I am going to help him we both live in Ohio. We booked flights, hotel and rental car.
They may have to start feeding elk & bison early and likely will end the hunt Dec 31. Now I understand why, although I am not sure why they cannot close the elk refuge where the feeding is and leave the rest open.
What I do not like is my friend has been told he will not be given a tag for next year - and "might" get a refund. I remember Big Dan here when WY skipped entering him in the draw and gave him a tag, did not keep his points, and gave him a point. Seems like my buddy is not getting a fair shake.
I think he should be given a tag next year if it is cancelled. Paying for only 1 tag.
I cannot imagine the bull hunters! Again I understand this is a unique situation, and I am not happy we are both eating airfare, but I feel it is fair to assure him a hunt next year.
Input? Anyone else affected by this?
My NER hunt dates where in September so I felt the quota would not be met by then!!
Granted it was HOT and dry and the hide wasn't thick and full like it would have been in Dec/Jan.
like 'bou stated above, no doubt he will get his refund.
Robb
Ouch! Stinks!
They will have to give you your money back though - too many gov't rules for them not too. Can't keep money for services not rendered.
Very good question when they tell you up front when you apply about possible early closures for certain reasons. Those that wait and don't get to hunt are lucky if they give them their money back and no way should they get to go ahead of people next year.
My buddy had a cow tag and was scheduled to go with TagNDrag the first week of January and when this early closure deal came up Camille called him and told him he should get there ASAP, so he went last week and filled his tag the first morning out.
There's a little more to this hunt that your average big game hunt.
The season runs from 8-15 to 1-15 of the following year. Typically there are bison on the refuge for the first couple days of the season, then they get run off with a little pressure. Not a good time to go because you may not get a chance at them before they leave the refuge AND they're big animals that hold their heat and shooting one on an 80-90 degree day can spoil everything - meat, hide... They don't return to the refuge until the weather/snow moves them on again. That could be in early November or Christmas! Add to this that you have a tag in your pocket, but you have to apply for a 4 day period to hunt the refuge. You can draw 2 - 4 day periods. Each period is limited to about 25 hunters - both bison AND elk hunters. The first draw happens early with results in the summer. Then you can apply for any under subscribed hunt period; first come first served. You can then try to get a (third) short notice permit by calling up there and asking for one.
Last year there were a few killed early in the season and then virtually none until early December with sporadic movement of bison on and off the refuge. They have a 'hotline' for updated hunt info but it was a case that if you called and there were bison on the refuge, you were too late. You literally had to be there the morning they moved onto the refuge to have a chance at them. I had 8 days in the middle of December permitted on the refuge. I live a 10 hour drive from Jackson. I didn't even leave home during that period because they didn't come out of the park during that time. I was able to watch the weather and got a permit for late the first week of January. Drove up and spent 3 days looking at the herds staged just across the river from the refuge and not able to shoot one because they were in the park. The 3rd night, they crossed the river onto the refuge in the dark and I was able to get one the next morning. It was kind of a rodeo, but I was after meat and was successful.
1/4/2017 11:48:15 AM
JACKSON - The Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s wildlife managers in Jackson are initiating an early closure of the wild bison hunting season in Jackson to allow winter elk feeding operations to begin on the National Elk Refuge. The wild bison season, originally scheduled to run through January 10, 2017 will now conclude on Friday, January 6 half an hour after sunset. The early closure to the season is being implemented due to some elk leaving the Refuge and commingling with cattle. “This is a proactive effort due to concerns about the potential for elk damage on private lands and disease transmission to livestock on lands adjacent to the Refuge,” said Brad Hovinga, Jackson Region wildlife supervisor. “We recognize that this will impact some hunters who have not yet harvested an animal, and we apologize for the inconvenience to them. Some have traveled a great distance and make an important contribution to the economy. Game and Fish does have a process to refund license fees and unsuccessful wild bison hunters may qualify for a refund.” Cold temperatures coupled with crusted snow conditions have caused some elk to leave the National Elk Refuge in search of food on nearby private lands. Local wildlife managers from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and National Elk Refuge have made a joint decision to initiate feeding as soon as possible to prevent further elk from leaving the refuge. The Game and Fish Commission’s regulation related to closing the bison hunting season requires a 48-hour notification, so the soonest the season can close is Friday evening. The early closure of the bison season will not prevent managers from reaching the desired harvest goals for the population. The Jackson bison population was estimated at approximately 800 animals prior to the hunting season and hunters have harvested approximately 260 animals so far this season. That number is consistent with wildlife managers’ goals of bringing the population towards the established population objective of 500.
Too bad they had to close early, but it seemed to me that G&F did what they could to get as much of the season in as possible. Getting feed on the ground for all those elk had become high priority I'm sure. Unfortunately (maybe?) all those animals have been trained to have an unnatural food source throughout the winter.
Ahh well, it is just tough being two guys from Ohio planing, packing etc (yes I was 90% packed). I never dreamed this would happen - and no one could have predicted it hence why G&F said it was a big surprise.
