Wyoming Tag fee increase. Will we see a difference?

[Badger_55]

I have been in the point game for Wyoming for awhile now. Unfortunately I feel like I am on the wrong side of the hill with this point creep. I am curious on people's thoughts that this tag increase will catch a good number of people off guard and will either sit back and just buy a point in place of applying for a tag? It seems like anytime you see a tag fee north of a grand people have trouble putting in for it. Will we see higher application numbers in the regular bank vs the special this year?

 

[midwesthunter]

IMO it will be consistent with years past.

 

[LCH]

My guess is no better than anyone else's, but for elk I'd expect special draw applicants to slightly decrease and regular draw applicants to increase.

I don't think deer or antelope applications will change much.

I think cow bison will be near 100% again.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I noticed the increase the other day. Pretty substantial! I'd say they're pushing things right to the edge of what people will stand for, especially with so many cow tags being full-priced. The type 4 cow tag I hunted on my last time in Wyoming is now over 700 dollars! I like to see fish and game depts well funded, but I hope they're looking at some alternative ways to do that in the future...

 

[TimeOnTarget]

Looking at the increase in the number of applications for elk last year in some units, I feel a good number of people decided to burn points before the increase. Maybe that will increase draw odds??

 

[cur dog]

I'll cash in my points this year, and probably be done with Wyoming. No more points or "Special" draws. Wyoming has simply priced myself and 95% of hunting public out of elk hunting in their state. IMO they have some serious problems they need to address.

 

[Western Traveler1]

I'll cash in my points this year, and probably be done with Wyoming. No more points or "Special" draws. Wyoming has simply priced myself and 95% of hunting public out of elk hunting in their state. IMO they have some serious problems they need to address.

I cashed in my WY elk points last year ahead of the changes and my Arizona elk points a couple of years ago ahead of theirs.
Had I not done it last year, I for sure would have this year. The point creep is getting hard to predict and the hunts not any cheeper. I'm now looking at units I feel 90% or better of drawing for all the other States and hunts I have points in. I know I'll end up eating points and abandoning the point game sooner rather than later but I am older...

 

[SPDSpappy]

One positive about WY is getting most of your money back if you don't draw. I was going to apply in AZ, but after seeing NR's only having access to 10% of the tags and you don't get your hunting license fee back, I said no way.

 

[Crawfish-MI]

If you want to voice your opinion...

House vote:

Bill/Amendment Number: HB0288 -Game and fish fees.

Action: H 3rd Readingassed 40-18-2-0-0

Vote Recorded: 2/6/2017 4:54:01 PM

Vote ID: 5226

Ayes: Representative(s): ALLEN, BARLOW, BLAKE, BOVEE, BROWN, BURKHART, BYRD, CLAUSEN, CONNOLLY, COURT, DAYTON, EKLUND, EYRE, FLITNER, FREEMAN, FURPHY, GIERAU, GREEAR, HALEY, HARSHMAN, HENDERSON, HUNT, KINNER, KIRKBRIDE, LARSEN, LOUCKS, MACGUIRE, MADDEN, NICHOLAS, NORTHRUP, OBERMUELLER, PAXTON, PELKEY, SALAZAR, SCHWARTZ, SOMMERS, SWEENEY, WALTERS, WILSON, ZWONITZER

Nays: Representative(s): BAKER, BITEMAN, BLACKBURN, CLEM, EDWARDS, GRAY, HALLINAN, HALVERSON, JENNINGS, LAURSEN, LINDHOLM, MCKIM, MILLER, OLSEN, PIIPARINEN, POWNALL, STEINMETZ, WINTERS

Email links for Representatives: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/LegislatorSummary/LegislatorList.aspx?strHouse=H&strStatus=N

Senate vote:
Bill/Amendment Number: HB0288 -Game and fish fees.

Action: S 3rd Readingassed 20-10-0-0-0

Vote Recorded: 3/1/2017 3:49:16 PM

Vote ID: 610

Ayes: Senator(s): AGAR, ANDERSON, ANSELMI-DALTON, BALDWIN, BEBOUT PRES, BONER, BURNS, CHRISTENSEN, COE, EMERICH, HASTERT, LANDEN, MONIZ, NETHERCOTT, PAPPAS, PERKINS, PETERSON, ROTHFUSS, VON FLATERN, WASSERBURGER

Nays: Senator(s): BARNARD, BOUCHARD, CASE, DOCKSTADER, DRISKILL, ELLIS, HICKS, KINSKEY, MEIER, SCOTT

Email links for Senators: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/LegislatorSummary/LegislatorList.aspx?strHouse=S&strStatus=N

 

[8andcounting]

I noticed the increase the other day. Pretty substantial! I'd say they're pushing things right to the edge of what people will stand for, especially with so many cow tags being full-priced. The type 4 cow tag I hunted on my last time in Wyoming is now over 700 dollars! I like to see fish and game depts well funded, but I hope they're looking at some alternative ways to do that in the future...

Wow. That makes the b tag in montana look like a steal for $275