Wyoming Elk 2023

[vandeman17]

What was the last update on increases? wasn't the big increases for the special draw only? Regular draw is the same cost. Other than non-resident availability going down the tank to residents and outfitters.

Correct and with that increase, it is probable that more guys will enter the regular draw, me included given that special will be close to $2k just for an elk tag. Add to that if they pass the 10% non resident cap it will get tough to draw anything

[Pathfinder101]

What was the last update on increases? wasn't the big increases for the special draw only? Regular draw is the same cost. Other than non-resident availability going down the tank to residents and outfitters.

Correct and with that increase, it is probable that more guys will enter the regular draw, me included given that special will be close to $2k just for an elk tag. Add to that if they pass the 10% non resident cap it will get tough to draw anything

The latest update is that Randy Newberg just did a segment on Youtube saying that the legislature is going to pass this, and burn your points this year if you can. 

[vandeman17]

What was the last update on increases? wasn't the big increases for the special draw only? Regular draw is the same cost. Other than non-resident availability going down the tank to residents and outfitters.

Correct and with that increase, it is probable that more guys will enter the regular draw, me included given that special will be close to $2k just for an elk tag. Add to that if they pass the 10% non resident cap it will get tough to draw anything

The latest update is that Randy Newberg just did a segment on Youtube saying that the legislature is going to pass this, and burn your points this year if you can.

I watched his piece this weekend and it is really informative. It is funny that through all his platforms, he very very very rarely mentions hunting in Washington or gives any tips on it 

[D-Rock425]

Lots of good units in the 8-12 range gents. Get to hunting! For some weird reason my daughter really wants to shoot a bull so I'm likely gonna sacrifice all my points to float us on some general tags. Still trying to figure out where I failed as a father 

this makes me oh so happy.   

[Jpmiller]

What was the last update on increases? wasn't the big increases for the special draw only? Regular draw is the same cost. Other than non-resident availability going down the tank to residents and outfitters.

Correct and with that increase, it is probable that more guys will enter the regular draw, me included given that special will be close to $2k just for an elk tag. Add to that if they pass the 10% non resident cap it will get tough to draw anything

The latest update is that Randy Newberg just did a segment on Youtube saying that the legislature is going to pass this, and burn your points this year if you can.

I watched his piece this weekend and it is really informative. It is funny that through all his platforms, he very very very rarely mentions hunting in Washington or gives any tips on it 

That's how you know he's a credible source

[dvolmer]

Nothing I have studied more in the last 3 years than Wyoming elk options and odds.  Two years ago I had 10 points and did a partner application with my buddy that had 9 points and missed it by half a point in the special.  Last year i applied with my 11 points with a buddy that had 11 also.  We barely missed again in the special with 33% of the guys with 11 points getting tags but nothing for us.  For the same unit in the normal (cheaper) draw we would have drawn 100%.  Crazy stuff!!!  Problem is that if you are in the 9-12 point option, the tag options can be very volatile.  This is due to a lot of the areas that you have a chance to draw have small quotas.  For instance, If you are applying for a unit that has 9 regular tags and 6 special tags it can be very up and down compared to a unit like 7 that has a huge tag quotas and the special and normal tag numbers are large enough to normalize an average that you can somewhat rely on for consistent results.  Never know when that guy or group of guys with 13 points will jump in and totally screw up the average you have been watching for.  One thing to count on is that it will take one to one and a half more points to draw most tags than it did last year.  This year with the changes it's a "Who Knows" and point creep might be much more than that! 

There was a unit that I really wanted to draw but I was always a point behind in the special and two points behind in the normal so I applied for the unit I have been trying to get for the last two years and barely missing.  This last year Point Creep reversed in this unit and I could have drawn the normal or the special tag last year if I would have applied for it.  Another guy on this forum drew that unit a few years back and shot a nice bull.  So weird things can happen no matter how much studying the draw odds you do from year to year.  Also when something like this happens, don't count on it happening again the following year because a lot of people are following it closely and will try to jump on a unit that happened to go low the year before.

In most instances, no matter how many points you are sitting on, you have the best odds at drawing a unit now then in the future.  Only 20% of the guys buying points are actually applying for tags.  That is 80% of guys sitting on their points.  Changes in the system like we are seeing will bring more of the sitters out of the closet and applying for tags.  If just 30% of the point buyers applied this year instead of 20% it would blow all of the research and odds out of the water with massive point creep in just one year.  In my personal opinion (and it isn't worth much) I don't think that 90/10 is coming to elk/deer/antelope anytime soon if ever in Wyoming.  It was shot down hard by the task force.  Fee increases will be coming for sure and they will continue to go higher.  Special is going up this next year but regular will follow.  They are also looking at changing the quota distribution from 60% normal and 40% special to a 50/50 split.  There is some talk also of getting rid of special and normal and going to one tag price only but that is a ways away if it happens at all.  Good luck to you all!  I am hoping that third times the charm for me but with my luck it probably wont!

[trophyhunt]

Good on you for studying Wyoming draws, it's the most complicated system to learn out there i swear.  I put in for a general tag last year with a buddy, he's bringing me down, averaged 2.5 points, will be 3.5 this year.  Last year 3.5 would have drawn, prob not this year???  Anyway, the local I know who hunts the unit we put in for has never seen so many camps and horse trailers than he saw last season.  It's just all depressing  .   Good luck this next year guys.

[Stein]

We'll apply for something with a good chance to draw, I'm just not sure if that will be deer, elk or antelope though.

[Craig]

I will be in with max points. Not sure what unit yet.

[dvolmer]

Here is an option for all of you hard core elk hunters.  You want to hunt Wyoming every year for bulls?  There is a way to do it and not only is there a way, it is in unit 7 that is known for great elk hunting.

Put in your first choice for whatever area you have been wanting to hunt with your points you currently have.  in your second choice, put in unit 007-2.  This hunt is a bull hunt in unit 7 that has a restriction of at least one antler side having 5 points or less.  you can shoot a rag horn bull or a big 5 point.  You can shoot a 5x6 if you find one.  There were a total of 40 regular and 18 special NR 007-2 tags last year and not one was applied for in the first round drawing.  For the last 3 years since the 007-2 was created they have been sold in the leftover drawing and over the counter.  There is one thing that makes the hunt a little bit challenging, is the season is from Nov 21 thru Dec 31 so it is a late hunt and weather could be a challenge.  If you put in for this you will draw it every year and it wont cost you any of your first choice points.  You can also apply for one of the Reduced Price antler-less tags and you have roughly a 50% chance of drawing a cow tag in unit 7.  this would give you a cow and a bull tag in your pocket that you can use.

Now i don't normally post specific unit hunts on the forum but felt this should be put out there because NO one is doing it and the tags are there for the taking.  Just an option if you feel your never going to draw.  Most guys that draw the general tag would be tickled to come home from Wyoming with a nice 5 point and this is the kind of bull that you shoot in most general areas with an average area having about a 20-30% harvest rate of success.  it takes 4 years of waiting to draw a general tag.  You could go every year with 007-2 and it will cost you no points and is obtainable every year in the cheaper regular draw as a second choice.  Once again, a second choice draw does not zero out your points.  Just something to think about.

[cem3434]

Have you ever done this hunt dvolmer?

[dvolmer]

Have you ever done this hunt dvolmer?

I haven’t. I just fell upon it in my studying and research. It intrigues me but I am leery of the weather traveling from Washington to Wyoming in late November but I am seriously considering it in the future.  The hunt is consolidated to one county in unit 7 but it looks like that county is in some good elk country.  I think the hunt has only been going on for 3 years now. First year it was 4 point or smaller. The last two years they have raised that to 5 point or smaller.

[bobcat]

Lots of private in area 7 and with the late season, snow could make it difficult to access the small amount of public land there is. Could still be a decent hunt, I just think that's the issue and the reason it's an easier draw.

[Skyvalhunter]

Where would you put in for then?

[Chesapeake]

Talking about specific units or even general units will just cause issues. Same as Gohunt, Top rut, ect… Just like when Eastmans would put out their info calling a unit a top draw, or the Washington hunting news magazine would put out an article about a good High buck trail head.

Lose lips sink ships.