Wyoming
Overview
The draw process in Wyoming has a few wrinkles compared to some of the other more simplistic states in the West.
Once you have decided that you are putting in for a species in Wyoming you need to decide what your priorities are. Are you looking to just hunt or are you only interested in the opportunity at trophy class animals? The good thing about Wyoming is that if you are interested in trophy class animals but still want to hunt then you usually can. I’ll explain more below but your first decision is if you want to hunt the big boys or if you want to just hunt. For me, I don’t want to burn the vacation time and gas to go after mediocre animals so I’ll build points or put in for premium hunts only.
Draw Process
As a non-resident you should know that we are limited to 16% of the available tags in any hunt code (exception being mountain goats). That is a better percentage than a lot of other states AND I know that I will draw eventually. All I have to do is build my points. The actual draw process is interesting to say the least.
If you have some points and truly want to draw a great unit then it is to your benefit to pay the Full Price Special license fee for elk, deer and antelope. For elk the cost is an additional $480.00 and for deer and antelope it is an additional $240.00. What Wyoming has done is set aside 40% of the available non-resident licenses for those who opt to pay the Full Price Special fee. So let’s say that there are 100 available tags for a specific code. Up to 16 tags are available to non-resident hunters and 6 of those tags are set aside for non-residents who pay the Full Price Special license fee. You are basically just paying for better odds. To some it is worth it. To others it is not. To me it is not worth it if you have max preference points but would be if you are in the middle of the pack.
Now down to the nitty gritty of the draw. With the preference point system that Wyoming has in place, 75% of the available licenses go into the “preference point draw.” This is basically just a way to make sure that max point holders get their tag. Not a bad system in my opinion as it rewards those who put in for years. You KNOW that one day you will draw.
The remaining 25% go into the general draw and it is a crap shoot at that point. The good news is that you have a shot at drawing a good (not great) area with limited points.
When you put in for the draw you are required to submit the license fee and a $14.00 application fee for each species up front. If you do not draw then you will get a refund back. Elk, deer and antelope are different from moose and sheep so I will explain that later in the species section.
For those of you who would like to hunt trophy quality animals but don’t mind spending the time and money to get to Wyoming and hunt the lesser units there is fun to be had. In Wyoming, if you draw anything other than your first choice, you don’t lose your preference points. This is a great option for some folks. So build points by applying for a hunt with impossible draw odds and put a second choice as something that has reasonable draw odds. You get to hunt and build points. Wyoming is great in that regard.
Preference Points
There are a couple of options when it comes to gaining preference points in Wyoming.
The first option is to simply purchase the point. While it costs more on a per species basis to buy points in Wyoming than it does in other states, remember that you do not have to purchase a license to buy points. If you are purchasing several species then it really works out about the same in the end. If you only care about certain species then you can save some money in Wyoming. You can only purchase preference points between July 1 and September 30 for elk, deer, antelope, moose and sheep. The cost for a point for each species is listed below:
Elk - $50.00
Deer - $40.00
Antelope - $30.00
Bighorn - $100.00
Moose - $75.00
The second option for purchasing preference points is to mark the preference point option on your application for elk, deer and antelope. If you do this then you must submit the appropriate preference point fee in addition to the license and application fees. If you are unsuccessful in the draw then you will receive the license fee (not application fee or preference point fee) back. For moose and sheep the preference point fee is automatically deducted from the license fee if unsuccessful.
There is no preference point system for mountain goats or bison.
It is important to note that if you fail to purchase a preference point for two years then you will lose all accumulated points. So if you are going to start in Wyoming then stay committed. Don’t forget to buy your points every year once you start.
Species
Elk – There are multiple license fee options for elk. I’m only going to hit the options that I would consider. The standard elk license is $591.00 while the “Special” license is $1,071.00. Both of those figures include the $14.00 non-refundable application fee. If you choose to check the preference point box then you will need to include an additional $50.00 to purchase the preference point. The preference point fee is non-refundable. So you can put in for a standard elk license and if you want the preference point if unsuccessful then you would submit $641.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $577.00 back. The application deadline is 01/31/12.
Deer – There are multiple license fee options for deer. I’m only going to hit the options that I would personally consider. The standard deer license is $326.00 while the “Special” license is $566.00. Both of those figures include the $14.00 non-refundable application fee. If you choose to check the preference point box then you will need to include an additional $40.00 to purchase the preference point. The preference point fee is non-refundable. So you can put in for a standard deer license and if you want the preference point if unsuccessful then you would submit $366.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $312.00 back. The application deadline is 03/15/12.
Antelope – There are multiple license fee options for speed goats. I’m only going to hit the options that I would consider. The standard antelope license is $286.00 while the “Special” license is $526.00. Both of those figures include the $14.00 non-refundable application fee. If you choose to check the preference point box then you will need to include an additional $30.00 to purchase the preference point. The preference point fee is non-refundable. So you can put in for a standard antelope license and if you want the preference point if unsuccessful then you would submit $316.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $272.00 back. The application deadline is 03/15/12.
Bighorn – There is only one license fee option for bighorn. The license fee is $2,166.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $2,052.00 back. The application deadline is 02/29/12. It is important to note that you will be ineligible to draw a tag or gain preference points for bighorn for 5 years after drawing a tag. If you happen to draw, don’t waste your money for a few years by putting in for a hunt you are ineligible for.
Moose – There is only one license fee option for moose. The license fee is $1,416.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $1,327.00 back. The application deadline is 02/29/12. It is important to note that you will be ineligible to draw a tag or gain preference points for moose for 5 years after drawing a tag. If you happen to draw, don’t waste your money for a few years by putting in for a hunt you are ineligible for.
Mountain Goat – There is only one license fee option for mountain goats. The license fee is $2,166.00. If you don’t draw then you will receive $2,152.00 back as there is no preference point system in place. The application deadline is 02/29/12. This is a once in a lifetime license but if you have the cash to put in or if you use a system such as Cabela’s TAGs then it is worth it. Up to 25% of the tags are available to non-residents.
Bison – Bison tags are issued based on the health of the herd. This is generally determined later in the year so Wyoming has a Wild Bison Priority List. It costs $20.00 to put your name on the list. If there are licenses issued and your name is chosen then you will have to pay the license fee of $2,502.00. This is a no-brainer to me as the opportunity to hunt free-range bison is very limited and you don’t have to tie up large sums of money for a chance. This is also a once in a lifetime license. The application deadline is 02/29/12.
In Wyoming you can apply online with a credit card or via a paper application and USPS. If you apply online be prepared for your card to be hit for the full amount of all fees. If you apply via the mail then I would recommend using a cashier’s check or money order. Wyoming has some quirky time limits on when they will and won’t accept personal checks. You could lose preference point options if you don’t hit these dates correctly so I say apply online or use certified funds via mail.
Overview/Misc.
Wyoming is a sportsman’s paradise and gives you the option to hunt virtually every year if you want. There are some great animals that come out of Wyoming but it isn’t the top of the list for most animals. I would certainly consider it a “must” state and at least pick a few species to start building preference points.
If you have a child that enjoys the outdoors then you will need to start building points for them in Wyoming. They have to be at least 12 years old by December 31 to hunt or start building points. For elk, deer and antelope you can purchase youth preference points for $10.00 per species. The license fees for those species are discounted for youth as well. There is no discount for moose, bighorn, mountain goats or bison. So take a kid hunting or at least get them started on building some valuable points at a cheap price.
For more information you can look at the Non-Resident Hunting page on the Wyoming Fish and Game website:
Overview
The draw process in Wyoming has a few wrinkles compared to some of the other more simplistic states in the West.
Once you have decided that you are putting in for a species in Wyoming you need to decide what your priorities are. Are you looking to just hunt or are you only interested in the opportunity at trophy class animals? The good thing about Wyoming is that if you are interested in trophy class animals but still want to hunt then you usually can. I’ll explain more below but your first decision is if you want to hunt the big boys or if you want to just hunt. For me, I don’t want to burn the vacation time and gas to go after mediocre animals so I’ll build points or put in for premium hunts only.
Draw Process
As a non-resident you should know that we are limited to 16% of the available tags in any hunt code (exception being mountain goats). That is a better percentage than a lot of other states AND I know that I will draw eventually. All I have to do is build my points. The actual draw process is interesting to say the least.
If you have some points and truly want to draw a great unit then it is to your benefit to pay the Full Price Special license fee for elk, deer and antelope. For elk the cost is an additional $480.00 and for deer and antelope it is an additional $240.00. What Wyoming has done is set aside 40% of the available non-resident licenses for those who opt to pay the Full Price Special fee. So let’s say that there are 100 available tags for a specific code. Up to 16 tags are available to non-resident hunters and 6 of those tags are set aside for non-residents who pay the Full Price Special license fee. You are basically just paying for better odds. To some it is worth it. To others it is not. To me it is not worth it if you have max preference points but would be if you are in the middle of the pack.
Now down to the nitty gritty of the draw. With the preference point system that Wyoming has in place, 75% of the available licenses go into the “preference point draw.” This is basically just a way to make sure that max point holders get their tag. Not a bad system in my opinion as it rewards those who put in for years. You KNOW that one day you will draw.
The remaining 25% go into the general draw and it is a crap shoot at that point. The good news is that you have a shot at drawing a good (not great) area with limited points.
When you put in for the draw you are required to submit the license fee and a $14.00 application fee for each species up front. If you do not draw then you will get a refund back. Elk, deer and antelope are different from moose and sheep so I will explain that later in the species section.
For those of you who would like to hunt trophy quality animals but don’t mind spending the time and money to get to Wyoming and hunt the lesser units there is fun to be had. In Wyoming, if you draw anything other than your first choice, you don’t lose your preference points. This is a great option for some folks. So build points by applying for a hunt with impossible draw odds and put a second choice as something that has reasonable draw odds. You get to hunt and build points. Wyoming is great in that regard.
Preference Points
There are a couple of options when it comes to gaining preference points in Wyoming.
The first option is to simply purchase the point. While it costs more on a per species basis to buy points in Wyoming than it does in other states, remember that you do not have to purchase a license to buy points. If you are purchasing several species then it really works out about the same in the end. If you only care about certain species then you can save some money in Wyoming. You can only purchase preference points between July 1 and September 30 for elk, deer, antelope, moose and sheep. The cost for a point for each species is listed below:
Elk - $50.00
Deer - $40.00
Antelope - $30.00
Bighorn - $100.00
Moose - $75.00
The second option for purchasing preference points is to mark the preference point option on your application for elk, deer and antelope. If you do this then you must submit the appropriate preference point fee in addition to the license and application fees. If you are unsuccessful in the draw then you will receive the license fee (not application fee or preference point fee) back. For moose and sheep the preference point fee is automatically deducted from the license fee if unsuccessful.
There is no preference point system for mountain goats or bison.
It is important to note that if you fail to purchase a preference point for two years then you will lose all accumulated points. So if you are going to start in Wyoming then stay committed. Don’t forget to buy your points every year once you start.
Species
Elk – There are multiple license fee options for elk. I’m only going to hit the options that I would consider. The standard elk license is $591.00 while the “Special” license is $1,071.00. Both of those figures include the $14.00 non-refundable application fee. If you choose to check the preference point box then you will need to include an additional $50.00 to purchase the preference point. The preference point fee is non-refundable. So you can put in for a standard elk license and if you want the preference point if unsuccessful then you would submit $641.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $577.00 back. The application deadline is 01/31/12.
Deer – There are multiple license fee options for deer. I’m only going to hit the options that I would personally consider. The standard deer license is $326.00 while the “Special” license is $566.00. Both of those figures include the $14.00 non-refundable application fee. If you choose to check the preference point box then you will need to include an additional $40.00 to purchase the preference point. The preference point fee is non-refundable. So you can put in for a standard deer license and if you want the preference point if unsuccessful then you would submit $366.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $312.00 back. The application deadline is 03/15/12.
Antelope – There are multiple license fee options for speed goats. I’m only going to hit the options that I would consider. The standard antelope license is $286.00 while the “Special” license is $526.00. Both of those figures include the $14.00 non-refundable application fee. If you choose to check the preference point box then you will need to include an additional $30.00 to purchase the preference point. The preference point fee is non-refundable. So you can put in for a standard antelope license and if you want the preference point if unsuccessful then you would submit $316.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $272.00 back. The application deadline is 03/15/12.
Bighorn – There is only one license fee option for bighorn. The license fee is $2,166.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $2,052.00 back. The application deadline is 02/29/12. It is important to note that you will be ineligible to draw a tag or gain preference points for bighorn for 5 years after drawing a tag. If you happen to draw, don’t waste your money for a few years by putting in for a hunt you are ineligible for.
Moose – There is only one license fee option for moose. The license fee is $1,416.00. If you don’t draw then you would receive $1,327.00 back. The application deadline is 02/29/12. It is important to note that you will be ineligible to draw a tag or gain preference points for moose for 5 years after drawing a tag. If you happen to draw, don’t waste your money for a few years by putting in for a hunt you are ineligible for.
Mountain Goat – There is only one license fee option for mountain goats. The license fee is $2,166.00. If you don’t draw then you will receive $2,152.00 back as there is no preference point system in place. The application deadline is 02/29/12. This is a once in a lifetime license but if you have the cash to put in or if you use a system such as Cabela’s TAGs then it is worth it. Up to 25% of the tags are available to non-residents.
Bison – Bison tags are issued based on the health of the herd. This is generally determined later in the year so Wyoming has a Wild Bison Priority List. It costs $20.00 to put your name on the list. If there are licenses issued and your name is chosen then you will have to pay the license fee of $2,502.00. This is a no-brainer to me as the opportunity to hunt free-range bison is very limited and you don’t have to tie up large sums of money for a chance. This is also a once in a lifetime license. The application deadline is 02/29/12.
In Wyoming you can apply online with a credit card or via a paper application and USPS. If you apply online be prepared for your card to be hit for the full amount of all fees. If you apply via the mail then I would recommend using a cashier’s check or money order. Wyoming has some quirky time limits on when they will and won’t accept personal checks. You could lose preference point options if you don’t hit these dates correctly so I say apply online or use certified funds via mail.
Overview/Misc.
Wyoming is a sportsman’s paradise and gives you the option to hunt virtually every year if you want. There are some great animals that come out of Wyoming but it isn’t the top of the list for most animals. I would certainly consider it a “must” state and at least pick a few species to start building preference points.
If you have a child that enjoys the outdoors then you will need to start building points for them in Wyoming. They have to be at least 12 years old by December 31 to hunt or start building points. For elk, deer and antelope you can purchase youth preference points for $10.00 per species. The license fees for those species are discounted for youth as well. There is no discount for moose, bighorn, mountain goats or bison. So take a kid hunting or at least get them started on building some valuable points at a cheap price.
For more information you can look at the Non-Resident Hunting page on the Wyoming Fish and Game website:
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