Wyoming Left Over Tags Rule Change for 2017?

[WindSurgeon]

I was recently talking with one of my rancher contacts in Wyoming and he mentioned that the process for bug game leftover licenses in Wyoming might be changing. I confirmed this on the Game and Fish website. The change is "proposed", but nothing more can be found. They are planning to move all tags left over after the initial lottery from "first come, first serve" to a secondary lottery. Does anyone know the status of when the change may become the new process or rejected?

It will change the game for many hunters that apply for trophy areas for many years with hopes of gathering enough preference points to hunt those areas and then buy leftover tags in other areas where they are available. Any thoughts on strategy changes?

 

[Albany Mountain]

Typically they will review the animal counts and decide in late April what the actual seasons will be and the number of permits. This then allows precise and accurate selections to be made by the applicants to be made for the June and later drawings and leftover drawings. Also at that time, all the 2017 new regulations are finalized (late April). Any new rule proposals then become official and usually apply by June. I would expect if this status is indeed changed, you may see the results occurring by the final Resident draw and July leftover draws and first come/serve process.

 

[AndyA]

elk applications closed January 31st so everything is already set for that.

 

[FeMan]

I put in big game tags in so many states I lose track of who does what. I thought Wyoming was one of the states where you only lost your points of you drew your fist choice. I am a points-builder and my strategy in Wyoming has been to go for my fantasy with the first choice and then a gimme backup for the second (or points only). From 2008 to 2013, I drew Region G four times and Region H (my backup) once. Unfortunately, that angle has now dried up. The left-over tags in past years were what was unspoken for after the entire draw process had been completed. As long as that is still the case, I don't see it changing anything for me. I would buy left-over doe antelope tags for areas I drew a buck tag in when I went for antelope. Those seemed to be gone in 60 seconds or hung around until after the season, depending on zones.

Where and what do you hunt in Wy?

 

[WindSurgeon]

I put in big game tags in so many states I lose track of who does what. I thought Wyoming was one of the states where you only lost your points of you drew your fist choice. I am a points-builder and my strategy in Wyoming has been to go for my fantasy with the first choice and then a gimme backup for the second (or points only). From 2008 to 2013, I drew Region G four times and Region H (my backup) once. Unfortunately, that angle has now dried up. The left-over tags in past years were what was unspoken for after the entire draw process had been completed. As long as that is still the case, I don't see it changing anything for me. I would buy left-over doe antelope tags for areas I drew a buck tag in when I went for antelope. Those seemed to be gone in 60 seconds or hung around until after the season, depending on zones.

Where and what do you hunt in Wy?

We hunt Antelope in Wyoming. You have been doing the same thing as I have been doing. The only difference is that the area we hunt if we don't draw in the red desert area has leftover buck tags and is not a "trophy" area. Therefore there are always leftovers, but they sell out quickly. Now they are talking about a lottery for those leftovers as well. That would really make it a crap shoot for a non-res to get a tag. I am looking forward to moving out west after I retire to eliminate all this lottery garbage along with the paid-for pref points systems. Hunting is becoming a rich man's sport if you want to chase game in another state. In retirement, my residency state of choice will have: Low taxes, Deer, Elk and pronghorn and lots of public land to hunt it all. Throw in a trout stream, even better. Any thoughts on the best states?

 

[FeMan]

Wyoming is THE opportunity state for big game hunting and is the only state that I think fits the bill. The rest of the candidates have too many people and too few tags. I have family that live there and I don't join them because the Winters are horrendous. Once they retire though, the family all get second homes in Arizona and spend the Winters there. Now that's a plan........

 

[WindSurgeon]

Wyoming is THE opportunity state for big game hunting and is the only state that I think fits the bill. The rest of the candidates have too many people and too few tags. I have family that live there and I don't join them because the Winters are horrendous. Once they retire though, the family all get second homes in Arizona and spend the Winters there. Now that's a plan........

I was also considering Idaho. I spoke with a guy that said the tags were available to residents, inexpensive and there's lots of public land to hunt. Don't know about taxes, but considering all the "off grid" living there, I'd expect it to be cheap.