2023 Wyoming Elk
- Thread starter Jwhigg18
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Yooper906
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Carnage2011
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With the price changes coming next year, I’m considering just going points this year and hoping that people opt out of the special draw. I think the regular draw will see crazy point creep but the special could get easier.
Bluffgruff
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General tag will probably jump quite a bit. 6 and 6 is my prediction.
Slm864
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I’m sitting on 5 and my buddy 4. Won’t be doing group applications anymore. The averaging down has cost me the tag 2 years in a row. Won’t happen again.
Yea me too. My buddy missed the deadline one year and got a point behind. Hate he has to pay the special fee but I got my points every year.
seeth07
Well-known member
This. I'm actually hoping there is some monster point creep in the special this year while I sit back and apply for points. Then hopefully people are scared of thr special due to cost and super high amount of points (hopefully it's more points in special than it was in general for some hunts) and then sneak in, although paying more, and try to draw a really good LE hunt with less than normal points.
Could be worse I have a buddy that wants to go back antelope hunting; unfortunately my 10 points don’t work with his zero
I am sure that will be the case with some folks this year and it will be common response when the price goes up for the Special in 2024. When we think about the fact that 20% of the non-residents in the Wyoming system actually apply for a hunt code and the other 80% are point buyers, the pool of point buyers to plow through is decades-long. And many of those point buyers have been in it since the start, or close to it. Given those high-level point buyers haven't burned their points in 12+ years, some even as long as 17 years, maybe they will take their points to the grave.
I have a lot of friends who use Huntin' Fool or Epic or Cabela's WTA to do their applications (I'd never do that) and I'm surprised what percentage of them only have a vague understanding of what they get put in for in each state. I guess that is why they use an application service. I think all of them have max or near max points in Wyoming for all species. When I ask them why, it is usually something like, "Well, you never know when you will want to use them. Better to have them and not use them than to not have them."
When I look at how many thousands of hunters use application services, it makes me wonder if that 80% of Wyoming elk point buyers is mostly those folks using application services and if they even plan to use their points. I wonder the same about the 50%+ of Utah and Colorado non-resident elk point holders who don't even apply for a tag, rather just keep racking up the points.
i'm likely looking to unload my 5 elk points on general for '23. that was supposed to happen this year. until my wife got pregnant like 3 months earlier than we planned on.
holy crap i don't know what i'm doing next year tho. but probably burning those 5 elk points.
holy crap i don't know what i'm doing next year tho. but probably burning those 5 elk points.
seeth07
Well-known member
No doubt the "point savers" far outnumber the "point spenders" and honestly, I hope it forever stays that way. State fish and game agencies are getting funding as a result and it leaves those of us spending the points a better chance at drawing!
Don't get me wrong, I'll be applying in Wyoming for every species, always have. But I'll be applying with hopes of hitting a random tag like myself and my wife did last year rather than picking units I can 100% draw.
D
Deleted member 28227
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App services would hate it, states would lose a lot of money, basically would go over like a lead balloon but...
I think the reality is there are a ton of people applying exactly as you said, I think there are also a lot of people who apply and or put in for premium tags who have literally no idea what the logistics are to do some hunts, for instance Copper River Bison in AK, and end up not even hunting the tag once they draw.
Would be interesting if for the ultra premium/OIL however you want to term them tags you had to apply in person. I imagine if you did that there would be 1/10th or even 1/100th the applicants there are now.
In person doesn't make sense for general season tags where there are 15,000 permits... but if there are 4 permits...
Bowhuntrben
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I think things will just go crazy this year. Everybody should just sit out and do points only. I will be the guinea pig and put in.
Wind Gypsy
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A buddy and I are applying for general with 4 this year, likely in the special. I wasn't certain on our odds before the task force threw gas on the fire.. We'll see I guess.
brownbear932008
Well-known member
I'm sitting on 4 points just waiting to see if we plan a CO trip or not this year with some friends before jumping into WY this year. I think we will see a surprising increase in point burners myself. The word is out no doubt.
Then you also see all these people on social media "planing my first Western elk trip to WY can I buy OTC tags". Saw one guy this morning wanting a desert rifle mulie hunt in Dec or Jan looking OTC in NM or AZ. Thought buddy win the lottery first and head across the border.
Then you also see all these people on social media "planing my first Western elk trip to WY can I buy OTC tags". Saw one guy this morning wanting a desert rifle mulie hunt in Dec or Jan looking OTC in NM or AZ. Thought buddy win the lottery first and head across the border.
Kiwi
Well-known member
I'm looking at a WY general elk tag for my son. Was hoping that he could draw using his 4 points in the standard draw but based on possible point creep seems unlikely! Don't really want to use the special draw as that would void his youth tag price.
The other option I have is use my 6 point for a joint application (5.5 average) but was hoping to save my points for 2024 or 2025 and focus on my sons hunt 2023.
I have a tendency to over complicate my application strategy haha. Guess I just need to work out my preferred hunt and apply with the best odds.
The other option I have is use my 6 point for a joint application (5.5 average) but was hoping to save my points for 2024 or 2025 and focus on my sons hunt 2023.
I have a tendency to over complicate my application strategy haha. Guess I just need to work out my preferred hunt and apply with the best odds.
sneakem
Well-known member
Wouldn't it be a novel idea to make people apply for actual hunts in order to receive points. No refunding of points once you draw. I'm sure that people would revolt if they couldn't plan years in advance but that's likely the reality of point creep with thousands of unknowns not applying anyways..
I like that. I also like Colorado's system of party apps. I also think if you get a tag, no matter the method (draw/landowner/raffle/auction), you lose your points.
There are things we could do to chisel away at point creep, but agencies don't have the spine to adopt them. Someone's feelings might get hurt.
seeth07
Well-known member
Its also the money machine. No doubt by having points and letting people keep and build them results in relatively "free money" coming into the state.
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