Confused About Wyoming G&F Website

[emrah1028]

I was perusing Wyoming's G&F website just for #$$ and giggles and I'm confused. I know, hard to believe, because it's actually really well laid out, but I'm confused nonetheless.

I wanted to look up what a non-resident archery antelope tag would run. Also what units, season dates, etc. Well, I clicked on the antelope tab, saw the units, etc., but there is no differentiation regarding rifle or archery. So DOES Wyoming have separate archery-only dates?

Although it's well laid out, beginners like me still find these websites (SD, ND, MT, etc.) very confusing. It seems like with some you have to actually start the application process just to see what's available. Kind of seems backwards to me. All I want is 3 things: 1. Season Dates. 2.Huntable Units. 3. Non-resident prices. That's it. Let me see those first, THEN I'll figure out applications, restrictions, special licenses, etc.

Emrah

 

[WyOpitz]

I'm assuming it's like deer, it's in the regs. You need a special archery permit ($35 I think) and the season is prior to rifle. If you don't shoot something with your bow, you can use your rifle during rifle season. This should apply unless you draw an archery only tag which I'm not even sure applies to any antelope unit. I wish I could be more help but antelope tastes just plain Nasty and I wouldn't even feed it to my dog.

 

[WyOpitz]

OK, so I didn't see any special "type 9" archery only permits for antelope. It looks like everything opens on August 15th for most units except 1-5 and 17 which open 9/1 for archery. Good luck.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

unless you have drawn a particular unit or have a general tag,the way i understand it is the archery permit is additional to the regular tag?unless its a type 9 tag.archery permit by itself is not valid i believe?

 

[Muskeez]

I'm no pro, but yes, you buy a tag, then buy an archery permit which allows you to bowhunt before the rifle season. If you don't fill it with bow you can rifle hunt later. Season dates vary by unit. Most units are sold out already, but some leftovers are still available I believe. I believe the cost is $286 for us NonResidents. And I disagree on the meat quality. We eat a lot of Iowa whitetails, and the 2 antelope bucks we butchered last year were equally or better eating than our deer in my families opinion. We did harvest our antelope in cool weather and had the meat in the truck on ice within an hour of each kill, so that certainly helped I'm sure. Good Luck. You will love the hunt!

 

[Muskeez]

Don't be afraid to just call the WY G&F dept. - they were very helpful to me last year.

 

[WapitiBob]

"All I want is 3 things: 1. Season Dates. 2.Huntable Units. 3. Non-resident prices."

pretty easy; hunting tab, then click on the "hunting booklet" link, then the 2014 Big Game app booklet.

 

[JWP58]

Antelope: Aug 15
Deer/Elk: Sept 1

Those are dates if you purchase an archery stamp. There are type 9 tags which are archery specific that have their own dates.

I know, confusing.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Buy a tag... then buy an archery stamp and hunt (with the same tag).

Season dates found in the Wyoming book.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[sbhooper]

I have always had problems with the site also. It can be hard to find exactly what you want. If you get ahold of a tag, all you have to do is buy the archery license to go along with it. Any tag is an archery tag if you buy the additional license. Like was stated, you can hunt with a bow prior to the rifle and then, if you don't get one, it is legal to go on and hunt with a rifle.

 

[Flatrock]

Yea...... Each state takes awhile to figure out the website and WY is no different. As best I can tell, WY still hasn't set their season dates in concrete yet. They have the proposed dates but that's it.

Look at this link and it will show you the season dates for 2013. http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/imgs/QRDocs/REGULATIONS_CH5.pdf

Scroll through all the unit numbers and then in Section 4, it will give you the archery dates for each unit. ALMOST all of the units open for archery on August 15 but not all of them.

For the elk seasons, the archery dates can vary quite a bit and so you need to pay much closer attention to that if you decide to ever archery hunt.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Yea...... Each state takes awhile to figure out the website and WY is no different. As best I can tell, WY still hasn't set their season dates in concrete yet. They have the proposed dates but that's it.

Look at this link and it will show you the season dates for 2013. http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/imgs/QRDocs/REGULATIONS_CH5.pdf

Scroll through all the unit numbers and then in Section 4, it will give you the archery dates for each unit. ALMOST all of the units open for archery on August 15 but not all of them.

For the elk seasons, the archery dates can vary quite a bit and so you need to pay much closer attention to that if you decide to ever archery hunt.

The season dates and quotas were set in stone and posted way back on 4/22/14 like they are every year. Just click on this link and then click on whichever animal season you want to look up and it's all there:

http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/HUNTING-1000179.aspx

 

[emrah1028]

It's a little clearer now, but still a lot of searching. It just seems different from looking up tags in Minnesota. It seems you have to go round and round to get all the info you want. There is no link that says: "Archery antelope non-resident fees = $$$. Archery season in Unit X is between X and Y dates."

That Hunting Booklet link is a great start, but the link is buried at the bottom of the page. In fact, I STILL don't know if Wyoming has archery-only seasons or only in certain units. Again, very different than the "simple" system I'm used to here in MN.

I was mostly looking to see what a non-resident doe tag would cost (for meat, I have no use for horns). I figured the doe/archery thing would be the cheapest. It seems in WY you pay MORE for archery, correct?

Emrah

 

[JWP58]

The only additional charge is an archery stamp, that I believe is around 10 bucks.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

A leftover doe tag is $34, as the $14 application fee you pay in the draw is waived. Then you'll need the Conservation Stamp that everyone has to buy and it's $12.50. There are no archery only tags for other than a few elk units. If you get a tag and want to hunt the early archery seasons in August or September you need to buy the Archery Permit and that is $30. If you'll just click on the link I provided in my previous post and then click on the antelope seasons and scroll down through them you'll find the regular season dates and at the bottom of those it shows what all the archery season dates are. It's that way for deer and elk if you click on those seasons as well.

 

[WapitiBob]

Read page 18 and 19 of the hunting app booklet, that explains the archery license. All pricing info is in the booklet too.

Archery seasons are an "add on" in Wyoming and as such, aren't listed in the hunt application book. The Game dept dropped the ball by not explaining that important piece of info. I will send an email in an attempt to rectify that.
They are listed in the regulations, the link is on the front page of the Hunting section, with all the other hunting links. The "special archery season" dates are listed at the btm of each species hunt dates.
The reason they are in the regulations, is because ALL the dates in the app booklet are TENTATIVE until they are finalized by the Dept, at which point all the regulations (which have approved dates and quotas) become final and soon after, are published for public consumption.

 

[emrah1028]

Thanks guys. Those links are helpful. I guess I needed to change my way of thinking about what I "should" expect to find. I was thinking there would be archery only seasons (statewide) and that tags would be cheaper than rifle. You know how some states have an "archery only" period, a "rifle only" period, "muzzleloader only" period, etc. Pretty unique the way WY does it (and I'm sure other states as well).

This was more an exercise in trying to get my feet wet in learning about how these western type states do things. I doubt I'll be able to swing a trip this year (time wise), but I'm glad I'm getting the practice navigating.

There is so much to do, learn and organize when trying to plan a trip like this. Seems the tags aren't selected until spring or summer and the actual seasons aren't set until late either (not long to plan for a late summer or fall trip). Add in trying to determine if a unit has public access - and how easy that access is, and it can turn into quite a logistical chore. Especially if you're not familiar with the area.

Thanks for all the advice.

Emrah

 

[Trigger50]

I still find the WY website alittle confusing after 12 trips to this great state. I think its kinda funny when u pull up the hunting regs for a select species...u get this old-fashioned hand-typed document that looks like it has been scanned in to the computer. Dont hesitate to call WY G&F. They are some of the nicest folk. They will answer in seconds what might take u an hour to find on-line. I was confused be their evidence-of-sex rules alittle. The G&F lady explaind it in 30 seconds in a down-to-earth way. Dont wait to purchase your habitat stamp or archery license until u get to WY. In some areas there is only 1 store in the whole unit or county that sells licenses. And make sure that if u harvest an animal, u COMPLETELY remove the notches of the tag for day, time etc. I saw a hunter get a ticket for this. He slit the correct notch but didnt remove the entire triangle.

 

[Trigger50]

Almost all the leftover tag available are in units w almost no public land. Trespass fee would be your best option. If you are willing to harvest a couple does, u can prob find a ranch. But this is alittle short notice for this yr. Start doing your research now for next yr. Buy a preference point in Aug for next yr. The research can be fun.