Bison License Application Info Letter

[Winchester]

I applied for a Bison tag in the Draw (like many of you I believe) and I just received an e-mail from the WY Game & Fish Department with the following info.
Did anyone else receive this ... I'm guessing everyone did.
What do you think?

Dear Hunt Area 2 Wild Bison License Applicant,

You are being contacted to make you aware of recent circumstances associated with bison
hunting in Area 2 and how it may impact your hunt if you are successful in the 2019 draw.
During the 2017 and 2018 hunting seasons, very few bison moved onto the National Elk Refuge
during the hunting season and were therefore mostly unavailable to hunters during the season.
As a result, hunter success was exceptionally low in 2018 (40% for Type 1 ?Any Bison? hunters,
28% for Type 4 ?Cow or Calf Bison? hunters). It is possible this same situation could occur in
2019, with a similar impact on bison hunter opportunity and success. Due to the relative cost of
licenses, nonresidents should be especially aware of this possibility.

Applicants not comfortable with this situation have until April 15, 2019 to withdraw their
application. If an applicant chooses to remain in the draw and receives a license, they assume an
inherent risk when applying for a license to be used in the future, and that license fees are
generally nonrefundable once a license has been issued. Refunds shall be denied in any
circumstance where the licensee hunted on the license for the designated species as specified in
Commission rules and regulations, including special archery seasons, during the year for which
the license is issued.

Please consider this risk when determining if you would like to remain in the drawing for a Wild
Bison License in 2019 and refer to Wyoming Game & Fish Department Regulations in Chapter
44, Section 26 for more information. This can be found on the Department?s website under
Regulations; License Information; Regulation for Issuance of Licenses, Permits, Stamps, Tags,
Preference Points and Competitive Raffle chances; Section 26 - Withdrawal or Modification of
Application, Refund of License Fees and Reissuance of Certain Licenses.

Thanks and we hope this information is helpful.

 

[zpooch]

Cow bison were basically hunt-able for only 2 days last year. I didn't even think the success was as high as 28%. If I were to put in again I would only hunt a bull and hopefully catch it off the park in Sept/Oct.

 

[Winchester]

Wow!
Do you have any idea why they stopped moving onto the Elk Refuge?

 

[zpooch]

There were basically 2 herds. The southern herd was the one that would typically move onto the refuge during the hunting season. If you look how many bison have been taken in the last 5 years you can see they drastically reduced the herd size and this mostly came out of the southern group. The remaining group has more available feed and less bison that historically have headed for the elk refuge. The last 2 years the bison have waited until late January to move onto the refuge. You can see a steady trend https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Hunting/Bison/BISON_HARVESTCOMAPRISON.pdf of the bison arriving later on the NER and reduced harvest numbers. If you look at how many cows were shot from 2013-2016 compared to the last 2 years. There are just a lot less bison and more feed. And I think they've figured out when they cross the river the shooting starts. This isn't the same hunt it used to be when you could just drive out and walk up to the herd and shoot one.

 

[Winchester]

Thanks for the details!
Very much appreciated!
Smart bison suck ... dang it

 

[mntnguide]

The snow is not causing the bison to migrate nearly like it used to.. and we had plenty of snow this year to the point that herds of bison have spent all winter well north of town...i received an email regarding the mountain goat license i put in for, but haven't received once regarding bison yet. Little different maybe since im a resident and live where i can watch the buffalo everyday...i just need the dang tag! My roommate had a cow tag last year and the entire month of December into January to hunt before he had to fly back to work, and never even had a chance at one and that used to be the prime time to be there around xmas and new year's

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[Winchester]

Dang it ... that sure would make it difficult to plan/manage a successful hunt from here in Colorado.
I really appreciate the insights.

 

[zpooch]

Yep I was up there most of the end of December and a ton in January. Luckily, I now have a freezer full of tasty cow bison. Not the "hunt" you'd want but it's about the only way I'd ever have a chance to shoot a bison.

 

[Winchester]

Yeah, I was hoping to get some bison meat. Maybe not now ...

 

[HuskyMusky]

You planning to hire an outfitter?

If so, and you have some flexibility, I'm sure they'd let you know, when to appear!

My dad hunted in August I think? and the outfitter got it done... there weren't many off the park, but we found them.

If no outfitter, I'd consider saying hey if you can let me know when they're off...etc... I'll throw some $$ your way.

Good luck, don't be discouraged, each year is different.

PS- my dad's hunt was early and no snow etc... so I think some may not always stay in the park...

 

[Winchester]

Great ideas ...thanks.
I wasn't sure if I'd hire an outfitter but I have a couple in mind.
I'll give them a call and pick their brains.

 

[Granby guy]

You really don't need an outfitter just a local to tell you when they are in an open area and the ability to get there quickly. I got mine in 2016 and like everyone says you just have to wait for them to cross the river. I was fortunate because I have family that live across the street from the refuge so we watched them from the house and when they crossed I jumped on the horses and went after them.

 

[wy-tex]

An outfitter only gets you on a horse for a cow , it is a plus. You will ride right past hunters on foot and piss them off, lol I was one of those my last hunt. Got my cow but had quite a ruckus with some guides.
Bison are smart and they need to get congress to allow bison hunting in Grand Teton just like the elk like hunt.
I believe the bull hunt is about the only hunt that gets you on bison before they move over to the NER. They can be found on the forest, cows maybe but not near as often.
For a cow I would count on a late January hunt but that all depends on when they start feeding elk on NER, once that starts the hunting is over for all. Tough call on cows now, any bison will be our only app now.

 

[Granby guy]

An outfitter only gets you on a horse for a cow , it is a plus. You will ride right past hunters on foot and piss them off, lol I was one of those my last hunt. Got my cow but had quite a ruckus with some guides.
Bison are smart and they need to get congress to allow bison hunting in Grand Teton just like the elk like hunt.
I believe the bull hunt is about the only hunt that gets you on bison before they move over to the NER. They can be found on the forest, cows maybe but not near as often.
For a cow I would count on a late January hunt but that all depends on when they start feeding elk on NER, once that starts the hunting is over for all. Tough call on cows now, any bison will be our only app now.

Riding past the other guys on foot definitely pisses them off. By the time they get there the bison are usually long gone.

 

[JimP]

I know a couple of hunters that have drawn those bison tags and both of them hired a outfitter with horses and both tagged out the first day. One even brought the bison out whole. They had a couple of huge draft horses that they hitched the bison to and once they got it onto a tarp out they came.

People just don't realize just how big those things are. They are used to elk and a bison will be twice the size of a elk.

 

[wy-tex]

I would clarify my comments and say that Tag and Drag are very much worth the money spent for retrieving your bison and gutting it for you. We did our own field processing and it took about 2 hrs or so to get her quartered and loaded into the truck after they drug it down to the road and gutted it.
As stated even cows are big animals, bulls are very impressive on the ground.

 

[JimP]

The first bison that I ever walked up to when it was dead was a 2 year old bull. I was used to being able to grab a set antlers on a elk and move him around to where I would work on him. I grabbed a horn on this bison and I couldn't budge him.

 

[Winchester]

I would clarify my comments and say that Tag and Drag are very much worth the money spent for retrieving your bison and gutting it for you. We did our own field processing and it took about 2 hrs or so to get her quartered and loaded into the truck after they drug it down to the road and gutted it.
As stated even cows are big animals, bulls are very impressive on the ground.

Yeah, Tag & Drag is one of the outfitters I know about. They're pretty good as far as I know.

 

[mntnguide]

Yeah, Tag & Drag is one of the outfitters I know about. They're pretty good as far as I know.

They are the only outfitter allowed on the refuge anymore. The other got in a bit of trouble and now it is only tag n drag.. Ralph Greene. Also, they are pretty straight forward to call and tell you what's going on with buffalo movement even if you are not guided by them... because most likely you will still use them for retrieval so He is always pretty respectful with information

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[Winchester]

Appreciate the info!
I didn't know the other one got in trouble.
Sounds like Tag & Drag is the one to call.
Thx.