Trying to learn the method to the madness of Western regulations.

[Soonerlongbow]

I guess I’ve gotten spoiled for what I’ve always taken for granted as a fairly easy setup for Oklahoma’s Wildlife Department system and the way the rules and such are. Like right now I’m trying to figure out where Wyoming has Type 9 archery hunts but can’t find any listed, only General or otherwise. I know Colorado has OTC archery tags for many areas and is thus a big draw to the state.

    

[monterey]

Colorado OTC for elk.and antelope but not for deer.

Just to help with the confusion.

[Whip]

Not all WY units have type 9 tags available. In the majority of units you apply right along with the rifle hunters. If you are drawn you then can purchase an archery license and hunt during the archery season dates for that unit.  If not successful during archery you then could go back and hunt the gun season.

For those few units that have type 9 tags available you could only hunt during the archery season. In some (but not all) of those units I believe that people who draw a gun tag have an option to purchase an archery license as well and can then bow hunt for the last part of the archery only season.

Confusing? Heck yes! Then add in the rule that requires non-residents to have a guide when hunting a wilderness area. You can hike, fish, camp - do anything you want in the wilderness without a guide. Except hunt. Biggest scam in the west!   But I do love Wyoming!

[Roadkill]

Even confusing for those who live out here.  Having lived back East off and on for years I understand your concern.

[Jeff D. Holchin]

Yep, it can be very confusing because each state does it differently and some of those states are more than happy to take your NR $ but less than helpful with explaining their regs and such.  Another factor that turns away a lot of NRs is how states like WY require you give them the full tag cost up front, which could be around $2000 for moose as an example, then hold that $ for several months before refunding it.  Then a few other states like UT and ID require you to buy a NR hunting license to even participate in their draw, and more than likely you won't even get to use that NR license, and it's not cheap! 

Regarding WY, I think you are better off NOT trying for a type 9 tag.  Like Whip said, for most units you are basically applying for an elk rifle tag and most of those seasons start on October 1, but for a few $ you can get an archery tag and the bow hunt the entire month of September.  Most WY residents treat the September archery season as a scouting month to prep for the gun season, so the bow pressure is less than in CO, for example, especially during the week.  They will set up their camps on the 9/1 opener, leave it up thru October and maybe hit it on the weekends.  I know a few guys who drew the type 9 tags expecting a wonderful bowhunt and were very surprised to find themselves sharing the woods with some early-season rifle hunters who drew gun special tags for their unit.  Not good!

Another WY anomaly that I think is unique:  there is the regular draw and then there is the "special" draw, where for another $400 or $500, I can't remember which, you can significantly increase your odds.  Another trick most people don't realize is that there is an early gun season in most units that starts on 10/1 but there is also a late gun season that starts in November - getting that tag is even easier (i.e. Higher draw odds) and for a bowhunter, who cares when the gun season starts because you will be bowhunting in September anyway.  Most gun hunters want the early season so that they can hunt rutting bulls so they apply for the early gun season tags. 

Lots of little tricks like that can lead to a great tag, once you learn the system. 

[Soonerlongbow]

I’ve been driving through Zone 9 everyday for a little while, & will be for foreseeable future. Sure is pretty! One spot just inside the Colorado border that we’re seeing elk, mule deer, pronghorn & moose in tiny little area.

[San Juan Slim]

Since I moved to New Mexico a few years ago, it is really easy:

1-Apply for every available species and license in February and March.
2-Open your account page in April and see all the red unsuccessful bars listed next to every code you applied for.
3a-Try again next year.
3b-Go back to Colorado where you came from and pay almost $700 for a non-resident OTC elk license.
4-Call or text your friends so they can tell you how they drew all the primo tags.

No problem! 

Mike

[Soonerlongbow]

Not all WY units have type 9 tags available. In the majority of units you apply right along with the rifle hunters. If you are drawn you then can purchase an archery license and hunt during the archery season dates for that unit.  If not successful during archery you then could go back and hunt the gun season.

For those few units that have type 9 tags available you could only hunt during the archery season. In some (but not all) of those units I believe that people who draw a gun tag have an option to purchase an archery license as well and can then bow hunt for the last part of the archery only season.

Confusing? Heck yes! Then add in the rule that requires non-residents to have a guide when hunting a wilderness area. You can hike, fish, camp - do anything you want in the wilderness without a guide. Except hunt. Biggest scam in the west!   But I do love Wyoming!

And what I don’t get with the Wilderness Areas is you can still hunt small game! Over regulation at it’s finest.
.
Ok, so back on topic. So “no” to a dedicated Archery Only tag zone, “yes” to General tag and then inquire about purchasing an archery tag in addition to the drawn General tag. And by doing so in most areas would allow me to extend the hunting time over a much larger time frame. Am I on track so far?

My next question is I’m not seeing that there is an archery season for that zone, or am I overlooking something in the online version that the printed would elaborate upon? I’ve got some time to plan this out because I’m booked for vacations until ‘20.
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I’m sure I’ll have about a thousand more questions over the next year or more about this!

[Jeff D. Holchin]

I've always hunted specific elk units in WY, not general areas, but my understanding is that the statewide archery elk season in the month of September unless a specific unit has a different season.  You can call the Cheyenne office to verify.  Another tip if you are going to bowhunt in WY, is to join the Bowhunters of Wyoming - not expensive and their quarterly newsletter has useful info and I have contacted members that had hunted the units I was interested in for valuable intel.

[monterey]

"And what I don’t get with the Wilderness Areas is you can still hunt small game! Over regulation at it’s finest."

Regs bought and paid for by outfitters.

[Soonerlongbow]

"And what I don’t get with the Wilderness Areas is you can still hunt small game! Over regulation at it’s finest."

Regs bought and paid for by outfitters.

Speaking of which, I’m not seeing that restriction in the Co regulations, or am I just missing it?

[actionjackson22]

The wildness regulation is just wyoming as far as I know. I have some points in wyoming but I'm just about to look at otc options in other states. I'm in it for the experience not the trophy quality.

[monterey]

No wilderness regs in Colorado.

[Soonerlongbow]

Good good! I’d seen the areas designated as such but suspected they didn’t have the same restrictions.

[Jeff D. Holchin]

That wilderness reg for NRs is stupid and was intended to generate more $ for outfitters, but is such BS that it makes WY wildlife officials look rediculus.  I know for sure that some game wardens are embarrassed about it.  There is a way around it, sort of, if you have a WY resident sign some kind of form and take you into the wilderness under his/her care.  I did that once with a WY friend and of course in thousands of wilderness acres in the middle of nowhere, we were checked by a game warden.  I was nervous because my friend couldn't find his signed form and I was thinking "big fine for me", but the game warden just laughed and made fun of the idiots who passed that rule at the behest of the outfitter's association.  He made my WY friend promise to mail a copy of the form to him later but I don't know if that ever happened or not.  It's kind of a standing joke in WY circles, but I guess if you encounter the wrong game warden, it could be big trouble if you weren't with an outfitter or properly registered resident.