Wyoming Moose tag?

[Dirty Steve]

I'm wrestling with this and am looking for some input from others. Right now I am sitting on 12 PP's. I would ultimately like to hunt unit 38, but I don't know if I'll ever obtain enough points to draw it. Looking at the totals for PP's on the Game and Fish web page, it looks like I am in a pretty substantial group of point holders with 11-13 points. I am wondering, based on the number of point holders at about the same number as I if I even have a realistic expectation of ever accumulating enough points to draw 38. I realize anyone can get lucky once with a lesser number of points (my hunting partner drew both moose and bighorn in the same year many years ago), but I'm not that guy. My options are obvious, continue buying points hoping I can get there sometime in the next 10 years, or burn the points now on a lesser area resigning myself to the fact that I'll never draw the tag.

Interested in your thoughts. I'd hate to burn the points and regret it. By the same token, I'd hate to keep playing the PP game and just end up making a donation to Wyoming until the day I can't physically do the hunt. As a side note, I'm 48 now and in excellent physical shape and hope to continue to be.

Dirty Steve

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

Heya... I'm 48 for a few more days and in great physical condition for my years. I hear you on wanting to hold out for something you want, however, I'm taking my wife to the hospital as soon as she wakes up. She will not make it through the weekend with her current fluid and nutrition intake. So... I guess what I'm saying is that you never know what tomorrow will bring. Last week I would have never dreamed that I'd be sitting here typing something like this, waiting to take my wife in.

Live for each day and appreciate this moment. I say don't sit waiting around for something that may or may not happen. Go make something happen and have a hell of a good time doing it.

 

[HARPERC]

I'm in a similar position with points, but a decade older. My thought would be take it year by year. Some years will look good others not so much.

This year was points only for me. My hunting partner is starting over in a new job, and has no vacation time.

Try not to let the state getting a free ride factor into your thinking. This is how the game is played these days.

 

[gillettehunter]

Better hunt areas are hard to draw. Just have to be persistent and lucky. All you can do is keep applying. Good luck. Bruce

 

[wyowinchester]

Some of the "easier" draw areas are because the moose numbers have been reduced by government idiots.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Since when did wolves that have taken out a lot of moose become Government employees?

For you guys that have enough PPs to draw any unit I would be looking at cashing them in ASAP. There is a Bill that will be introduced shortly when the Legislature convenes that will require the G&F to cut the NR tags for sheep, moose, goats, and Bison by 50% such that the present 80/20 split will go to 90/10. Odds are pretty good that it will pass because many residents feel Wyoming needs to come down in tag numbers for NRs like most of the western states have been for a long time. The only group that will fight this is the Outfitters & Guide Association for obvious reasons. If this Bill passes, the cuts would take effect for the 2016 draw, so some of you have some real thinking to do now and should watch closely to see if the Bill passes. If it does pass, it has the potential to put most of the PP holders that aren't in the top two pools right out of a chance for a tag in their lifetime.

 

[c-ne-elk]

Dirty Steve,
Have you thought about hunting another area? I was in a similar position as you and decided to try another area and was glad that I did. I drew a unit 3 moose permit and hunted with Terry Pollard with Bald Mountain Outfitters out of Pinedale and had a great hunt and shot a Booner moose. Terry consistently kills huge moose every year, the Pinedale herd to date has not had a wolf problem. Something to think about, you would probably be able to draw a tag in either unit 3, 4 or 5, the units he moose hunts in.
Shoot me a PM if you want more info.

 

[c-ne-elk]

One of the things I thought about and you should too is the age -vs- tag dilemma.

You said you are 48 years old right now. That means you will probably be 49 years old if you hunt this year. Once you draw a moose tag you cannot apply for a preference point for 5 years. By then it will probably take 15 points for you to draw if not more. 49 + 5 +15 = 69 years old before you could draw again.

Spend your points wisely! Will likely be your Wyoming Moose Hunt of your lifetime.

 

[Dirty Steve]

I had considered applying for those units but figured I didn't have enough points to draw those either. How many points did you have when you drew?

I know this will be a once in a lifetime draw for me and that was why I was considering holding out. My hunting partner is 14 years my senior and has already drawn (and killed) 3 moose. He is sitting on one less point than I am now and knows for sure it will be his last moose hunt.

I am concerned though that if the proposed legislation passes limiting NR tags that I never will draw.

Dirty Steve

 

[wyosteve]

I haven't looked at the non-resident drawing odds, but my .02 would be to find another area and use the points. Right now, the maximum point holders have 19 pts. (20) if you count 2015. This puts you below max. pts. by 6 which equates to a lot of hunters before you who would have to exhaust their points before you would have a chance. I currently have 13 resident moose pts. and doubt that I'll ever draw a bull tag. I'm not complaining since I've already had 2 Wyo. bull tags and got nice bulls, so I will likely use my pts. for a cow just so I can go moose hunting again. Unit 38 will likely become even more popular as the wolf/grizzly predation in the western part of the state takes an even greater toll than it has already. Plus, 38 has easy access so the number of applicants will always be high.

 

[Magnumitis]

Steve, you could easily cash in your points and be hunting bulls this fall. With your points, you're right in the mix for 20, 23, 24 and 25. Not quite enough for Area 26 but darn close. Those are all supposed to be decent places to hunt if you don't want to wait for the Snowies or the Bighorns. Also, considering you could draw a cow tag in 38 with 7 points last year, I highly recommend that you don't do that. Although, if you did, that would be one less person I would have to draw against.

 

[Punisher]

Heya... I'm 48 for a few more days and in great physical condition for my years. I hear you on wanting to hold out for something you want, however, I'm taking my wife to the hospital as soon as she wakes up. She will not make it through the weekend with her current fluid and nutrition intake. So... I guess what I'm saying is that you never know what tomorrow will bring. Last week I would have never dreamed that I'd be sitting here typing something like this, waiting to take my wife in.

Live for each day and appreciate this moment. I say don't sit waiting around for something that may or may not happen. Go make something happen and have a hell of a good time doing it.

That is the truth! I am in the same boat with moose, sheep, mountain goat and Utah mule deer. One day, I will get lucky and get one of those tags.