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Post by medic22 on Mar 3, 2021 11:29:14 GMT -5
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Mar 3, 2021 12:00:20 GMT -5
All pronghorn licenses are limited quota for both residents and nonresidents in Wyoming, so it is likely to reduce the overall number of pronghorn licenses issued to nonresidents. However, with the new $600 price tag, nonresident demand may drop, so point creep may or may not accelerate.
It would also certainly increase the number of points needed to draw the highly coveted, limited quota areas for deer and elk. The overall number of elk and deer tags issued to nonresidents might not change much though. This is because of what are called "General" deer and elk areas. Residents can buy general tags OTC, where as a nonresident must still acquire a general tag through the draw. If a resident draws a limited quota deer or elk tag, that general opportunity they sacrifice for their LQ tag may be reallocated to nonresidents. This bill as currently written does not restrict how many general tags may be issued to nonresidents, only the LQ tags.
So, IF this bill goes through, my take is that it is likely to reshuffle more of the higher quality tags to residents, but maybe provide more low-point tags towards nonresidents.
Wyoming Game and Fish sets license quotas every year based on what they feel is the appropriate measure of pressure for the resource. Their statewide population is not really increasing, so I doubt that the overall number of nonresident licenses that get issued will change much.
Personally, I hope that the bill fails, because I like the system as it is currently. But if they do make these changes, I don't think it will have a huge effect on most nonresidents, primarily just those with a pile of points chasing some particular dream unit.
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Post by esshup on Mar 3, 2021 20:03:01 GMT -5
But the almost doubling of non-resident license fees might have a big impact on the number of non-resident licenses sold. $600 for an antelope license? Nope, not me.
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Post by medic22 on Mar 3, 2021 20:16:49 GMT -5
I'm going to look at some other states, I may let me my Wyoming points go if this passes. It.would be a different story if I could hunt all of the public land in Wyoming.
Pronghorn for sure. I'm not spending $600 +travel for #40 of meat.
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Post by esshup on Mar 3, 2021 20:49:27 GMT -5
A buddy and I have been buying elk preference points since the system started and haven't used any yet. Since the only trophy areas that I know of are wilderness, that requires a guide (or a lot of equipment that we don't have), so we will probably still keep buying and go one of these years, but I agree with you on the pronghorn and also the mule deer too if this passes. IIRC we have 7 or 8 Mulie points and 5 or 6 pronghorn points.
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Post by bullseye69 on Mar 3, 2021 21:26:15 GMT -5
But the almost doubling of non-resident license fees might have a big impact on the number of non-resident licenses sold. $600 for an antelope license? Nope, not me. MT licenses went up aboot 6 years ago and it didn't stop them from selling out on tags so that is probably where they got the idea from. Iirc they went up 300 bucks when they raised the price. |
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Mar 4, 2021 6:42:40 GMT -5
The prices are high, no doubt. But that's just a reality for NR hunting for the most part. This will put Wyoming on the high end $$, but still comparable to most other western states.
Pronghorn doe tags are just $34 in Wyoming, so if the price is really a major hurdle then folks should consider going that route. Cow elk tags are around $300. There are other bargains in other states too.
As prices increase, I won't stop going, but I may tweak my plans a bit towards lower cost tags.
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Post by jman46151 on Mar 4, 2021 8:47:46 GMT -5
A buddy and I have been buying elk preference points since the system started and haven't used any yet. Since the only trophy areas that I know of are wilderness, that requires a guide (or a lot of equipment that we don't have), so we will probably still keep buying and go one of these years, but I agree with you on the pronghorn and also the mule deer too if this passes. IIRC we have 7 or 8 Mulie points and 5 or 6 pronghorn points. Befriend someone who is a WY resident and wouldn't mind tagging along. That will get you out of the guide requirement. I think I've got 7 pronghorn and 4 or 5 deer and elk points. |
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Post by jman46151 on Mar 4, 2021 8:48:47 GMT -5
But the almost doubling of non-resident license fees might have a big impact on the number of non-resident licenses sold. $600 for an antelope license? Nope, not me. There may be fewer people apply but I bet they still sell out. |
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Post by jman46151 on Mar 4, 2021 8:51:02 GMT -5
Point creep may get worse for a few years but it may actually reduce it in 5-10 in my opinion. |
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Post by esshup on Mar 4, 2021 11:09:06 GMT -5
A buddy and I have been buying elk preference points since the system started and haven't used any yet. Since the only trophy areas that I know of are wilderness, that requires a guide (or a lot of equipment that we don't have), so we will probably still keep buying and go one of these years, but I agree with you on the pronghorn and also the mule deer too if this passes. IIRC we have 7 or 8 Mulie points and 5 or 6 pronghorn points. Befriend someone who is a WY resident and wouldn't mind tagging along. That will get you out of the guide requirement. I think I've got 7 pronghorn and 4 or 5 deer and elk points. Got one. My cousin lives in Casper and he knows a lot of landowners. Pronghorn to him is like going rabbit hunting. Last time I was out there hunting them we say an easy 400-500 per day. I have 2 that are just shy of the record book, want to get one that qualifies. Mule deer are a wee bit harder but not that bad. Elk on the other hand he has no land that he knows that has a good population with good bulls on it. He told me that for that we would have to hunt the wilderness area where no motorized vehicles are allowed, which means packing things in on horseback, which he nor his buddies have. |
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Post by medic22 on Mar 4, 2021 13:40:20 GMT -5
I generally am accepting that public lands are accessible to everyone, even non residents (including those that want to put in bird watching towers, butterfly gardens, and hiking and mtn biking trails at the main property I hunt).
Seeing some of the comments from Wyoming residents about this, I kind of wish Indiana would raise NR prices to something astronomical.
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Post by jman46151 on Mar 4, 2021 14:04:10 GMT -5
I generally am accepting that public lands are accessible to everyone, even non residents (including those that want to put in bird watching towers, butterfly gardens, and hiking and mtn biking trails at the main property I hunt). Seeing some of the comments from Wyoming residents about this, I kind of wish Indiana would raise NR prices to something astronomical. Yeah me too. It was easy to tell who lives in WY just by reading their comments. Once I get rid of my points I will care a whole lot less about public land in WY. Not because I don't care about access but because of the locals attitude. |
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Post by jman46151 on Mar 4, 2021 14:07:46 GMT -5
Befriend someone who is a WY resident and wouldn't mind tagging along. That will get you out of the guide requirement. I think I've got 7 pronghorn and 4 or 5 deer and elk points. Got one. My cousin lives in Casper and he knows a lot of landowners. Pronghorn to him is like going rabbit hunting. Last time I was out there hunting them we say an easy 400-500 per day. I have 2 that are just shy of the record book, want to get one that qualifies. Mule deer are a wee bit harder but not that bad. Elk on the other hand he has no land that he knows that has a good population with good bulls on it. He told me that for that we would have to hunt the wilderness area where no motorized vehicles are allowed, which means packing things in on horseback, which he nor his buddies have. I tried to use my pronghorn points(4) in 2017 but I didn't draw my first choice so I decided to hang on to them and go after a premier unit since there doesn't seem to be much difference between units in the 4-7 point range. |
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Post by ukwil on Mar 4, 2021 17:59:27 GMT -5
I read where the bill was voted down today
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Post by bullseye69 on Mar 4, 2021 21:29:18 GMT -5
A buddy and I have been buying elk preference points since the system started and haven't used any yet. Since the only trophy areas that I know of are wilderness, that requires a guide (or a lot of equipment that we don't have), so we will probably still keep buying and go one of these years, but I agree with you on the pronghorn and also the mule deer too if this passes. IIRC we have 7 or 8 Mulie points and 5 or 6 pronghorn points. Befriend someone who is a WY resident and wouldn't mind tagging along. That will get you out of the guide requirement. I think I've got 7 pronghorn and 4 or 5 deer and elk points. You only need a guide or a resident if you hunt the wilderness areas. |
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Post by esshup on Mar 4, 2021 23:45:23 GMT -5
I was wrong on my preference points, 15 for Elk, 12 for deer, 12 for antelope. I need to get out there and go hunting!!!!!!!
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Post by jman46151 on Mar 5, 2021 0:07:04 GMT -5
I read where the bill was voted down today It got sent to some task force. I'm assuming that's kind of like a committee. It will be brought back up later. |
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Post by jman46151 on Mar 5, 2021 0:08:35 GMT -5
I was wrong on my preference points, 15 for Elk, 12 for deer, 12 for antelope. I need to get out there and go hunting!!!!!!! I would say so! That's probably enough to get any pronghorn unit. |
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Post by ukwil on Mar 5, 2021 9:19:25 GMT -5
I was wrong on my preference points, 15 for Elk, 12 for deer, 12 for antelope. I need to get out there and go hunting!!!!!!! You could draw about any trophy tag you'd want |
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