WY Game and Fish wants your thoughts on the preference point system (Moose and Sheep)

[BuzzH]

Why not just make moose and sheep once in a lifetime and for residents only and NR cannot even apply, heck just do that for the big 5....here again, I don't apply for the big 5 at all

Moose, sheep, goat, bison and grizzly already are once in a lifetime, retroactive to 5 years ago.

I'm done with sheep, was able to apply for bull moose since I drew in 2015...and got lucky and drew a random tag this year.

I'm 100% out of the game for bull moose and bighorn rams going forward. I won't ever apply for a ewe tag, but may apply again for cow moose, we'll see.

 

[BuzzH]

I actually love this idea. Forces you to just apply for where the hell you want to hunt rather than building points hoping to snag a tag for the "glorified unit" that you know nothing about rather than just heading out and hunting. I think this really would solve a lot of dismal odds and point creep. Doesn't change opportunity, just the perception of it.

Sounds great by theory, what happens when your sheep area you picked has a die-off and no ram tags available any longer?

 

[BuzzH]

Rhubarb plowing going both ways...

I bet a majority commenting/whining/complaining don't even apply for moose and sheep in Wyoming. Most are thinking this change will apply to elk, deer, pronghorn and want the NR from CO to get off their lawn... which this won't effect at all, and the lawn doesn't belong to WY and the people who are apparently the issue aren't even hunters... sooooooo

I don't care what NR's do in regard to deer, elk, and pronghorn...the thread is about moose and sheep only.

Preference system is staying in place as is for NR DEP.

 

[Buschy]

What payout might those be?

I'll list all the tags I've drawn with preference points:

1. Moose tag in Wyoming
2. Sheep tag in Wyoming
3. Arizona bull elk x2
4. Coues deer x2
5. Colorado Deer x1

Here's the list with "bonus points"

1. Missouri breaks bull rifle tag in Montana
2. Special deer permit in Montana.

Here's the list of tags I've drawn Random:

1. Missouri breaks bull rifle tag
2. Desert Sheep Arizona
3. Second WY bull moose
4. Goat in Montana
5. Moose in Montana
6. Oryx in New Mexico
7. Arizona bull tag x2
8. New Mexico pronghorn
9. AZ coues deer x3
10. Muskox in Alaska
11. Every other tag I've ever drawn in my life.

That's 22 decent tags for several hundred applications over 41 years...shit odds to be sure and I don't know how I'm supposed to feel "special" about that. It's a lot of work for little "pay out"...damn little.

In other words, the point systems you're bitching about have done me very little good. A vast majority of my tags were either drawn random...only 7 tags in my entire time of hunting in 41 years were a result of a preference point system, 2 supposedly as a result of bonus points. Not one is close to the best available tags for the species/States I've drawn. The point systems aren't your problem, applying not smartly is.

What you're pissed about is not the point system, you're wanting little johnnie to get tags in their first few years, that I've spent 41 years to draw. The way you get to hunt is to apply for tags with good odds and also apply for lots of stuff for lots of years. Most won't do it...like most things that are hard. Sorry Charlie, there is no "easy" button to push to draw tags. Its apply like everyone else and quit complaining.

Its the instant gratification crowd mentality and you're displaying it.

If you, your kids or any new hunter isn't hunting multiple tags in multiple states each year...go look in the mirror and quit blaming your woes on a point system. What areas did you apply your kids for in the leftover Wyoming Draw? Leftover Colorado draw?

Quit cryin'...start applyin'.

The last four paragraphs of Buzz's post are SOOOOOO true. I have said many times over the last few years that there is a ridiculous amount of hunting opportunity for many species with OTC, 0-2 point draw and leftover list tags in the western states. If you are chasing glory tags and not taking advantage of the endless opportunities available, it seems it is a personal problem. People who want to hunt, have lots of opportunity to hunt!

I have also mentioned this a time or two in the past. A person can always move to a western state and have more hunting opportunities. I have lived in ND, MT, AK, and CO currently. I will likely retire in WY or SD. This is by design and for hunting opportunities. I have sacrificed a lot to do what I love (career choices and salary for sure) and don't regret any of it.

Opportunities and choices abound for everyone.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Sounds great by theory, what happens when your sheep area you picked has a die-off and no ram tags available any longer?

Someone is going to get the raw end of that deal either way. Under current PP system those high PP holders move to different units and push out others that prior to die off would have been a tag holder. This just shifts who gets the shitty end of the stick.

 

[seeth07]

Someone is going to get the raw end of that deal either way. Under current PP system those high PP holders move to different units and push out others that prior to die off would have been a tag holder. This just shifts who gets the shitty end of the stick.

Yup agree. I do understand and get @BuzzH point and well taken. Maybe could put something in like if your unit experiences a tag drop of over 50% in a 5 year span, you become eligible to switch your unit pp.

No sense in harping on the details. I just think that it is a very interesting idea and potentially one that could possibly solve the issue of point creep as a result of increased demand and decreased supply

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I had forgotten about the 50% random 50% preference idea that was out there early in the process. I wouldn’t mind that a bit. One of the only iterations that is worth much for kids coming up.

I do wish the Taskforce spent as much time working on potential access solutions as they did hashing and re-hashing points and allocations. The access agenda item doesn’t get much airtime.

 

[WapitiBob]

This task force was destined to be a chit show from day one; too many members and not enough knowledge of the subject matter. Add in that nobody joins these things without an agenda.