Wyoming Wildlife magazine - 37

Five of the best Game
and Fish resources to
plan your hunt
The Wyoming Hunt Planner - Considered the onestop place for hunting information with interactive
maps of all big game hunt areas that show important
information like land status and roads. With different
map layers, you also can see land and water features.
Each map has overlays for other game species to
help plan multiple hunts at one time. The maps are
available to download and use on your phone like a
GPS even without cell phone reception, all for free.
Other features include licensing information, drawing
odds, hunt area information, harvest details specific
to each hunt area.
VISIT: wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Hunt-Planner
Drawing odds - Review historic data that helps you
determine your chances of drawing a license. Drawing
odds detail the number of applicants, preference
points required and random-draw chances.
Known as the definitive tool for researching big game hunts, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's Hunt Planner has interactive
features specific to each species' hunt area. (Photo by Justin Joiner/WGFD)

your residency. You'll begin to notice where
your drawing odds are better and where you
need to keep saving preference points.
This is key: If there isn't a 100 percent chance
of drawing a license with the first-choice, there
is no chance to draw it on the second or the
third choice. Putting an area second or third
choice with zero odds of drawing gives no
benefit to your application. Similarly, putting
the same area for first, second and third choice
doesn't improve your chance at a license.

Q: Some residents are unsuccessful each year
drawing their target hunt area. Why is that?
JD: In some of Wyoming's hunt areas,
resident demand for licenses is very high. All
the resident draws are random so everyone
has the same chance. We often have applicants who are unsuccessful frequently simply
because the competition is so high for some
areas, with many hunters vying for a license.
I really encourage residents to look at
the drawing odds. Keep applying for your
coveted, hard-to-draw areas. It's always worth
a try. But, make sure your second and third
choices are areas with a 100 percent chance
of drawing on a first choice so you have the
best chance at drawing a license for the year.
There are many hunt areas in Wyoming that

you can draw on a second or third choice.
Residents also can purchase a general elk
license and have many opportunities to hunt
on that license.
How can I avoid common elk application
mistakes?
JD: Check your hunt areas and types before
submitting. Remember there are different
types within full and reduced-price licenses,
and for nonresidents a special and regular
draw. Once submitted, you can't switch
between full and reduced-price types and
draws. If hunters need to change, you'd have
to withdraw the application, submit another
and wait until after the draw for a refund.
Make sure you complete your application
and submit payment. Sometimes hunters will
put applications in their cart, but don't finalize
with a payment. Other times, the payment is
declined or incomplete. Hunters will know
their application is paid for and complete.
Immediately following submission and payment you will get a receipt on your internet
browser from Game and Fish. Save the receipt
for your records.
Finally, don't wait until the last minute to
apply. Submit your application early so if you
run into trouble we can help.

VISIT: wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Drawing-Odds
Harvest reports - Harvest reports give an overview
of past hunter's efforts to harvest. Learn how many
days it took in your target hunt area for others to bag
your chosen big game species and the percentage of
overall harvest.
VISIT: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Harvest-Reports
Job Completion reports - These detail population
trends, herd information and other biological background information. Compiled by biologists annually,
it's a good place to learn more about what's happening
on-the-ground.
VISIT: wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Job-Completion-Reports
Game and Fish experts - Calling a biologist, game
warden, regional office or the licensing telephone
information center can help answer questions before
submitting an application. Call early; the day or two
before an application deadline is busy.
VISIT: wgfd.wyo.gov/about-us/contact-us

-Sara DiRienzo is the Wyoming Game and Fish
Department public information officer.

Wyoming Wildlife | 37

http://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Hunt-Planner http://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Drawing-Odds https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Harvest-Reports http://wgfd.wyo.gov/Hunting/Job-Completion-Reports http://wgfd.wyo.gov/about-us/contact-us

Wyoming Wildlife magazine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wyoming Wildlife magazine