Wyoming Moose hunt, Archery

[Ben Vanderwall]

Hey, I've been buying preference points for moose in Wyoming and currently have 12. I was wondering if anyone has an idea of which areas would be available to draw with that number of points that would be good for a nice bull. I want to do archery.

 

[go_deep]

Hey, I've been buying preference points for moose in Wyoming and currently have 12. I was wondering if anyone has an idea of which areas would be available to draw with that number of points that would be good for a nice bull. I want to do archery.

If your a NR the number of bull tags you can draw for sure with 12 points is 0, none.
It'll be 10-15 years before you'll likely be able to draw.
If your a resident you might draw in 7-10 years, if you don't pull a random tag.
There are random draw tags, but few and far between.

 

[Hilltop]

Hi Ben. Sorry to be there bearer of bad news. Your only chance to draw a bull tag would be in the random draw. It currently is takiing more points than you have, even in the easiest to draw area, to get a bull tag. Once point creep is factored in, you likely have another 15-20 years before you will be able to have a guaranteed draw for a lower tier bull tag. To draw the best area in the state, you likely have at least another 30-50 years to wait. When you consider the cost of preference points, you could hunt Canada for a bull and still be money ahead.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Hi Ben. Sorry to be there bearer of bad news. Your only chance to draw a bull tag would be in the random draw. It currently is takiing more points than you have, even in the easiest to draw area, to get a bull tag. Once point creep is factored in, you likely have another 15-20 years before you will be able to have a guaranteed draw for a lower tier bull tag. To draw the best area in the state, you likely have at least another 30-50 years to wait. When you consider the cost of preference points, you could hunt Canada for a bull and still be money ahead.

This is one of the reasons I don't like preference points for premium areas and animals. I believe it should be random draw and if you get a tag, you should have to wait (something like 10 years) before you could apply again. It's absolutely assinine to have to wait beyond 20 years. Preference points have become big money makers for the states that have them.

 

[JimP]

I came to the conclusion that if you really want to hunt moose that it would be best to invest your money into the market and then after a number of years head north of the US/Canadian border or Alaska and go hunting moose on a over the counter tag. You might have to hure a outfitter but you will be hunting them.

I also have the same idea for goats and sheep. But if you are trying for a desert bighorn then head south to Mexico.

Life is way too short to waist all your time building points. And just so that you know what I am talking about I have more than a normal person should have chasing my dream hunt of a free roaming bison over in Utah. A ranch hunt is looking better all the time on this one.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I drew what I think was a mid-tier unit in 2018 with 17 points. This year, the same unit took 19 points in the preference point draw. It is pretty frustrating, and I am very glad I drew the year the preference point fee went up.

 

[Slugz]

Cow hunt in the lower 48. Fair number of tags are relatively easy to draw every 4-5 years...for residents and non residents.

Save your money and do a DIY Caribou hunt in Alaska to prepare and learn for a DIY bull moose hunt

 

[Maxhunter]

Yep like stated you don't have enough points to draw. You can apply for an area with a random. You might get lucky!

 

[Hilltop]

Cow hunt in the lower 48. Fair number of tags are relatively easy to draw every 4-5 years...for residents and non residents.

Save your money and do a DIY Caribou hunt in Alaska to prepare and learn for a DIY bull moose hunt

I can't speak for other states but in Wyoming a cow tag has become very difficult to get. Last year there were a total of 6 permits that went to non-residents. 1 permit in area 3 that took 5 points to draw, 1 permit in area 25 that took 11 points to draw, 3 permits in area 38 that took 11 points to guarantee, and 1 random permit in area 38. Odds were 1 in 21. It used to be a lot easier to draw these but it has become difficult, and very expensive, to even go shoot a cow moose.

 

[Maxhunter]

You can also bid on a Governor's tag. Sometimes they have commissioner tags. Some are bids or raffles. You really want to hunt moose go to UTAH and get a Landowner CWMU tag and hire an outfitter.

 

[JimP]

You can also bid on a Governor's tag. Sometimes they have commissioner tags. Some are bids or raffles. You really want to hunt moose go to UTAH and get a Landowner CWMU tag and hire an outfitter.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Bonecollector]

I can't speak for other states but in Wyoming a cow tag has become very difficult to get. Last year there were a total of 6 permits that went to non-residents. 1 permit in area 3 that took 5 points to draw, 1 permit in area 25 that took 11 points to draw, 3 permits in area 38 that took 11 points to guarantee, and 1 random permit in area 38. Odds were 1 in 21. It used to be a lot easier to draw these but it has become difficult, and very expensive, to even go shoot a cow moose.

Same philosophy for female antelope & deer.

Speaking of PPt games, how many folks die that we have to wait out the 'no activity' period before they drop back in the PPt totals and finally drop out of the running and the pools shrink. Another reason why some mid-tier units will be had for less points over the next 5-10 years.

 

[plough]

i pretty much agree with all of the above...im non res and have 19 moose points...i was "locked in" at 18 to draw unit 5 in 2020 untill larry hicks the state senator from baggs introduced a bill to cut the nr tags...the points jumped big time...im 67, old and fat...im thinking about donating my tag to wounded warriors...nm doesnt have pps...which im glad ...but how do you change wy...butt load of money invested in pp by hunters...

 

[ScottR]

This is one of the reasons I don't like preference points for premium areas and animals. I believe it should be random draw and if you get a tag, you should have to wait (something like 10 years) before you could apply again. It's absolutely assinine to have to wait beyond 20 years. Preference points have become big money makers for the states that have them.

Completely random draws are the fairest way. If you add waiting periods as well as once in a lifetime for success I think that is the absolute most fair option. If absolutely necessary to help stack the deck I'm ok with adding bonus point options, however even those tend to level out with random draws.

 

[Hilltop]

Completely random draws are the fairest way. If you add waiting periods as well as once in a lifetime for success I think that is the absolute most fair option. If absolutely necessary to help stack the deck I'm ok with adding bonus point options, however even those tend to level out with random draws.

I would agree, random is the way to go. I would rather have the option to roll my moose points into other species instead of having them turn into bonus points.

 

[DH56]

With 90/10 potentially coming into play in Wy for the Big 5 and possibly D/E/A down the road, my 20 PP for Moose may be history. It's a shame it has come to that, this far into the game. Random Draws would have been a more realistic way to have the licenses allocated along with exemptions/waiting periods for x amount of years for those that did draw . This would allow someone else the opportunity to enjoy the hunt.

Even with that, and the reduced NR tags available for NR hunters under the proposed options, I most likely will lose out on my 20+ years of investment in the PP tags and has me looking to spend my money somewhere else to get my once in a lifetime hunt for Shiras Moose.

 

[Hilltop]

With 90/10 potentially coming into play in Wy for the Big 5 and possibly D/E/A down the road, my 20 PP for Moose may be history. It's a shame it has come to that, this far into the game. Random Draws would have been a more realistic way to have the licenses allocated along with exemptions/waiting periods for x amount of years for those that did draw . This would allow someone else the opportunity to enjoy the hunt.

Even with that, and the reduced NR tags available for NR hunters under the proposed options, I most likely will lose out on my 20+ years of investment in the PP tags and has me looking to spend my money somewhere else to get my once in a lifetime hunt for Shiras Moose.

Did you apply this year?