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- Thread starter conibear
- Start date
bdan68
Active Member
I got lucky in drawing my two doe antelope tags. First choice was a unit that last year was 20% odds, but this year the number of tags doubled. That's why I chose to apply for the unit, but still didn't know how many others would do the same thing. Ended up being about 80% odds, and I did draw. I had a second choice that should have been near 100% odds according to last year's numbers, to insure that I would get my two antelope tags. However, with the increase in applications my second choice odds was only 4%. So most likely if I hadn't drawn my first choice, I also would not have drawn my second choice. That would have ruined my plans for this hunting season. I'm taking a friend who has never hunted big game anywhere other than here in western Washington. We applied as partners so we each got our two tags. But I had promised him we would draw our tags, just didn't know which area. But now I see how lucky we were because my backup second choice wasn't a good choice at all. And I see leftover tags are pretty much non-existent this year, except in units I'm not interested in hunting.
My daughter also was lucky, even luckier than me in fact. I did almost the same thing with her application, except her number one choice was a tag that she could hunt in August. Her second choice was the same as my second choice, which is also a tag that opens August 15. Her first choice she drew, with odds of only about 30%. Almost ended up with the no tag at all. For her it wouldn't have been the end of the world. She's only 13, and we're going to Wyoming in August to visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton either way. But I'm sure glad she'll have the chance to shoot an antelope, as I don't even know if she'll still be interested in hunting by next year.
Now the odds I calculate from the WGFD numbers I don't actually know if they're the true odds. There's a couple of things that aren't factored in. One is the option for people to be withdrawn from the reduced price drawing if they don't draw the buck tag they applied for. It seems that this may make the odds of drawing doe tags better than it appears from the data we're given. But then there's also the fact that many people, possibly most, apply for two doe tags on one application. If these types of applications are shown in the data as a single application, then odds are probably worse than they appear.
My daughter also was lucky, even luckier than me in fact. I did almost the same thing with her application, except her number one choice was a tag that she could hunt in August. Her second choice was the same as my second choice, which is also a tag that opens August 15. Her first choice she drew, with odds of only about 30%. Almost ended up with the no tag at all. For her it wouldn't have been the end of the world. She's only 13, and we're going to Wyoming in August to visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton either way. But I'm sure glad she'll have the chance to shoot an antelope, as I don't even know if she'll still be interested in hunting by next year.
Now the odds I calculate from the WGFD numbers I don't actually know if they're the true odds. There's a couple of things that aren't factored in. One is the option for people to be withdrawn from the reduced price drawing if they don't draw the buck tag they applied for. It seems that this may make the odds of drawing doe tags better than it appears from the data we're given. But then there's also the fact that many people, possibly most, apply for two doe tags on one application. If these types of applications are shown in the data as a single application, then odds are probably worse than they appear.
Mnbogboy
Member
I am as disappointed today as I was the day after election in 2008 & 2012.....but not quite crying. Maybe next year draw day will be like 2016...
HighPlainsHunter
Active Member
I love listening to your bitch about having to change your game plan and how you would change the WY system so suit your needs.
Do you shoot a crossbow?
DH56
Active Member
It may be that some had to digest it for awhile before making the decision. I know I am teetering on my 17 moose points. They use to be $7.00, then it went to $75.00 for a few years and then last year they jumped up to $150.00. I passed on a few years here and there when they were $7.00....I'm kicking myself in the arse on that one.
i used my deer points this year. I will be using my Antelope points soon, and most likely will also use the Elk as well. It's just getting too expensive as a whole trying to draw a tag and getting old as well and don't know how many years I have left to hunt. I always drew in the 90's and early 2000's when no preference points were needed. I just enjoyed heading West and enjoying the country and the hunt.
Maybe some more are still debating it and I am sure there are a select amount that will hold out. What I am not fond of is that residents in a draw environment may not get a tag. Residents should be allowed to hunt their state, since I would feel the same here in mine. I know managing that is also challenging for a wildlife division, but residents should be at the top of the list.
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Dos Perros
Member
- Jul 1, 2015
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Prerylyon
Veteran member
muleyfool
Member
- Jun 7, 2018
- 112
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Time to start raising license fees for everyone except youth and the elderly. Let the market take care of these demand issues. Would also like to see a waiting period if you draw 1st choice elk or antelope. Three years for elk and two for antelope. Would increase draw odds for most areas and eliminate the whiner crowd relating to preference points...
Prerylyon
Veteran member
I wonder how many of the nonres reduced price tags were bought blindly, sight unseen, and risk not being filled due to the inexperience or seriousness of the purchasers?
Many of those tags are in areas with seriously tricky public land access or little to none.
I thought the 2018 revamped WY hunt planner did a great job of coming right out, and pointing out, specific info about land access in each unit, beyond the "*" that's denoted difficult access for years.
Anyone can watch a hunting blog anymore and get the idea in their head that they can do this; but how many will actually put in the boots on the ground effort and make the trip?
I guess raising the price might make someone not real serious think twice about grabbing up doe tags...
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Many of those tags are in areas with seriously tricky public land access or little to none.
I thought the 2018 revamped WY hunt planner did a great job of coming right out, and pointing out, specific info about land access in each unit, beyond the "*" that's denoted difficult access for years.
Anyone can watch a hunting blog anymore and get the idea in their head that they can do this; but how many will actually put in the boots on the ground effort and make the trip?
I guess raising the price might make someone not real serious think twice about grabbing up doe tags...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
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Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Hunting for the rich.........
The market will surely take care of demand. Stay home unless you have a pot of gold buried someplace. Who can afford to hunt Stone Sheep or Yukon Moose right now. Take the preference points away and open the blue chip area in NW Colorado for Elk. Let the market set the price. No thanks. I'm sure there can be improvements, but with the Hybrid Tag approach, anyone with 5 point has a chance, regardless of their bank account.
I'd like to see more archery LQ tags for all species antelope, deer, elk, moose, sheep, goats, bison, the whole lot.
It would generate more money without a tag price increase, and actually get more people hunting.
If you have 300 rifle tags at 50% success and the archery season is say 35% success. You could cut the rifle tags to 250, then add 72 archery only tags maintaining the same harvest rate. 22 additional full price tags sold in one area, for one species. I think doing this across multiple areas, multiple species you could get several hundred people to part with their PP.
There, problem solved, more money, more people hunting. Now I'm off to the middle east to figure out that little problem there, Lol.
It would generate more money without a tag price increase, and actually get more people hunting.
If you have 300 rifle tags at 50% success and the archery season is say 35% success. You could cut the rifle tags to 250, then add 72 archery only tags maintaining the same harvest rate. 22 additional full price tags sold in one area, for one species. I think doing this across multiple areas, multiple species you could get several hundred people to part with their PP.
There, problem solved, more money, more people hunting. Now I'm off to the middle east to figure out that little problem there, Lol.
wy-tex
Veteran member
muleyfool
Member
- Jun 7, 2018
- 112
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Cat's out of the bag!
Technology era and magazine articles have changed a lot of people's perception of the hunting game. Most look up draw/success stats and all they need to do is draw a quality tag-Find a mountain-kill a trophy and go home.
I can remember my buddies and I would stumble across good hunting areas and swear not to tell another soul. These areas were not LE tags and we could hunt them every year. Used to take 3-5 years actually hunting an area to really get to know it, and determine if you were going to make it your go to spot.
A person can go to You-Tube and figure it out in minutes.
No more hidey holes with Xmaps.
It's a different world these days for sure.
I wouldn't want to either. What I didn't really make clear is the archery type 9 tags would be archery only like they are today, type 1 tag could still be archery and rifle. Archery tag would without a doubt be less desirable, but some people only want to archery hunt.
Mnbogboy
Member
The type 1 archery or firearm of course does not have the early season dates. After investing 10 years of points and a substantial license cost my thought had always been to make two hunts if necessary. Changing the rules in the middle of the game would definitely be unfair to those that have been in the sticking to the playbook for years.
My example is hunts I am planning in Elk 45....9 points isn't enough yet but I am getting closer....plan is a rut archery hunt and if unsuccessful to be back with the rifle....buying points for all those years is like paying double to begin with.
Taking away the chance for both hunts now would be a heartbreaker and unfair because that has been the way it's been during all the preference point sales.
Not ranting just adding my thoughts.
You already made my point, the rules were already changed for the type 9 years ago.
mallardsx2
Veteran member
- Jul 8, 2015
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