Also I will not be resident for the draw, but will be a resident by the hunt. Thus I can hunt the wilderness areas. However I am not set up for wilderness hunts very well and prefer to hunt with my family as more of a weekend warrior.
Also not interested in general simply because I will be able to hunt it every year. Want to avoid Type 9 tags as I will not have much time off next fall, so need a type 1 tag with archery option (even 1/2 of September).
I kind of prefer open sage and pinon juniper, but not opposed to a forest hunt with decent access... So here are my list I compiled:
Units I will draw solo with hunt type and notes: Unit 1 - Small Unit a long ways away from my home lots of public lands. Unit 24 - Larger Unit good size and good access. Really close to home (in fact could hunt after work in evening for 3 hours before dark)
Unit 38 Type 9 - Long ways from home. Could Hunt weekends and likely only get a couple 4 day weekends in... No later season tag option
Unit 53 type 9 - Good Distance from home, Bears, Can hunt Wilderness, but seems like a unit that would need horses
UNit 54 Type 9 - Same as 53
UNit 61 type 1 - Closer to home, good access wilderness option and longer season Unit 63 type 1 - THis is closer to home and seems to be a good unit. The season dates for rifle are during my fall break thus I would have 17 days straight to hunt. Wilderness area might need horses?
Unit 118 - Wide open desert. Have access to 2 ranches if needed (possibly 3) and can pay tress pass on 4th. Not impressed with bull quality but there would be almost no other hunters at all and some elk to hunt. Unit 120 - Nothing known about this unit other than it is all checker board...
Any others to consider?
So with my wife we can combine and have 9 point average Unit 7 Type 1- Tricky access and away from home no real extra time off work Unit 11 Type 1 - Smaller unit not too far from home. Would have 2 weeks off to hunt rifle season UNit 19 - Right out of Casper, tricky access not to far from home but really chunked up, 2 weeks off to hunt
UNit 23 - Still pretty chunked up, not too far from home, 2 weeks off in October, also has late cow season
Unit 40 type 9 - Not sure we can give a full hunt as we should
Unit 45 type 1 - Archery season but no extra time off hunt from Oct 15- Nov 4th
UNit 51 type 1 - No archery option but would have 2 weeks off in October early. Rifle hunt in the rut?
Unit 78 type 1 - Not sure I want to be around Jackson area???
So if we applied my daughter wife and i together we would have 6.5 Unit 11 (30% odds)
Unit 25/27 - Really close to home hunt after school and work. Has everything from wilderness to desert. 2 whole months with archery and any elk
Unit 33 type 1
Unit 34 tpye 1
UNit 35 tpye 1
UNit 40 Type 1
Unit 48 Type 1
Unit 93 Type 1
I could do my daughter solo in unit 98 type 1 and have a nice long season close to home
The list is huge and overwhelming. Anyone have any ideas on the top 2-3 options? What would you scratch off the list immediately? I am going to be a resident so not interested in spliting points for a general tag, but if you have points that will not adjust us down and we can pick you up we can talk.
Good luck, Robb
I know type 9 is the archery tag, I am opening to archery, but am hoping to find a hunt that would allow us to hunt the last week of archery then got rifle Oct 1-15. Ultimately I have the first 2 weeks of October off but almost no extra time off for September. Thus my want to avoid type 9, but if the type 9 is the best option let me know.
As for my chances to draw. Some are a bit of a scratch. however the majority of the list is pretty solid.
My wife and daughter could also point split and have 3.5... But not sure that get them a whole lot.
I am leaning towards 63 type 1 for me and just letting wife and daughter hunter general or a 64 type 4???
Also leaning to wards 25/27 type 1 for all 3.
I am also short listing 45 type one shared wife and I and using my daughters points to get a cow tag?
The list is huge but with some help I am narrowing it down...
A friend of mine was in your place last year, ton of points, point creep got him and didn’t draw. Don’t be that guy.
I would not worry about your daughter. She has her whole life ahead of her and will be a WY resident etc. I would get her a cow tag that didn't interfere with anything else.
But you have a few months to figure out those details. The WGF would be the first place Id ask those questions
Sigh it is not an easy decision. Once we become residents I know exactly what we will be doing. Just hate to waste all the points. Good news we already know what we are doing with antelope points. And we do not have deer points because we like the general deer.
1.) Since this is the last year your PP's will be of any value, as others have mentioned, I'd only apply for an area that I knew my odds of drawing were 100%.
2.) As cnelk points out, if you decide to go into a wilderness area, you'll be a resident with a NR license. Once you become a resident (for hunting purposes), I'd go to the closest G&F office with the documentation proving you are indeed a legal resident. I'd get a dated and signed statement from them saying as much. Could save you time and headaches later.
3.) Check season dates before you decide. You say you only have the first 2 weeks of October off, but a few of the areas you listed don't open till the 9th, and many don't open till the 15th.
4.) Now for the really important one...since you're going to be a resident, ya gotta learn the lingo. Wyoming doesn't have units, we have areas! ;-)
I learned something new today!
MANY years ago when I moved back to Wyoming, I went into the G&F office and referred to them as Wyoming Fish & Game. The clerk gruffly told me it was Wyoming Game & Fish, thank you very much!!!
I learned something new that day as well! lol!
get them a bull as a resident.
