Wyoming Point Creep

[Baerman]

I was just looking online to see if bonus point information has been updated and saw this link showing the number of non-residents applying for bonus points. This last year was a huge step up in point creep! When my kids are finally able to hunt they won't have the opportunity I've had to date and neither will I when I use my points.

http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/Departments/Hunting/pdfs/TOTAL_PREF_POINTS_EDA_120003129.pdf

 

[jryoung]

How many of those people continue to put in for the units most recommended by Eastmans or other publication. I've heard it many many times that there are damn good 2-4 point units that always get over looked. I just need to figure out where as I'm cashing in my points in 2014 for archery elk.

 

[fowladdict]

IMHO there are no deer or pronghorn hunts worth waiting a lifetime for in WY. You can hunt WY every year if you really wanted to. I have hunted pronghorn 3 times since the point system was implemented and I just keep acquiring the deer points because I don't know when/how I want to use them. I think I will have 7 deer points next year. I will probably end up burning them next year on a unit that doesn't require that many points.

 

[Baerman]

How many of those people continue to put in for the units most recommended by Eastmans or other publication. I've heard it many many times that there are damn good 2-4 point units that always get over looked. I just need to figure out where as I'm cashing in my points in 2014 for archery elk.

No doubt there are productive units outside those mentioned in Eastmans. Big Fin always says there's a trophy goat in every unit in the state. Even though, those 2-4 points today turns into 4-8 points pretty quick after looking at that data.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

IMHO there are no deer or pronghorn hunts worth waiting a lifetime for in WY. You can hunt WY every year if you really wanted to. I have hunted pronghorn 3 times since the point system was implemented and I just keep acquiring the deer points because I don't know when/how I want to use them. I think I will have 7 deer points next year. I will probably end up burning them next year on a unit that doesn't require that many points.

I agree 100% with your thoughts regarding deer. There are no "Henry's or Kaibab" class deer units in Wyoming. Use your points to plan your hunt schedule for Wyoming deer. In regards to Antelope I would say that it you do not need to wait very long. You can have a quality antelope hunt every year if you want to.

 

[LopeHunter]

The gas and oil expoloration created a lot of paths for vehicles. Some say poaching increased as the new roads were created. Robustness of deer habitat has been an issue for most western states including WY the past decade. Add in a tough winter recently and is easy to sit on points.

I am going to use my WY deer max points in a year or two. Probably for a high country pack horse hunt that only takes 2 or 3 points to draw. I like to hunt too much to wait 10 - 20 years and roll the dice with getting a tag only to tackle forest fires, weather and even health issues as get into middle age.

 

[Flatrock]

For a non resident that can most likely get a regular priced general elk tag every other year, is it even worth building points for a limited quota hunt? I'm sitting on 5 points and feel like I should just burn them and start getting the general tag.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

For a non resident that can most likely get a regular priced general elk tag every other year, is it even worth building points for a limited quota hunt? I'm sitting on 5 points and feel like I should just burn them and start getting the general tag.

For me it would not be worth the wait. I would rather hunt every year than wait in the hopes of one of the high end elk tags. I believe you can have a great hunt, with the chance at good trophy quality with few other hunters in most general areas.

 

[ida homer]

This last year was a huge step up in point creep! When my kids are finally able to hunt they won't have the opportunity I've had to date and neither will I when I use my points.

Exactly why point systems are lame. Idaho and New Mexico know whats up.

 

[naturebob]

Wow! Didn't realize there were that many folks buying points. I thought I was in good shape with 5 soon to be 6 for the 3 species. Was goonna do Lope this year and didn't . Next year for sure. Deer I hunt Montana but I may as well do it too. Elk ,I don't know. I got 18 points in AZ. My home state ,so kinda been waiting on that every fall. I put in as a non res, now that I am in ND. 85 non res. left after this year with that many points. So should get it in the next few years. Problem with a lotta points everyone puts in for the same 2-3 top units. Points didn't drop that much this year. Looks like Wyoming is rakeing in the $ off of points. $125 or so for all 3 each year .Adds up for them without giving tags. I say time to start using them for Me at age 57 in 2 months........BOB!

 

[Wapiti23]

Now that you brought this up I went back and had done some looking and I did notice something kind of frustrating. I do buy points for antelope and deer but what I am waiting for and have been waiting for, for a long time I might add, is a Non-resident elk tag for a limited draw unit where my relatives live and hunt every year. I have 4 points now and will be buying another point late this summer but have noticed the last few years when I check the draw odds, they always seem to be 2 points away from where I should have a good chance of getting drawn. It kind of makes me wonder if this is ever going to happen. The reason I apply for this unit is because of family and I absolutely love the landscape for I have hunted cows there many times. In the end it just seems that I will always be 2 points away from getting the tag no matter what. Any thoughts on this? Maybe I am just freaking out over nothing or is there some truth to my thinking?

 

[jryoung]

Why not put in and hope to draw and get the point if you don't? If you only buy a PP you have 0 chance of getting drawn.

 

[Baerman]

Why not put in and hope to draw and get the point if you don't? If you only buy a PP you have 0 chance of getting drawn.

I agree. Plus if you draw on random you keep your points I think.

It was just interesting to see that the number of applicants jumped so much in one year.

 

[Wapiti23]

I did for a couple of years then there are the years were I forget to apply or get a point. Realistically, I should have 7 points right now but because of that reason I lost the points that I had accumulated. Lately I have been in the mind set that hey why not just put in for a point and not worry about coming up with the money to apply every year and when you get to the number of points that is required to give you a good chance then apply. Now that I think about it I realize that I have kinda been f-ing my self over. Ughhh and im not even new to the applying process and understand it very well. It is kinda funny in a very sad way haha. I'm not going to do that anymore. I know guys that have applied as a group of 4 and have been drawn with no points. Haha, oh lord.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Wow! Didn't realize there were that many folks buying points. I thought I was in good shape with 5 soon to be 6 for the 3 species. Was goonna do Lope this year and didn't . Next year for sure. Deer I hunt Montana but I may as well do it too. Elk ,I don't know. I got 18 points in AZ. My home state ,so kinda been waiting on that every fall. I put in as a non res, now that I am in ND. 85 non res. left after this year with that many points. So should get it in the next few years. Problem with a lotta points everyone puts in for the same 2-3 top units. Points didn't drop that much this year. Looks like Wyoming is rakeing in the $ off of points. $125 or so for all 3 each year .Adds up for them without giving tags. I say time to start using them for Me at age 57 in 2 months........BOB!

Sorry to be off track here, but you didn't previously buy a lifetime hunting licence when living in your home state of AZ did you? Cause if you did you will be in the resident draw pool, but would just need to pay non resident fees. What a great way to reduce those non resident draw odds in AZ.

 

[naturebob]

I didn't buy one before I left cause I was broke. That's the only reason I am in N Dakota. Working in the oil field for 100k a year versus starving in AZ. when construction died. Its picking back up there but still not worth it to come back yet. I was pissed I couldn't afford it before I left, but it will only be a few more years and Il'l get That Bull tag.. AS far as buying points , Some of us aren't ready or couldn't afford to hunt so we buy points hoping to get a good hunt when we are ready. Now I can afford several States I will start applying. 8- 10 years ago I was hunting 3-4 states + Mexico every year. The good old days......BOB!

 

[Baerman]

I'm bumping a post I started a couple years back to see where people stand now.

As I am starting to plan this years adventures I look at Wyoming again and yet another year where I think I might actually get drawn for antelope in a unit I've come to know fairly well. Then I process the fact that next year the non residents are loosing over 50% of our opportunity to hunt Wyoming and come to the realization that what takes 5 points last year might take 7 points this year because non residents are going to be purging points this year before the new quotas take place in 2016. Then in 2016 that same 5 point unit might take 11 points. Point creep in Wyoming seems to be on the parabola curve.

 

[BuzzH]

Contact WYOGA...they are the ones causing this by passing 149.

Phone number is: 307 265-2376

Whine to the guys that are to blame.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Although the 60/40 to 40/60 flip flop looks like it will pass and be effective for 2016 it hasn't yet, as the TRW Committee was tight with a 3-2 vote yesterday. Keep the email and letters going to all the Legislators and maybe it won't pass, as that's the only voice the NR has. Tell them that we already pay approximately 80% of the fees the G&F takes in of the 55% in fees that goes toward running their budget and they are pricing the average guy out of their state. If it goes through like it looks, NRs will pay more for a number of the tags in order to be assured of getting some they could have drawn at the regular price in the past, but loosing 50% of the opportunity to hunt there really is not accurate. The opportunity to hunt is still there like it always has been. It's going to cost more, but that's been the name of the game for decades and we'll just have to save up more to do our hunts if we have to put in for the special tag to draw where we want to hunt. The sad thing is that this will definitely take some of the average Joes and their families out of the game and it will probably continue to get worse, but as a NR in all but one state there isn't much we can do if we want to hunt the others. It goes against the NAM, but not much we can do other than to quit or grin and bear it!

 

[----]

Can somebody point out why Non-residents are losing half their tags for the 2016 season?

I feel like I'm missing something big.