Draw Deadline

Applications due by…………………January 31, 2013. (Modify or withdrawal deadline ….February 3, 2013)

Online applications may be submitted during the open application period from the WGFD website (credit card). Online applications must be completed and submitted by 5:00 PM MST. Paper applications and fees must arrive at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, Wyoming by 5:00 PM MST on the application deadline to be valid regardless of the postmark date.

(http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/hunting-1000045.aspx/)

Results available…………………February 29, 2013

Fees

Fees required at application
Elk license fee………..$57 (resident)/$641 (non-resident)*
*Non-resident elk license fee includes a non-refundable preference point fee ($50) and non-refundable Application fee ($14).
(Elk license fee without a bonus point is $591).

Additional Fees After Successful Drawing
Conservation Stamp…….$12.50

Points Only Fees
The price is $50.00 for Elk ($10.00 for youth). There is no additional application fee to purchase a Preference Point Only. See note in “Points” section below for Application Period.

Points

Preference Points may be purchased from July 1, 2013 through September 30, 2013. Do not attempt to purchase a preference point only during any of the initial license application periods. You must wait until July 1st to purchase only a Preference Point.

To purchase a Preference Point, an applicant must be at least eleven (11) years old at the time of application and be at least twelve (12) years old by December 31 of the year of application.

An applicant may fail to apply for a license or fail to purchase a Preference Point for one (1) year without losing accumulated Preference Points. However, if an applicant fails to properly apply for a license or purchase a Preference Point for two (2) consecutive years, the accumulated Preference Points will be deleted.

Hunt Choices

The preference point system is designed to improve your odds of eventually drawing a license in a hard-to-draw hunt area. 75% of available licenses in each hunt area and license type combination will be allocated to a “preference point draw.” Applicants with the highest preference point totals will receive priority in the preference point draw. The remaining 25% of available licenses will be allocated to a “random draw.” In this manner, everyone who applies has at least some chance of drawing a license regardless of their preference point total.

By paying an additional fee, an applicant can participate in a separate (Special Elk) random drawing. Wyoming Statute allocates 40 percent of the available Nonresident Elk licenses to the applicants who pay the higher price. The expectation behind this is to increase drawing odds due to fewer applicants paying the higher price. However, this is not always the case. To evaluate drawing odds from the previous year, an applicant can purchase a demand index summary or view the information free on the WGFD website. Odds can vary substantially year to year. There is no guarantee of success in the drawing for special licenses.

The Preference Point system is designed to award a point for each unsuccessful draw attempt in a hard to draw area for individuals who elect the Preference Point Option and remit the additional Preference Point fees, yet not penalize those who wish to list an easier to draw area on their second or third choice. If a person draws on the second or third choice when electing the Preference Point Option, a Preference Point will be awarded even though a license is issued. If the person is successful in drawing his or her first choice, then all Preference Points are deleted but the preference point fee paid for that year is refunded. Drawing a second or third choice does not cause preference points to be deleted.

Hunter Education Requirements

A Hunter Safety Certificate is required of all hunters born on or after January 1, 1966, taking wildlife by the use of firearms on land other than his/her own family.

Group Applications

A party is a group of hunters who apply for hunting licenses for the same species, area and type, with expectation of receiving the same drawing results. All applicants in a party are assigned the same random number; therefore, they receive the same drawing results. Whereas, applicants not in a party are assigned individual random numbers. Applying as a party does not increase the drawing odds. All applications and fees must be in the same envelope and the party block must be properly completed.  

The maximum party size is six (6). Residents and Nonresidents MAY NOT apply together as a party. For party applications, all of the applicants’ preference point totals will be averaged to determine the preference point ranking in the preference point drawing.