Changes Made to Moose & Sheep Drawings

CHEYENNE - Prospective moose and bighorn sheep hunters are alerted to two significant changes in the drawing process for these species, reports Tom Rowe, license draw manager for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Beginning this year, 25 percent of the moose and bighorn sheep quotas will be issued by a random drawing. Seventy five percent of the quotas will continue to be issued to applicants with the most preference points.

Also new to 2000, during the application period ending Feb. 28, hunters can now acquire a preference point without being entered in the drawing.

"With the legislature dedicating 25 percent of the quota to a random drawing almost everyone will have at least a very slight chance to draw a moose or bighorn sheep license no matter how many preference points they have," Rowe said.

Because of the small number of licenses in some moose and bighorn sheep hunt areas, Rowe alerts nonresidents there will be a few areas that have no licenses available in the 25 percent random drawing. It is anticipated that licenses will be available in all resident random drawings.

"Some bighorn sheep and moose quotas are so small only one or two licenses have been made available to nonresidents," Rowe said. "It's impossible to issue one license to two hunters and it would be contrary to the law to split a quota of two up 50/50 when the law says 75 percent in preference point drawing and 25 percent in random drawing."

The upshot of this mathematical snag in the law, Rowe says, is that any area with eight or less bighorn sheep license or 10 or less moose licenses will not have any licenses available to nonresidents in the random drawing.

Hunters who know they will be unable to commit the time or money to hunt a bighorn or moose the upcoming fall, but want to keep accruing preference points, can now "buy" a preference point for $7 without being entered in the drawing. Applicants buying a point only need to submit $7 and not the license fee.

For more information about the new laws call the G&F at (800) 842-1934 or (307) 777-4600 in Cheyenne or outside Wyoming.

Ask the Game & Fish

Q. I plan to apply for sheep and have noticed the deadline is Feb. 28. Since this is a Leap Year will you be extending the deadline to Feb. 29?

A. The deadline for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat has been Feb. 28 for a number of years and that date will remain the deadline even on Leap Years. The G&F encourages hunters to not wait until the last few days to submit applications. Every year there are hunters who miss getting in the drawing because of last minute mailings of applications.