How many non-residents are dropping out of the moose points game?

DidIDraw

Active Member
Messages
703
Just wondering how many of you plan to stop buying moose points after WY increased the price of the points and license so much.

I have been sitting at one below the level that gets me into the game for any of the moose units. I'm giving some serious consideration to dropping out of the game because of the increase in cost. Maybe use the $150 to build points for other states/species that I might actually have a chance to draw.
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-17-18 AT 11:57PM (MST)[p]With the virus and wolves and bears and drought, tag numbers will never get back to levels of 20 years ago. Save your $3000 worth of points it will take to draw the least difficult unit and put it towards a hunt in Canada where you can go any year.

Plus tag, you're getting close to the actual cost to hunt in Canada.
 
I am with you there I have put in for years and now they raise the price.

I just want to hunt moose once in my life so I may have to bite the bullet and pay to go to Canada

I put in for points in three different states and it is getting expensive maybe Ill try for a cow tag and just take the meat after all I have paid for it over the years of putting in each year.
 
Fortunately for me I've been able to hunt moose twice already. Once in BC and once in UT. The BC hunt was a bust - it was inexpensive and I got what I paid for. The UT hunt was really good. Feeling more and more like it is a good time to cut bait and focus on another species to hunt.

I think I'm into the points about $1,200 or so (seems like they were $75 early on and then moved to $100). If it takes another 10 years to draw a tag that's another $1,500 plus the cost of the tag which may very well be $2,500+ by the time I draw. That makes a $5,200+ moose hunt (and likely a lower tier unit at that).
 
Very few people will drop out and the cost increase will have no significant impact on drawing odds. You may see some with 0-12 points jumping ship but that really does not help you. I have enough points to hope for a tag down the road - maybe claim residency in Wyoming for a year or two down the road. I am blown away by the number of people that get into the game each year. The reality is that many of us will never use the large number of points we are accumulating (Utah moose, Wyoming moose, all the sheep tags, etc.). I know you are hoping that enough people will drop out to add value to your points - not going to happen. Moose numbers continue to decline and there is little reason to think that is going to change. I am more concerned about the reduction in moose numbers/tags than the cost of the points. That is part of the reason I do not have heartburn about the cost of the points - if it is used to help with enforcement, habitat development, etc. I can live calling it a donation that may generate a tag someday.

Remember all the non-residents that were going to stop applying in New Mexico when the tag allocation was changed and you had to purchase a license, etc. - applications have increased. Frankly they could double the cost of the licenses and it would have almost no significant impact.
 
Sorry I should have added that the sensible thing to do is use that moose point money to build points for other opportunities. For anyone that is thinking about buying their first moose point in Wyoming you would be a fool to do so.
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-20-18 AT 11:23AM (MST)[p]Was lucky to have enough points to draw and bail on that system about 5 years ago. Even at their $75/year rate not worth it to me.
I go on too many hunts for my age anyway. Too many points elsewhere. Same for sheep. Dumped my 8 points when they jacked donation to $100. Now worse. For a tag I'd never draw on the preference side. No regrets.
 
Add another species I dont apply for in Wyoming anymore. Sheep and moose. Its not necessarily the cost, its the preference point game that cant be won unless you have max. Makes it an easy decision.
 
I'm starting to wonder if the WG&F is shooting themselves in the foot with the increase in the license fees and pref pts prices? What happens 5 to 10 years from now when more and more nonres drop out of the draw game? Would the WG&F be better off in the long run if they would have left pref pt prices lower with more guys applying?

I saw the writing on the wall with Wyo moose and sheep many years ago. The increase in wolves/grizz in Wyo has taken it's toll on moose numbers and the demand for high demand tags has dramatically increased. I'm guessing that more and more hunters with low pref pts will rapidly give up? The guide in wilderness law for nonres has made guided sheep hunts nearly impossible for the average Joe nonres to afford ($14,000+). The guides and outfitters are loving it though!

I hope this isn't a sign of the future in Wyo and throughout the West!
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-21-18 AT 07:58PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Oct-21-18 AT 07:54?PM (MST)

I'm trying to decide if its worth it also. I've got 13 points and it appears there are appx. 2200 non residents with 14+ points. I don't see how there's is a chance for me to draw in the next 25 years given the decline in moose numbers and the predator problems. I wish I'd had the foresight to realize what the wolves would have done to tag quotas before I started buying points 13 years ago. I ought to drop out of the point game for moose and use the money to purchase Super tags. I'm betting the odds of drawing a super tag is much greater than me ever drawing a moose tag.
 
So....I have 12 points, and I just bought my 13th deer, moose, and sheep point.

We're all agreeing that the chances of me drawing a moose or sheep tag in the next 10 years is nil?....very remote?

I burned my max elk points 2 years ago and had a DIY hunt of my lifetime.

I am 45. I figure I have 10 more years of "excellent shape", and then 10 more years of "good shape"....and then knows what to expect once I'm 65.


Thoughts?
 
>LAST EDITED ON Oct-21-18
>AT 07:58?PM (MST)

>
>LAST EDITED ON Oct-21-18
>AT 07:54?PM (MST)

>
>I'm trying to decide if its
>worth it also. I've got
>13 points and it appears
>there are appx. 2200 non
>residents with 14+ points. I
>don't see how there's is
>a chance for me to
>draw in the next 25
>years given the decline in
>moose numbers and the predator
>problems. I wish I'd had
>the foresight to realize what
>the wolves would have done
>to tag quotas before I
>started buying points 13 years
>ago. I ought to drop
>out of the point game
>for moose and use the
>money to purchase Super tags.
>I'm betting the odds of
>drawing a super tag is
>much greater than me ever
>drawing a moose tag.



I'm lazy, how many total tags are given out per year?
 
I am staying in for another year or two. Not sure I will ever draw but I sure would love to hunt shiras moose one time. Have 15 points so may never draw.
 
I think you just hit the nail on the head: Take my 13, 14, or 15 points and look at the areas I can draw, and then pour every ounce of time, energy, and money (to a certain extent), on finding the best guide or trespass lease/fee and just go kill a decent mid-sized bull and be done with it. Nothing for the wall, but a great hunt for a pile of fresh meat. Then the whole WY moose thing is over with.
 
I drew a moose tag this year after 18 years. With the price increase and point creep, I am sure glad I did. Like rmanwill, I would have probably stayed in had I not drawn.
 
>Very few people will drop out
>and the cost increase will
>have no significant impact on
>drawing odds. You may see
>some with 0-12 points jumping
>ship but that really does
>not help you. I have
>enough points to hope for
>a tag down the road
>- maybe claim residency in
>Wyoming for a year or
>two down the road. I
>am blown away by the
>number of people that get
>into the game each year.
>The reality is that many
>of us will never use
>the large number of points
>we are accumulating (Utah moose,
>Wyoming moose, all the sheep
>tags, etc.). I know you
>are hoping that enough people
>will drop out to add
>value to your points -
>not going to happen. Moose
>numbers continue to decline and
>there is little reason to
>think that is going to
>change. I am more concerned
>about the reduction in moose
>numbers/tags than the cost of
>the points. That is part
>of the reason I do
>not have heartburn about the
>cost of the points -
>if it is used to
>help with enforcement, habitat development,
>etc. I can live calling
>it a donation that may
>generate a tag someday.
>
>Remember all the non-residents that were
>going to stop applying in
>New Mexico when the tag
>allocation was changed and you
>had to purchase a license,
>etc. - applications have increased.
>Frankly they could double the
>cost of the licenses and
>it would have almost no
>significant impact.


You can't keep your points and move here and use them as a non-resident. You will lose all your points when you become a resident. I asked this as a resident if i can keep my moose and sheep points if i move, they said no i will lose them. So better use them BEFORE you decide to become a resident.
 
>You can't keep your points and
>move here and use them
>as a non-resident. You
>will lose all your points
>when you become a resident.
> I asked this as
>a resident if i can
>keep my moose and sheep
>points if i move, they
>said no i will lose
>them. So better use
>them BEFORE you decide to
>become a resident.

Unless something has changed this is completely untrue. I gained moose and sheep points as both a res and nr for many years as I bounced back and forth on wyo residency. Several times. I never lost a point. I eventually used my moose points as a resident in 2008. I currently have 19 sheep points that are a mix of res and nr points.
 
I never jumped into to sheep or moose because of being behind in points....unless something changes I will stay out the game.
 
>Just wondering how many of you
>plan to stop buying moose
>points after WY increased the
>price of the points and
>license so much.
>
>I have been sitting at one
>below the level that gets
>me into the game for
>any of the moose units.
>I'm giving some serious consideration
>to dropping out of the
>game because of the increase
>in cost. Maybe use the
>$150 to build points for
>other states/species that I might
>actually have a chance to
>draw.

I am done with Wyoming NR everything next year. Can not wait to be out of the NR rate race points game...

I am so looking forward to the Glory of the resident system
 
I dropped out with 15 points 3 years ago.
This is the way I like to drop out!!!

98902img1624.jpg


Zeke

#livelikezac
 
I picked a unit this year that I thought I had a chance with 17 points. No dice. There are too many people in front of me with more points and the increase in point fees seems to have more people jumping ship than ever. Can't say I blame them - I've sure giving up any hope of ever drawing a unit I was originally hoping for. I am no closer to drawing now than I was when I started 17 years ago. There were a few units I would have had a chance at this year but only a couple in the entire state that anyone drew with less than 17 points.
I seem to be stuck in no man's land. Too many points to quit, and not enough to draw any decent unit that I can hunt DIY.
I hate to be a pessimist, but I can't for the life of me see why anyone with 15 or fewer points would continue to stay in the game. With so many people in front of you the only hope you have is to outlive them all and draw when you are too old to enjoy it.
 
I wish it was possible to see the break down of the average age of the hunters in the top 5-6 point pools.

Would probably make the decisions to stay the course or bail much easier.
 
>I dropped out with 15 points
>3 years ago.
>This is the way I like
>to drop out!!!
>
>
98902img1624.jpg

>
>Zeke
>
>#livelikezac


Ha. Best post of the month.
 
i drew my moose tag this year but i did target units that required 2 pts less then what i had. i quit chasing the "best" units that my point total said i could possibly draw. I am super excited to finally draw but really didnt want to keep applying and paying all the fees.
gonna enjoy the heck out of my hunt and move on from Wyoming moose.
 

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