Wyoming 2020 deadline

[wapitibob]

There is a method under which a citizen can bring forth a proposal to the full commission and they have to act on it. They discussed it on the last meeting I watched. I don’t know if a nr could do that but even then, a nr against wyoga isn’t going to fare very well. If I remember the number correctly from a prior meeting, outfitted hunts account for nearly half the nr full price elk licenses.

 

[coues craze]

I would rather have seen the draw deadline pushed back so NRs had the chance to review approved season dates and allocations before applying. I realize that you can still modify after deadline but for hells sake just move the deadline. I understand this was directly related to wyoga. My only other complaint would be to have the resident draw before NR. Although NR are not losing any opportunity per say there are plenty of tags I could draw second choice or even third choice that are not available to me until leftovers come out. At that point it’s a crap shoot.

 

[Southforkguy]

Once again, if you want to see a change, contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and ask them to consider moving the application deadline to May 1.

id vote to support this

 

[Steve O]

The elk draw will not be done in June, it will be done in May, prior to the deer and pronghorn draw.

The WOGA is responsible for lobbying the commission to hold your money for 5 months. It's all been explained, they want to have first crack at locking in NR elk hunters by keeping the application deadline January 31.

Once again, if you want to see a change, contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and ask them to consider moving the application deadline to May 1. There was considerable discussion in April regarding the amount of time that NR's would have their money held, they know there is an issue.

Will do. Thanks.

 

[Dos Perros]

There is no change to the way leftovers are going to be handled. The NR draw will happen first, then a couple weeks later the Resident draw.

All the leftovers from the Resident draw will then be available in the leftover draw that is open to any hunter, R or NR, no different then its been for the last 20+ years. You have lost NO opportunity at a "nice leftover tag" none.

If you're tone deaf to the importance of science based wildlife management...it isn't my problem.

If you don't like your money being held via the WOGA proposal...contact the GF Commission, more effective than whining on a bulletin board.

If that’s the case (NR draw before residents), then this change is even dumber than I first believed.

I most certainly will contact GF Commission as well as the outfitters organization.

And I will continue to point out here the shit show for what it is.

 

[wapitibob]

NR Elk draw has been prior to the resident draw for over a decade. Opposite of the Deer/Antelope draws. NR get our full allotment of 7,250 full price Elk licenses from the draw and that number isn't changing anytime soon; an increase was shot down a while back. We then have no restrictions on any leftovers after the resident draw. NR have it pretty good in WY.

 

[Fatcamp]

NR Elk draw has been prior to the resident draw for over a decade. Opposite of the Deer/Antelope draws. NR get our full allotment of 7,250 full price Elk licenses from the draw and that number isn't changing anytime soon; an increase was shot down a while back. We then have no restrictions on any leftovers after the resident draw. NR have it pretty good in WY.

But wasn't the whole point of this to make sure that resident hunters got their full allotment of limited quota tags? Wasn't that the story from the beginning and what Buzz told us was occuring because nonresident tags were being issued prior to game and fish surveys that set quotas and the residents being shorted?

If that is the case it sounds like nonresidents will be getting fewer limited quota tags, fair or not.

 

[197]

Dos, we're good. Just relaying what I've seen and been told.

At the time of the regulation change, the dept was paying 2.3% on every card purchase, debit or credit, and $0.10 on each refund.
Sheep/Moose apps include the $150 PP fee. Or, if you want points only you'd buy them during the point only draw.
E/D/A applications do not include the PP fee, they are only available during the point only draw.

Some company got a real sweetheart government deal if they are getting 2.3% on debit card transactions! Just another fee I guess, but you should be able to get out of it somehow...straight bank transfer or cash in a sealed envelope, whatever they want.

 

[rodney482]

I read a few people post that Wyoming is moving their elk deadline in 2020 but can't seem to find it formally written anywhere. Can someone post a link.

What are the new dates? Is the application deadline still going to be January 31 and they just moved the date of when the results are available back?

 

[LostArra]

Sheep/Moose apps include the $150 PP fee. Or, if you want points only you'd buy them during the point only draw.
E/D/A applications do not include the PP fee, they are only available during the point only draw.

I thought elk PP were purchased separately July 1-October 31.

(ooops Rodney cuts and pastes my comment)

The WOGA is responsible for lobbying the commission to hold your money for 5 months. It's all been explained, they want to have first crack at locking in NR elk hunters by keeping the application deadline January 31.

Buzz: I'm not sure I understand how an outfitter can "lock in" a NR elk hunter just because he applied in January but can still modify or withdraw his/her app up until May. Maybe I don't understand the outfitter booking process but it seems like they (outfitters) could be left out in the cold if the NR they "locked in" in January or February withdraws their app unless deposits are non-refundable for a withdrawn app.

For most of us (NR) who only hunt Wyoming or stay home, I don't see a big problem with the change. I actually hope they are keeping my money every year!

 

[Lefty26]

I didn't realize WY sold leftover tags. Are those typically general tags that are not purchased by residents that are leftover?

 

[rodney482]

I didn't realize WY sold leftover tags. Are those typically general tags that are not purchased by residents that are leftover?

Leftovers go through a draw system as well

 

[wapitibob]

But wasn't the whole point of this to make sure that resident hunters got their full allotment of limited quota tags? Wasn't that the story from the beginning and what Buzz told us was occurring because nonresident tags were being issued prior to game and fish surveys that set quotas and the residents being shorted?

If that is the case it sounds like nonresidents will be getting fewer limited quota tags, fair or not.

NR draw first, limited quota of 16%. At the end of the NR draw the dept does a quota balance accounting and converts the full price LQ licenses that weren't drawn (nr don't draw the 16% in the initial draw) into GEN licenses and they go back thru the special gen draw, issuing licenses until they hit the 7,250 mandated by regulation.
In the past, If any LQ hunt area had a reduction in licenses at the April meeting, residents were the ones who got shorted; they don't call NR and ask them to return licenses. If a hunt area quota went up, NR were unable to draw any of those since their draw is already done. Not a big deal because nr still got their 7,250, comprised of a few more GEN licenses than would have been the case. With the new date, residents will get their correct amount and the NR ratio of LQ to GEN will be correct as well.

 

[Fatcamp]

So, nonresidents WILL get fewer LQ tags.

 

[805Bowhunter]

I just hope both teams have fun...

 

[wapitibob]

There are two things in play regarding the nr Elk drawing; a limit of 7,250 full price licenses, and a "nr quota" of 16% of the available full price and reduce price LQ licenses. If NR don't apply for and draw the 16% quota, they go back and issue addl special gen licenses to make up the 7,250. Because NR don't apply for all available licenses (cow tags, wilderness hunt areas, etc) the dept always fills up to the 7,250 "hard limit". The total number of licenses that make up that 16% can vary a bit, year to year, as the total number of licenses change but resident and non resident share in that fluctuation. The dept may issue 38,000 licenses one year and 39,000 the next as an example.

NR will always get 7,250 until the Legislature changes that number. We then get addl licenses thru the leftover draw as the "hard limit" does not apply for leftovers.

So, the only way nr will get fewer licenses is if the dept issues fewer total licenses, or nr suck at drawing leftovers. I think Buzz has the numbers but I seem to recall NR are getting somewhere between 17-18 percent when it all shakes out.

Regulation chapter 44, pages 14+ go over nr elk licenses.

 

[Indian Summer]

The WOGA is responsible for lobbying the commission to hold your money for 5 months. It's all been explained, they want to have first crack at locking in NR elk hunters by keeping the application deadline January 31.

I don’t really think they “locked NR hunters in” at all. With a May modify/withdrawal date hunters can walk away as long as the hunt contract doesn’t say they keep your deposit until you eventually draw. Any really good outfits that I know look at how many points a potential hunter has and don’t take deposits from anyone who doesn’t have the points to guarantee the license. Who in their right mind would give up valuable dates during their season on a gamble that a hunter may or may not draw. I think the outfitters had them more locked in when the drawing results were out in February before they could apply anywhere else.

So to me it’s all about getting things in the right order. Elk counts first, set the seasons and regs, then have the drawing. You can’t really argue against that and also the track record that Wyoming has with managing their elk herds.

But I do think they should give the option for applicants to pay out the license fee anytime up to the withdraw date. Since they don’t make interest why would they care? But hey.... I hope everyone draws a great tag somewhere else and they all withdraw their applications. I still dream of the days when I could draw a General license as my 2nd choice for sure while having a dream tag as my first and gaining a point if I didn’t draw my 1st pick. A license and a point.... Those were the days!

 

[madtom]

I don’t understand the outfitters “locking in” tactic.

1. Some portion of the people that commit to them in January will not draw, so their slots are no longer locked in after May.

2. People with points who want to use outfitters will do so whenever the app deadline is. It’s not like someone will build 10 points and then decide they aren’t hunting Wyoming because the app deadline is in May.

Maybe I’m missing something.

 

[BuzzH]

So, nonresidents WILL get fewer LQ tags.

No, they will get the same number they always have...7,250 full price elk licenses and 16% of all LQ licenses.

Pretty simple, its in statute...

 

[BuzzH]

I don’t really think they “locked NR hunters in” at all. With a May modify/withdrawal date hunters can walk away as long as the hunt contract doesn’t say they keep your deposit until you eventually draw.

Argue with the WOGA, that's their words, not mine. I'm just telling you why things are the way they are and who said what.

I listened to the testimony while attending the GF Commission meeting where all this was discussed. The outfitters lobbied hard to keep the application date Jan. 1-31 for NR elk hunters, fact.