Question to Wyoming residents.

[Wyohunter]

Should Wyoming adopt a preference point system for the "hard to draw" elk, deer and antelope areas?

Last fall I received a survey in the mail (from the WG&F) that asked this very question. Since then I have not seen or heard about a points system. I personally think it is a good idea and was wondering what other residents thought about it.

[ssliger]

I agree with you. I might even go further and change some general areas to limited quota for deer and elk. I understand how spoiled I am living in Laramie, I can hunt deer, elk, and most of the time antelope, every single year. But the quality of the hunting drops every year. We have such good genetics in our wildlife we need to preserve them and manage for quality. I hunted deer area 102 last year it was the second time in 19 years that I drew the tag. I would have no problem that area being a pp area. I know there are problems in other states about point creep. So we should have just the premier areas as a pp draw.

[Wyohunter]

I agree with you. I might even go further and change some general areas to limited quota for deer and elk. I understand how spoiled I am living in Laramie, I can hunt deer, elk, and most of the time antelope, every single year. But the quality of the hunting drops every year. We have such good genetics in our wildlife we need to preserve them and manage for quality. I hunted deer area 102 last year it was the second time in 19 years that I drew the tag. I would have no problem that area being a pp area. I know there are problems in other states about point creep. So we should have just the premier areas as a pp draw.

To my understanding, they are going to make the areas in and around the Wyoming range as well as the Platte valley areas limited quota in 2013. This will initially last until 2015, then they will be evaluating the population to se where they will go from there. This seems to be a great plan with a few problems. I think to make that plan work they will need to make every area in the state limited quota. The only reason I say every area is because if they take a good majority of the areas that were general and make them limited quota, then there would be a good possibility that more hunters would the venture to the already overhunted remaining general areas. To me that would be taking the problem and moving it to different areas.

[ssliger]

It will be interesting to see what happens when these areas go limited quota next year. Has anyone thought of doing the general areas in regions like for non-residents and maybe selling a limited amount of tags on a first come first serve basis. Of course there would still be a lot of tags given out, but an actual set number. Just a thought I had.

[ADavid]

I think they should definitely move it to a pp system that way you could draw every five years or so rather than having a 5% chance every year.

[GMX]

I would like to see it. there's some antelope area's that non resident with a couple points have a better chance then me

[wyo_backcountry]

I like the fact I can go and hunt within five minutes of my house or an hour and not have to worry about limited entry areas. I am a meat hunter first and enjoy just being able to go out and enjoy the general hunting. I would like to try out some limited entry areas available but it's just to hard being a family man with a limited schedule, I am mostly a weekend warrior and look forward to not having to drive 3-4 hours to my hunting spot. I would understand a limited entry area to help with getting the population managed but I don't want to see limited hunting units everywhere just because the only reason is hunters want to shoot trophies. I think Wyoming has a good mix of general vs. limited entry now. Also the damn Grizzly and wolves have so many good hunting units screwed up that hunters are shying away from those areas now and I can't blame them.

[Wyohunter]

I like the fact I can go and hunt within five minutes of my house or an hour and not have to worry about limited entry areas. I am a meat hunter first and enjoy just being able to go out and enjoy the general hunting. I would like to try out some limited entry areas available but it's just to hard being a family man with a limited schedule, I am mostly a weekend warrior and look forward to not having to drive 3-4 hours to my hunting spot. I would understand a limited entry area to help with getting the population managed but I don't want to see limited hunting units everywhere just because the only reason is hunters want to shoot trophies. I think Wyoming has a good mix of general vs. limited entry now. Also the damn Grizzly and wolves have so many good hunting units screwed up that hunters are shying away from those areas now and I can't blame them.

I must admit that it is nice to hunt pretty much out of your back door, but the fact is that Wyoming is going to make a vast majority of at least the deer areas limited quota which is reasonable. My fear is that the remaining general areas may suffer due to the possible increase of hunters. I do know that when Wyoming makes that many areas limited they will definately need a preference point system.

[SouthernWyo]

No thanks to preference or bonus points. The system works, it ain't broke, don't "fix" it. Random draw is as fair as it gets.

Also no thanks to more limited quota areas for mule deer and elk. Wyoming has a great mix of general units and limited quota hunts, leave it alone unless there is defined, scientific, biological reason for limiting the opportunity. There is no reason to restructure hunt units and seasons because a vocal minority of users, concerned only with trophies, demands that they be changed.

Why exactly would additional limited quota unit result in the "need" for a preference point system?

[dcestnik]

No PP system for residents and end OTC deer tags. Elk and antelope for residents is decently managed as is.

No reason to touch antelope. Residents can draw primo areas on occasion but are guaranteed a decent second choice in the mean time. The limited quota tags are scaled with population fluctuations so Eastmans hasn't had to publish a "The Pronghorn Decline" article.

Elk seems to be doing good since the general tags are in areas where the elk have the advantage and pressure is regulated by the terrain. No need to change this until populations dip outside of the wolf zone. Top limited quota areas are typically in more open country with isolated populations where hunters can locate the animals easier. Again for a resident they can dream big, drawing blue chip areas every couple of years and have a very good backup plan in the mean time.

Eliminating OTC tags for deer might help but will definitely anger a lot of people. While the population is hurting in Wyoming the model seems to have helped in Colorado and has always worked for antelope in Wyoming. Even if the quotas for formerly general areas are set high enough to ensure 100% draw odds a lot of people like the convenience of being able to hunt on nights and weekends near home and dedicate a week or two afar which increases the pressure per hunter. If the whole state was limited quota with no PP then draw odds would increase in very exclusive areas like 102 as the average hunter will opt to get a guaranteed tag instead.

With no PP and nothing but limited quota residents have a better chance to draw a blue chip area and will develop decent second choice areas. For G&F this means more money for the state as people will enter the lotto every year instead of point banking. It also doesnt lead to a situation like colorado elk where there are two types of areas, OTC and 10PP+ limited quota and not much between. Quality and quantity should increase but a majority of hunters just want the ability to go to an area that hasn't turned into camper city with ATV rush hour and see a good number of representative animals.