Drawings completed for Bighorn Sheep, Moose, Mountain Goat licenses
by Wyoming Game and Fish
May 9, 2011
Wyoming’s version of the lottery was held last week with 820 resident and nonresident hunters hitting the jackpot with the completion of the annual drawings for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat licenses.
Game and Fish records show that 540 moose licenses were issued of which 446 went to residents for overall drawing odds of 4.9 percent. Nonresidents received 94 licenses for a total drawing percentage of 7.1 percent.
For bighorn sheep, 256 total licenses were issued with 192 going to residents, resulting in drawing odds of 4.2 percent. Nonresident sheep hunters bucked even more difficult odds with 1,896 hunters putting in for 64 licenses with 3.4 percent drawing odds. Odds for individual hunters vary depending on hunt areas and number of preference points each hunter had before applying. Drawing odds for individual hunt areas and the quotas and numbers of points needed to draw for each area are posted on the Game and Fish website http://gf.state.wy.us. Click on hunting, then on drawing odds. Hunters who are not yet aware of their success in the drawing can determine their drawing success on the Game and Fish website or by calling (307) 777-4600. Licenses for those who drew and refund warrants for those unsuccessful in the drawing were mailed last week.
By far, the most difficult license to draw was for mountain goat with 3,136 residents putting in for 18 licenses with a .57 percent chance of drawing. Nonresident goat hunters fared a bit better with 461 hunters vying for six licenses for a 1.3 percent chance of drawing.
For moose and bighorn sheep, preference points have been available for 16 years, and hunters who have accumulated a number of preference points have a significantly better chance of drawing licenses. Wyoming issues 75 percent of moose and bighorn sheep licenses to those who have highest preference point totals and 25 percent of moose and bighorn sheep licenses are issued in a random drawing without regard to preference points. Preference points are not available for mountain goat licenses, but goat licenses are limited to one in a lifetime.
Hunters who did not apply this year still have an opportunity to purchase a preference point later this summer. Points are available on the Game and Fish website or through the mail between July 1 – September 30.
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