Wyoming Questions

odin0226

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Correct me if I'm wrong: but you draw a tag it's good for both archery and rifle dates in that unit. Meaning, if you strike out during archery, you can try again with a rifle in that same unit later in the year.
 

realunlucky

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Correct me if I'm wrong: but you draw a tag it's good for both archery and rifle dates in that unit. Meaning, if you strike out during archery, you can try again with a rifle in that same unit later in the year.
Depends on the tag you draw

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huntdoc

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Jul 5, 2017
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Midwest
So if I have been accumulating points for years with hope of some day going west, can I do as above and hunt a cow and keep my points as I learn to hunt?
 

wapitibob

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If you draw a type 6, yes. You will need to draw a full price cow tag, type 4, as a 2nd choice to be able to keep your points.

all full price tags, type 1/2/3/4/5 drawn 1st choice, lose points
reduced price tags, type 6/7 are separate draw and don't use points so you can't lose them
 
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Sorry, I didn't follow that. Which cow hunts cause you to lose your points? What's the normal way to hunt cows and save points for a bull hunt?
 

wapitibob

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Any full price tag, drawn as a 1st choice will cause you to lose your points. Full price cow tags are type 4 and type 5, same draw as the type 1/2 "any elk" tags.
 

wytx

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Check the regs for the special archery season. You will need a PP to get a decent area. Most general areas have a September archery season and then you can come back if unsuccessful for a rifle hunt.
Cow/calf tags do not take PP and are all a random draw, cheaper too. You can hunt them in Sept archery and and later in rifle, some open in Aug for rifle hunting.
General areas are good areas, elk numbers are above herd objectives in some parts of the state.
 

xziang

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Oct 8, 2014
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Nebraska
Subscribing.. I've been donating $$ each year for points with the plan to eventually cash them in. I too have slowly started to research their permits and types etc. and restrictions about public grounds. (guide needed for some etc.)

Will need to watch Randy's video soon I must have missed that one.
 

Thomas11

WKR
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Feb 13, 2017
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302
The simple answer:
If you want to hunt antlered Elk in WY in 2018, apply for a GEN tag, 1st choice, in the Special price draw. Odds will be better than 50% and license will cost you $1,300. The additional archery license is now $70.

I need to do one good deed for 2017 and am running out of time, pm me your number and I'll call you this weekend and explain the draw system.

Go here and download the new regulations booklet :
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regulations/Regulation-PDFs/REGULATIONS_CH5_BROCHURE.pdf
If this guy is offering to call u and explain the draw, u better take him up on it! He knows more than the ppl that created these draws about all the facets involved and there’s quite a few and that goes for most all western states draw systems
 

LostArra

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Oklahoma
MooseKnuckle

Research a unit and then apply for a RP cow tag.
Get a PP too and that way you can hunt for a cow/learn the unit until you draw an ANY Elk GEN tag

Agree 100%

I always apply for a bull tag as first choice, full price cow as second choice. Don't lose points and draw the cow tag. I have applied for reduced price also (totally separate draw) and occasionally will have two cow tags. Not a bad thing since I don't mind going back for rifle season if I don't fill them with the bow.

I'm too old to sit around collecting points waiting on a sure thing bull tag. I want to go elk hunting every year and I've become a better elk hunter because of it. When I do draw that Any Elk tag I will have plenty of experience in the unit and increase my odds of getting that bull. Heck I drew a bull tag with zero points in the random draw many years back which is another reason just buying points makes no sense.
 

BrentLaBere

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One thing ive never understood and hoping someone can clear it up for me. Sorry if im derailing here a bit.
When you apply for the pp draw and dont get drawn, I understand you get put into the random draw. Which of your choices gets put into the random draw? Example would be applying for a type 9 tag and second choice being a general tag. Are you put into the type 9 random draw for that particular unit or do you get a chance at both you applied for?
 

wyosteve

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My understanding is that your 'first in line' choice only gets put into the random draw. So if pp's are your first choice, that is the only random draw pool you get placed into, regardless of how many other choices you list. I could be wrong though, so would be best to ask Game and Fish.
 

wytx

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Wyoming
Just be prepared in case you draw that first choice tag, to lose your PP and go hunting. Some apply thinking they will not draw and when they do have issues with access or timing of the hunt.
Look for those type 6 and 7 cow/calf tags for additional elk tags, you can have them in addition to any other drawn tag.

Elk numbers are high all over the state right now so elk are not hard to find, getting close is the issue.
 

BrentLaBere

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Thats interesting. I didnt know you would lose points if drawn in the random. I may have to give them a call and clear a few things up.
 
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NE Pennsylvania
Yeah you lose the points regardless if it is in the standard or random draw or even the lesser known draw where they need to fill the NR quota. So if you get the tag and its 1st choice on your app you will lose the points regardless when it was drawn.
 
Joined
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Bonney lake wa
I’ve been putting in for unit 62 for many years now, one less than max points( I screwed up and forgot one year), all this time I could have been putting in for a cow tag as my 2nd choice and not loose my points??? Man Wyoming is confusing. Also, do I need to find my lost paperwork or card saying I’ve had hunter education when I do hunt there? I’m 48 and haven’t seen my hunter ed card for decades.
 

wapitibob

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One thing ive never understood and hoping someone can clear it up for me. Sorry if i'm derailing here a bit.
When you apply for the pp draw and dont get drawn, I understand you get put into the random draw. Which of your choices gets put into the random draw? Example would be applying for a type 9 tag and second choice being a general tag. Are you put into the type 9 random draw for that particular unit or do you get a chance at both you applied for?

There are two different draws, regular and Special, price being the difference. They are separate and you can only apply for one or the other.
Everyone who applies goes thru the Preference Point portion of the draw, either regular price, or Special price. The PP side is a 1st choice only draw and you could draw with zero points if there are enough licenses available.
After the PP draw, everyone goes to the respective Random Draw (regular price or special price) depending on which you applied. Your 1st choice is still valid in the Random draw. If you look at the random draw odds you will see the quota and number of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, choice apps. Simply compare the quota to the remaining 1st choice apps to see what your odds were for a given hunt in the Random side. As mentioned, you may not have the points to draw in the PP side, but, if there are enough licenses and few apps remaining, you could draw in the Random side. WY looks at ALL 1st choice apps before going to 2nd choice so you need to look at both, the PP side and the Random side to see where you are.
Looking at that same odds report, after you have deducted the remaining 1st choice apps from the random draw quota, you compare the remaining (if there are any) quota to the 2nd choice apps to see what your odds were for drawing as a 2nd choice.

Because it was mentioned, we will use 2017 unit 62 Regular Price as an example.
The PP draw took 11 points to be 100% draw The Random side had a quota of 2 and had 199 1st choice apps remaining. Slim odds in the Random side.
The Cow license (type 4) as a 2nd choice had a quota of 3 licenses; 0 1st choice apps (who would have been first in line), but 13 2nd choice apps. Odds of drawing as a 2nd choice were 3/13.
The type 5 Cow license (different start date) is almost 100% as a 2nd choice. Because all full price licenses are in the same draw (regular or special) you can apply for different "types" as 1st and 2nd choice. Type 1 1st and type 5 as 2nd for example. Just make sure you understand the restrictions between the "types".
 
Last edited:
Joined
May 30, 2013
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Location
Bonney lake wa
There are two different draws, regular and Special, price being the difference. They are separate and you can only apply for one or the other.
Everyone who applies goes thru the Preference Point portion of the draw, either regular price, or Special price. The PP side is a 1st choice only draw and you could draw with zero points if there are enough licenses available.
After the PP draw, everyone goes to the respective Random Draw (regular price or special price) depending on which you applied. Your 1st choice is still valid in the Random draw. If you look at the random draw odds you will see the quota and number of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, choice apps. Simply compare the quota to the remaining 1st choice apps to see what your odds were for a given hunt in the Random side. As mentioned, you may not have the points to draw in the PP side, but, if there are enough licenses and few apps remaining, you could draw in the Random side. WY looks at ALL 1st choice apps before going to 2nd choice so you need to look at both, the PP side and the Random side to see where you are.
Looking at that same odds report, after you have deducted the remaining 1st choice apps from the random draw quota, you compare the remaining (if there are any) quota to the 2nd choice apps to see what your odds were for drawing as a 2nd choice.

Because it was mentioned, we will use 2017 unit 62 Regular Price as an example.
The PP draw took 11 points to be 100% draw The Random side had a quota of 2 and had 199 1st choice apps remaining. Slim odds in the Random side.
The Cow license (type 4) as a 2nd choice had a quota of 3 licenses; 0 1st choice apps (who would have been first in line), but 13 2nd choice apps. Odds of drawing as a 2nd choice were 3/13.
The type 5 Cow license (different start date) is almost 100% as a 2nd choice. Because all full price licenses are in the same draw (regular or special) you can apply for different "types" as 1st and 2nd choice. Type 1 1st and type 5 as 2nd for example. Just make sure you understand the restrictions between the "types".
Great info, it’s getting a bit clearer now, thank you.
 
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