Bob33 Where Are You?

[fair-chase]

Ok, this could be for anyone familiar with WY hunts. Bob33 is just who comes to mind as the resident guru on WY Antelope.

Wanting to find resources and planning information other than www.wgfd.wyo.gov to research Antelope hunting in Wyoming. Apparently I have graduated from the WDFW school of regulatory reeducation and can no longer comprehend any other states guidelines and application procedures.  Is there a WY hunting for dummies book? Unfortunately I tossed the last printed version I had of there regs. I think it was for 2010. Anyways, they refuse to send out any more hard copies and I am lost at deciphering their information via the interwebs. Below (in no specific order) are a few of the things I'm looking for...

Priorities:
1. Season dates between September 10th and 20th
2. Opportunity to fill multiple tags, the more the merrier. Not concerned with trophy quality.
3. Multiple species. Would be nice to have a mule deer buck tag as well.
4. Unguided, public land or block management
5. Foothills or at least partially woodland terrain. No scablands or sand dunes.
6. Obviously no wilderness areas as this is unguided.
7. Mass quantities of game. 

Not looking for your honey holes. Ok, that was a lie.    But I will settle for a region, unit, or hunt number. 

[JackOfAllTrades]

Send him a PM.. I'm sure he'll helpfull..
 
-Steve

[provider]

Ya Bob33, me too.  Tell us right where to go and how to do it.

[h20hunter]

Don't think Bob has a problem at all telling you where to go....

[fair-chase]

   What!?!? Who ever herd of a hunter keeping his honey holes a secret? 




I don't need a place to go. I just need help understanding the regulations, draw system, and regional differences so I can narrow it down. The WGFD website is information overload and confusing. I guess my sarcasm font wasn't working when I posted the rest.  No worries.

[Bob33]

Wow - a post with my name in it. I've made the big time.

I will try to put together some general information on Wyoming and post it here shortly.

The first deadline is January 31 for elk applications. The spring deer and antelope permit application deadline is March 15.

Antelope dates: http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/hunting-1001085.aspx
Deer: http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/hunting-1001137.aspx
Elk: http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/hunting-1001118.aspx


Thanks.

[fair-chase]

Thanks Bob. I really appreciate it. 

One of the many things I'm struggling with is the difference between the "random draw" and the "preference draw". Are these two separate drawings? Also, is it worth it to put in for the reduced price doe/fawn drawings, or are there enough leftover tags to go around?

[Bob33]

Thanks Bob. I really appreciate it. 

One of the many things I'm struggling with is the difference between the "random draw" and the "preference draw". Are these two separate drawings? Also, is it worth it to put in for the reduced price doe/fawn drawings, or are there enough leftover tags to go around?

I'll try to answer these now. Wyoming has a preference point system whereby if you apply and do not draw a first choice hunt, you accrue one point. You may also purchase a point.

In essence, everyone in Wyoming has one or more points.

The "Prefence Points" draw is run first. Applicants with more points have a greater chance of being drawn, but are not necessarily guaranteed to draw.  Seventy five percent of non-resident permits go to the applicants with the most points. For example, assume there is a unit with 100 permits. Seventy-five will go to those with the most points; the other 25 go to the "random draw". Assume there are 50 applicants with four points, and 10 with three points, and 10 with two points. The 50 get permits first, leaving 25. The 10 with three points get permits, leaving 15. The 10 with two points get permits, leaving five in the preference point draw. Since there are no more "with most points" applicants left, the remaining five go into the random draw along with the initial 25. There are 30 permits in the random draw. All applicants that did not draw in the preference point are automatically put in the random draw.

To complicate matters a bit, Wyoming also has a "Special" permit category for deer, elk, and antelope. These are a separate group of permits available to applicants who will pay more if drawn. For example, a regular non-resident buck antelope license costs $272, while a special license costs $512. In most instances the odds of drawing a special permit are better, because there are fewer applicants willing to spend more.  You need to look carefully at odds of drawing to see how much better the special license odds are, if you are interested.
Here's a link to the 2012 draw odds. Note there are several categories for each specie.  Hopefull they make a bit more sense now. http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/hunting-1000590.aspx

Second question: using antelope as an example, you can apply for up to two reduced price doe/fawn licenses in the Spring draw (March 15 deadline). All licenses that are not sold in the Spring draw go into the "Leftover" pool which go on sale in July on a first-come, first served basis.  A hunter may purchase up to four doe/fawn licenses each season. If you apply for and draw two in the Spring draw, you can purchase two more from the Leftover pool. If you do not draw in the Spring draw, you can purchase up to four from the leftover pool.  The advantage of applying in the Spring is that you have a better chance of getting licenses in your desired area. It is entirely possible that all available permits for a certain unit will be sold in the Spring draw, and none will be available in the leftover pool. Most units have at least some leftover doe/fawn antelope licenses, but not all do. Also, note that leftover "any antelope" tags are available in many units as well.

The three primary factors that determine where to apply in Wyoming are areas with: (1) good antelope numbers, (2) good access, and (3) available licenses / draw odds. What that means is that areas with good antelope numbers and lots of public land will have extremely low draw odds. Areas with high antelope numbers and little public land will have very good draw odds (100% in several instances.)

I've been able to hunt public land for many years and find antelope without too much difficulty. Two years ago I shot a 16" buck that was within 150 yards of a major interstate highway.

There are some tricks to the trade.

[fair-chase]

I can't thank you enough Bob. That made it much easier to understand. 

[Bob33]

Here are two maps of Wyoming to ponder. Yellow areas are BLM (public). Blue areas are state land (public.) White areas are private.

The first map gives a general sense of how much public land there is in Wyoming. The second map shows a closer view of what you might typically encounter in many areas: a checkerboard of public and private lands.