and very few, if any, cows.

Plus, I think when a person has a cow tag, they get more focused on killing a cow than doing much scouting around for bulls. If you're on a limited time frame of say 5-6 days, and it takes a person 3-4 days to fill a cow tag...doesn't really give you much time to look around and learn about hunting bulls there.

Also, you can apply for the any elk tag as a first choice, and apply as a second choice for a type 4 or type 5 cow permit as a second choice (assuming the unit has type 4's or 5's available). Just know that the type 4 and 5 are full priced tags, the same as you pay for a bull tag. Also, starting just this year, type 4's and 5's can be purchased as leftovers as "additional" tags up to 3 per hunter.

The type 6 and 7 tags can either be applied for in the main draw or purchased as leftovers, up to 3 per hunter but, as stated, are separate from the full price draw.

Also note that no hunter can hold more than 1 elk permit good for bull/any elk, 3 antlerless permits either type 4, 5, 6, or 7....but no more than a total of 3 elk permits per year. So if you have an any elk permit, you can purchase up to 2 other antlerless permits types 4-7.

Main thing you'll want to remember is the type 4's and 5's are full price tags, type 6's and 7's are reduced price tags.

 

[TrickyTross]

Thanks Buzz!