Deadline for Nonresident Deer, Antelope applications March 17
by Wyoming Game & Fish
March 3, 2014
Nonresidents who would like to hunt deer and antelope in Wyoming during the 2014 hunting season are reminded the application deadline to be included in the drawing is 5 p.m. on March 17. Starting this year all applications must be made online. No paper applications are being accepted.
The application deadline has been moved to March 17 this year because the traditional March 15 deadline is on a weekend. When application deadlines are on weekends, holidays, etc., when the Cheyenne headquarters office is closed, the deadline becomes the next business day that the headquarters office is open.
Hunters are required to submit the full license fee at the time of application. Nonresident license fees including the $14 application fee are $326 for deer and $286 for pronghorn antelope. The drawing will be held in late June. After the draw, hunters who are successful will receive a license. Those unsuccessful in the draw will receive a refund minus the application fee.
Hunters can only apply online through the Game and Fish website wgfd.wyo.gov. The paper application process has been phased out as the online application process has proven to be much more efficient and accurate and is easier for hunters to ensure their applications are received in advance of the deadline date. It has contributed to a substantial cost savings over the old process.
Drawing odds vary depending on species and hunt area. Preference points have been available for both deer and pronghorn for eight years and 75 percent of the quotas for each species are issued in the preference point drawing. The remaining 25 percent is issued in a random drawing without regard for preference point totals. The number of preference points required to ensure drawing success varies with the hunt area. Some areas, especially for pronghorn on private lands are very easy to draw without preference points. Conversely, areas which have large amounts of public lands have more competition for licenses and come with more difficult drawing odds. Hunters can research drawing odds from previous years for the various species and hunt areas on the Game and Fish website. Drawing odds may vary from year to year depending on quotas and numbers of applicants. Some of the deer regions that have traditionally had good drawing odds or even leftovers after the draw may not have leftovers this year if quotas are reduced and interest from hunters increases. Hunters who choose not to apply this year can still purchase a preference point online from July 1 – September 30.
Hunters are also advised that the application deadline for reduced price doe/fawn antelope and deer licenses is also March 17. Historically, most of these licenses remaining after the drawing and were picked up over the counter at local license agents once the season started. However, in recent years, doe/fawn license quotas in a number of areas, especially on public lands, or lands which have good public access, have been issued in the initial drawing. Hunters desiring these licenses may wish to apply in the drawing rather than taking the chance of obtaining them as leftovers. Nonresident fees for reduced price doe/fawn deer and antelope licenses are $48 for each species.
Licenses for areas undersubscribed in the drawing will be available on the Game and Fish website on a first come first-serve basis beginning July 10 for full-price licenses and July 17 for reduced-price licenses.
Hunters with additional questions on deer and antelope hunting and the application process can call 307-777-4600 for more information.
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