Retaining elk points

[baerman]

Can anyone answer, if I apply for the full price elk tag and select an impossible unit to draw as a first choice but a general tag as a second choice and am successful in drawing the general tag will I retain my points? Or to retain my points when drawing general as a second choice do I need to apply for the special elk tag?

 

[HiMtnHntr]

"if I apply for the full price elk tag and select an impossible unit to draw as a first choice but a general tag as a second choice and am successful in drawing the general tag will I retain my points?"

Yes, you will retain your points if you do not draw your second choice.

"Or to retain my points when drawing general as a second choice do I need to apply for the special elk tag?"

No, special vs. regular has nothing to do with retaining points. Special will give you a better chance of drawing the general tag on a second choice.

 

[baerman]

>">Yes, you will retain your points
>if you do not draw
>your second choice.

Did you mean to say I will retain my points if I DO draw the second choice option?

 

[TOPGUN]

Simple answer is that if you want a 100% chance to hunt on a General tag this year and not lose your PPs you'll need to apply in the higher priced Special draw for an impossible unit as your first choice and put the General Tag as your second choice. Some even got it as their third choice last year due to the number of NR tags left that went into the General tag draw to make up the total number of tags that Wyoming allows NRs to draw.

 

[baerman]

Thanks guys. I'm still trying to decide if I want a guaranteed hunt this fall or just a shot but I definitely want to keep building my points. If I can retain my points by applying for the full price tag then I may consider it even though it may only be a 50/50 chance of drawing.

With the magazines saying the Wyo general tag is a good option I would guess that draw odds of the general tag go down significantly from 80% last year and 98% in 2012.

 

[midwest]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-29-14 AT 11:24AM (MST)[p]Very simply, regardless of whether you put in for the regular or special, you only lose your points if you draw your FIRST choice.

Like TOPGUN said, if you want a guaranteed second choice draw of a GEN tag, you'll have to put in for the "special". If you put in for GEN as a second choice in the regular draw, you will not draw a GEN tag.

 

[Deerlove]

Is a gen elk tag worth $1100???

 

[midwest]

>Is a gen elk tag
>worth $1100???

I've been wrestling with this question myself all month. I've never hunted on a Wyo GEN tag, so I guess I don't really know if it's worth it. I know my max points are worth hanging on to until I draw the unit I want. I also know a good elk hunt is easily worth $1100 to me. Whether I will find that on a GEN hunt or not remains to be seen but I think I will take the gamble this year.

At least I will be starting to learn some new areas for when I finally do cash in my points and will start hunting a Wyo GEN area every two or three years.

 

[oilcan]

To be able to Hunt and keep building points it may be worth it to some.

 

[TOPGUN]

It really depends on how big a bull you think you need to take to make it worth $1100. There are good 300+ bulls in most of the general units IF you can find one. If I wanted to hunt a bull every year, it would be worth it to me to pony up the money until the PPs were enough to hunt a LE unit that I have my eyes on.

 

[mulecreek]

>Is a gen elk tag
>worth $1100???

Is getting to spend over 3 months hunting with bow, rifle, or muzzleloader in some of the best and most remote elk country in the west all the while seeing elk, deer, moose, black bear, grizzly bear and wolves, while you backpack, horseback or day hunt while looking for an elk that will make you happy worth $1,100? For me it's an absolute yes. You may disagree.

 

[baerman]

>Is a gen elk tag
>worth $1100???

Elk tags are $1200 in Nevada and you might only get to hunt every 5+ years pending how difficult of a unit you apply for. $1100 to be chasing bugling bulls in the rut in new country with the opportunity to harvest is great entertainment and better than traveling to Disney Land for me.