Should I have known..Wyoming 2013 Antelope Quotas...reduced when?

[davidmc]

Our non-resident party of three are so disappointed we did not get drawn for antelope in WY. Trying to figure out what went wrong so can do better next year....We studied Eastman's info and WY info on points needed, special draw, & made applications on March 11, Area 63....I believe the "tentative" quotas on website then was still 400 for 63-1 and 200 for 63-2. Now, I see that final was changed to 100 for 63-1 and 200 for 63-2.

Did the quota change in the 4 days left in application period, or is final quota changed at some date after application period closed? If the latter, how could we have got a "heads-up" that the tags would be reduced this drastically...I try to read the Eastman's info.

Thanks folks for any help...I want to be sure I take my son antelope hunting in 2014...we had a great hunt in Area 63 in 2011.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

The quotas they list are tentative and subject to change. Wardens & biologists have lots of input and are in the field and if they think herd numbers are down, I am sure they get quotas changed...after the application period is over!!

Did you have any points for your party?

 

[davidmc]

Yes, we each had 1PP, we put 63-1, 63-2, 69 as first, second, third choice. Also paid for the "Special" draw. If had reversed the 63-1 and 63-2 choices would have drawn....they really cut the 63-1 tags a bunch. Thought 63-2 was even a shoe-in for 2nd choice. We of course could only base our decisions on past results, but when they cut the tags, it changed everything.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Too bad, I know how disappointed you are !

 

[WapitiBob]

Bluntly, yes you should have known. Bag limits and season dates are final waaay before the app correction period has ended on June 1.

 

[davidmc]

Well, explain that to me please. First of all, our application deadline was March 15. We waited until March 11, and only thing we could find on the WY F&G website was a complete listing of hunt areas, quotas, and season dates. It is overstamped at an angle with the red words: "Tentative" . The final quotas, which I see now on the site, are completely different. Did they change on noon the last day, or as "Colorado Cowboy" stated, after the deadline?

 

[PlainsHunter]

This year you had until June 3rd to modify your application if you applied on line. See below link. You can change your unit choices until that date. They published the finialized quotas before June 3rd. I kept checking until they released the final quotas. This allowed me to switch my first choice from area 106 to something different. They cut the tags in that area as well.

http://gf.state.wy.us/web2011/hunting-1001085.aspx

 

[Kevin W]

I am a total noob to this western hunting thing of applications but my son and I were lucky to draw Antelope tags in a unit that did not offer a 100% draw for 1st choice applicants so I consider ourselves lucky. Looking at the Eastmans Antelope MRS copy your right about the 400 and 200 quota's in it. By putting down 63-1, 63-2, 69 as first, second, third choice were you looking to secure the preference point and draw a tag for 63-2? If you were really looking for the 63-1 tag sounds like simply bad luck to me, after all some people have to be the percentile that doesn't draw.

 

[Ricochet]

You can always touch base with the biologist to see what he is thinking for tags. I have already talked to the biologist for next year. He foresees less doe tags for my area next year. There is a lot of hoops to jump through especially if you are playing the game in three or four states. Good Luck next year!

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

This year you had until June 3rd to modify your application if you applied on line. See below link. You can change your unit choices until that date. They published the finialized quotas before June 3rd. I kept checking until they released the final quotas. This allowed me to switch my first choice from area 106 to something different. They cut the tags in that area as well.

http://gf.state.wy.us/web2011/hunting-1001085.aspx[/QUOTE

I have been hunting Wyoming since the mid 80's and I did not know this! I guess the reason I never looked into it was because I only wanted to hunt one particular unit. I usually never put a second choice. Learn something new all the time.

 

[sjsmallfield]

I have been hunting Wyoming since the mid 80's and I did not know this! I guess the reason I never looked into it was because I only wanted to hunt one particular unit. I usually never put a second choice. Learn something new all the time.

Same for me CC. I haven't been hunting there as long as you but like yourself I only put in for one unit.

 

[davidmc]

This year you had until June 3rd to modify your application if you applied on line. See below link. You can change your unit choices until that date. They published the finialized quotas before June 3rd. I kept checking until they released the final quotas. This allowed me to switch my first choice from area 106 to something different. They cut the tags in that area as well.

http://gf.state.wy.us/web2011/hunting-1001085.aspx

Well I sure missed that "modify" date . I did not realize that...if we would have looked we would have switched our 1st choice and got drawn. Thanks a lot. Won't make that mistake again!

 

[davidmc]

We based all on 2012 history. And 1 PDP. Had 85% chance in 63-1. 63-2 looked very under applied & we thought if unlucky in 63-1 would easy get 63-2. Ditto on 69.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

We based all on 2012 history. And 1 PDP. Had 85% chance in 63-1. 63-2 looked very under applied & we thought if unlucky in 63-1 would easy get 63-2. Ditto on 69.

David, another thing to keep in mind, you cannot draw a tag on your second or third choice in Wyoming unless there are tags left over after the first choice applicants have drawn there tags. So in 2012 for 69-1 all the "special" tags drew out in the first round draw, so it would not be a good choice for a second or third choice application.

 

[PlainsHunter]

Area 69 had 2 tags in the random/special draw with 51 people in the pool. (qty (24) 1st choice , qty (16) second choice and qty (11) 3rd choice)

I thought all people (1st choice who didn't get drawn by PP) 2nd and 3rd choice people all had the same odds of drawing- can someone clarify?

 

[Topgun 30-06]

There are four drawings for NRs. There is a Special PP, a Regular PP, a Special with no PPs involved, and a Regular Random with no PPs involved. Unit 69 had 6, 9, 2, and 3 tags issued, respectively, in those drawings. If you have any PPs, you are placed in the Regular PP drawing or the Special PP drawing depending on what you pay. The tags in those drawings go to first choice applicants with the most PPs down the line until they are gone or there are no more first choice applicants and then those who have put it as their second choice get a chance. The same goes in the Random Special drawing for those who applied with no PPs. After those drawings are held the remaining people who applied for that unit and were not drawn are put into the Regular Random drawing. There were 3 tags available in that last draw for unit 69 and there were still 89 first choice applicants left to be randomly chosen from for those 3 tags. The only way a person can draw on a second choice is if there are still tags left after all first choice applicants are satisfied. Then the drawing is held for those people and then for those as a third choice if there are still tags left. If you highlight "HUNTING" at the top of the G&F website and then click on "WGFD Regulations" you will find the final numbers the Commission has approved for each unit for each animal. That was signed and posted on the site this year on 4/25/13, which gave applicants almost 6 weeks until 6/3 to change (modify) or completely withdraw their applications.

 

[Triple BB]

The G&F posts their tentative numbers on their website early in the year. Then they release their actual proposed quotas at the spring meetings. Those numbers have to be approved by the Commission which is done before the application period ends. I waited until after the Commission approved the numbers and called the G&F to confirm. Worked out as I drew a premium elk tag.

 

[EBOLAVIRS]

Well if you want some advice you are going about the drawing all wrong. First of all 63-1 is a shadow of what it used to be which is why they cut tags so dramatically. Been years in the making, should have happened in about 2010. You cant have people hauling truck loads of does and fawns out of a unit for years on end without hurting the population. Ranchers wanted the population reduced and that is exactly what happened. I used to hunt/apply there and I don't anymore.

If I was you I would look elsewhere. 63-2 was only available as a second choice last year because it was a new hunt based on the fact that most of the goats have moved to the east side of 63 due to water issues. They forgot to list 63-2 in the regulations so virtually nobody knew about it. The hunt went to leftover status and sold out in like 25 seconds which should have been a clue about demand. You will never see 63-2 make it to leftovers again or even second choice availability. The mags pimped 63 hard for several years during the antelope hunting boom, a whole generation of goat hunters have that unit on their list every season, all the more reason to pick another unit.

You also will likely never get 69 as a second choice since tag cuts and demand increase has made it a preference point unit now. I would start researching other units, you can have great goat hunts in other parts of Wyoming without waiting years in between.

Stay away from what the mags pimp and you will get drawn more often.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

To the OP---If you want a unit that has plenty of public land and is pretty good to take your boy to in 2014, buy another PP before 9/30 if you didn't buy one when you applied this year. Next year put in for unit 27 as your first choice and you should draw it with 2 PPs. I'd also suggest that you skip the first few days of the season in any unit you go to and you'll have a lot more fun after the orange crowds go home.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I have to say one thing....this post has generated a lot of comment and advice from a lot of hunters who know the system. You are getting a valuable education that some had to learn the hard way. If you get the regs out and do a little research and remember what is here, you should be ok for the coming years.

Good luck.

PS... I took my son to Wyoming antelope hunting when he was 12 (he is now 48!) and he shot his first goat. Really great experience for young hunters. Lots of animals to see and should always fill their tag.