APPLICATION STRATEGY 2017: Wyoming Sheep, Moose, Goat, Bison

Wyoming's Sheep, Moose, Goat and Bison Application Overview

Big game hunters should consider Wyoming’s big four. While the odds of drawing a tag for bighorn sheep, moose, bison and mountain goat are extremely low, Wyoming does provide a chance to draw a tag. The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep opportunity in Wyoming is incredible thanks to the high number of tags for both residents and nonresidents. Wolf numbers have devastated moose populations in many parts of the state; however, the Shiras moose are among the highest scoring and offer a broad range of area options to select from. Mountain goats are limited to only three areas. Wyoming offers some of the best draw odds for wild bison in the west. Good draw odds coupled with an extremely long season allow hunters ample opportunity to harvest a bison.

Note: The application deadline for Wyoming sheep, moose, mountain goat and bison is Feb. 28 by midnight Mountain Time. Apply online here.

Why Wyoming for Sheep, Moose, Goat and Bison in 2017

New for 2017

Proposed Changes to the Leftover License Process

In past years, all leftover licenses that were not obtained through the initial drawing went on sale on a first come, first served basis. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has proposed conducting a second drawing with all leftover licenses. Hunters would then be able to apply for those licenses June 22 to July 6 and results for the leftover drawing would be posted the week of July 13.

State Information

View important information and an overview of Wyoming’s rules/regulations, the draw system, tag and license fees and an interactive boundary line map on our State Profile. You can also view the Wyoming species profiles to access historical and statistical data to help you locate trophy areas.

Important Dates and Information

You can apply online here.

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep:

Shiras moose:

Mountain goat:

Either sex bison:

Cow/calf bison:

Wilderness Areas

Public land with easy access is what makes Wyoming so great. Miles of U.S.Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands are available for hunting, including some of the most wild and scenic wilderness areas in the West. A Wyoming resident or licensed outfitter must accompany nonresident hunters in order to legally hunt in a designated wilderness area. Be sure to study the Unit Profiles to locate which areas have designated wilderness, which can create access restrictions for nonresidents (especially for sheep hunters). If you are a nonresident and would like to legally hunt in a wilderness area, please contact an outfitter. A complete list of outfitters in Wyoming can be found in our Outfitter Directory. Residents need not worry about the wilderness area restriction since they can legally hunt without restriction.

Wolves in Wyoming

The court ruling in 2014 provided federal protection for wolves in Wyoming. Without human interaction through wolf management, the wolf predation on ungulate numbers will continue to soar. Many areas along the western side of the state, particularly near Yellowstone National Park, have already suffered significant moose herd loss due to wolves in recent years. As the wolf numbers continue to climb, we can expect continued loss in the wolf inhabited areas along the northwestern and western sides of the state.

As of April 2015, according to WGFD, there are at least 382 wolves in Wyoming outside of Yellowstone and the Wind River Reservation. That is an increase of 25% from the year before. The pack size ranges from two to 22 wolves and averaged 6.1 wolves per pack.

Grizzly Country

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Plan, the minimum grizzly population is 500 grizzly bears. In 2000, WGFD estimated that there were approximately 420 grizzly bears. Between 2001 and 2002, the 500 grizzly bear minimum was surpassed and has been on the rise ever since. The last published population estimate in 2014 estimated approximately 750 grizzly bears in Wyoming.

Even though grizzly bear populations continue to increase, they are still listed as endangered, which means that populations cannot be managed through hunting. Whether this grizzly population increase is having a measurable impact on ungulate herds is debated by wildlife professionals. Hunters need to be aware of the increased bear numbers and practice bear safety if they are going to hunt in northwest Wyoming.

Snowpack in Wyoming

2017 snow water equivalent in Wyoming as of February 15, 2017. Source: Wyoming Water Resources Data System

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Snowpack in the majority of Wyoming is looking to be a little above average to significantly above average.

The Wyoming Draw System

Understanding the Draw

The drawing for Wyoming’s big four is different than the drawing for deer, elk, and antelope. Unlike these other species, there is not a special draw for sheep, moose, mountain goat or bison; only a regular draw is available. Wyoming reserves 75% of their tags for applicants with the highest number of preference points for Rocky Bighorn sheep and Shiras moose, the other 25% will be issued randomly. If there is a fourth tag offered in an area, then that tag will be drawn at random. Since Wyoming issues 25% of their tags randomly, applicants with fewer accumulated points should focus on hunt choices with at least four tags available. There are very few nonresident tags available for each hunt area so finding a nonresident hunt choice for a trophy species is not easy. The Shiras moose and bison permits are split 80% residents and 20% nonresidents. The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and mountain goat permits are are split 75% residents and 25% nonresidents.

The Points System

For sheep and moose, Wyoming works on preference points, not bonus points. Both resident and nonresident hunters acquire points. You gain one point for every year you unsuccessfully enter the draw. Even if you miss the application deadline for licenses in February, nonresidents can purchase a point for $75 (moose) or $100 (sheep) from July thru October. If you’re a resident, a point for either moose or sheep is $7. The maximum number of points for both moose and sheep is 22.

If you apply for sheep or moose and your application is unsuccessful, you will automatically get a point. The fee will be deducted from your refund from WGFD. There is no point system for mountain goat or bison. The mountain goat and bison license is once-in-a-lifetime.

Wyoming's Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

An awesome ram taken with Shoshone Lodge Outfitters — A goHUNT Business Member

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No other state compares to Wyoming when it comes to overall bighorn sheep licenses. In 2017, Wyoming is offering 200 total bighorn sheep licenses just as they did in 2016. In 2015, 196 total licenses were available. With about 20% of the total sheep licenses being reserved for nonresidents, you can see that the Cowboy State is very friendly to nonresidents.

Wyoming’s sheep are native and may not be the highest scoring bighorns in the West, but Wyoming offers plenty of rams scoring 150” to 170” B&C. Wyoming ranks eight out of 13 in the number of B&C entries since 2010.

Current Bighorn Herd Condition

Sheep have been doing well in Wyoming. In fact, WGFD have been transplanting sheep into new areas around the state in hopes of opening more sheep hunting areas.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Rocky Bighorn Areas

Wyoming’s Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are just like every other western state in terms of how coveted the tags are. Hunters must be willing to buy preference points year in and year out. However, the great thing about Wyoming is hunters still have a chance in the random draw no matter how many points a hunter has. If you are a nonresident with low points, you should only look at Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. Historically, these have been the best option for nonresidents because they offer at least four nonresident tags and will provide a random chance for drawing. Many sheep areas will have less than five total tags available (residents and nonresidents combined). In this case, some of these areas will allow for a nonresident tag on a rotating basis. This is another example of how the WGFD is striving to please nonresident hunters by providing opportunity. Remember that if the total number of nonresident tags available is less than four, that means that each of these tags will be limited to the applicants with the most accrued preference points.

* Resident only areas.

* Resident only areas.

Wyoming statute states that any successful bighorn sheep applicant must wait five years before applying for or receiving another bighorn sheep license. During this waiting period, the applicant is also not eligible to purchase preference points.

B&c Entry Trends for Wyoming Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Areas listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Areas in this table are included if any part of the area is found within the county.

Discovering the Best Ram:ewe Ratio Areas

INSIDER member E.J. Varos took this great ram with Shoshone Lodge Outfitters — A goHUNT Business Member

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You have probably noticed that we provide data on ram to ewe ratios for each hunt area in Wyoming. Male to female ratios are a critical measuring data tool for wildlife managers and indicate the current status of the herd. A higher ram to ewe ratio may indicate that an area could have a higher availability of mature rams compared to an area with a lower ram to ewe ratio. This doesn’t always indicate that the rams will be the highest scoring rams, but more rams equates to more rams to find and harvest. When selecting an area, or comparing several areas, take this into consideration to help your decision. For a complete understanding of male to female ratios, please refer to a recent article covering this in-depth. The best way to find the areas with the best ram:ewe ratios is to use Filtering 2.0 under Wyoming bighorn sheep. And then sort the results by male:female ratio. You can jump to those results here.

Hit List Areas for Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

* Harvest of any sheep in each area.

Managing Points and Expectations

The Points System for Rocky Bighorn Sheep

2017 maximum bonus points for rocky bighorn sheep: 22

For another view of the bonus point breakdown using tables, visit the Wyoming Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Species Profile. The table view will allow for an easier readout of the higher point totals.

Find your draw odds

I Have 0 Sheep Points. What Can I Expect?

As a nonresident, applying for anything other than Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 would be a waste of time. These are the only choices that have a random chance to draw. All other area choices will require a higher level of accrued preference points in order to draw. Residents will have more random choice options to select from, but should still select from the hunt choices with at least four total tags available to have a chance. You can check the random draw odds here.

What Can I Do with 3 or 4 Sheep Points?

Your odds are really the same at this level as they were with zero points. It doesn’t matter whether you are a nonresident or resident applicant; utilize the same strategies.

What Can I Expect with 9 or 10 Sheep Points?

Again, you should use the same strategy as above. Unless you have 13 points as a resident or 15 as a nonresident, you will need to focus on hunt choices that have a random chance at drawing. Look to the hunt choices with at least four total tags available. The Unit Profiles will show the allocation levels for residents and nonresidents.

What Can I Expect with 15 or 20 plus Sheep Points?

If you have this many points, chances are you know how to play the game by now. By using the draw odds detailed view, you will be able to find what areas you have the best chance to draw. Here is a break down:

Wyoming's Shiras Moose Breakdown

2016 moose take by Taylor. You can read the HUNT story here.

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Wyoming offers some of the best trophy Shiras moose hunting in the West. Some of the highest scoring Shiras moose of all time come from Wyoming. The Cowboy State is home to the top three highest scoring Shiras moose of all time—all scoring over 200” net Boone and Crockett (B&C). Historically, Wyoming has been a fantastic trophy bull generator with hunters harvesting bulls over 40” wide or greater.

Most hunt areas offer a chance to hunt part of the rut. If rifle season dates are not rut-friendly, then hunters can purchase an archery stamp that will allow them to get out in the field in September and chase some rutting bulls. Some of the areas are not as physical and are considered an easy hunt while other areas are found deep in wilderness areas with some of the most rugged terrain around. Check the Unit Profiles prior to applying to get an idea of terrain and accessibility. Moose are large animals and the pack out can be very serious after a bull is harvested. Be prepared if you plan to hunt in remote areas; consider hiring an outfitter or having pack animals available.

2017 Shiras Moose Herd Conditions

Wolves continue to be an issue with Wyoming’s moose. Many of the historic moose areas of Wyoming have been severely impacted. Game managers are hamstrung by federal court rulings that do not allow management of wolves through hunting. Until measures are taken to control the number of wolves, expect to see this trend continue within the state. Fortunately, there are some areas of the state that do not struggle with wolf predation.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Shiras Moose Areas

Nonresidents with very few accumulated preference points should look for hunt choices with a random tag available. Random draw tags will only be drawn when there are four or more tags available. Check the Unit Profiles and Draw Odds to see the allocation. You can also use the tables below to locate hunt areas that offers tags in the random drawing.

B&c Entry Trends for Wyoming Shiras Moose

Areas listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Areas in this table are included if any part of the area is found within the county.

Discovering the Best Bull:cow Ratio Areas

Finding the areas with the best ratios can be done on Filtering 2.0 by selecting Wyoming, moose, then in the results section you'll sort by male:female ratio. You can find the direct link to that filter option here.

Top Hit List Areas for Shiras Moose

Gohunt's 2017 Top Hit List for Shiras Moose Hunts in Wyoming

Historically the Bighorn Mountains that encompass Areas 1, 34 and 42 as well as the Snowy and Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges which encompass Areas 38 and 41 produce the largest scoring B&C moose in Wyoming.

The Point System for Shiras Moose

Managing Points and Expectations

2017 maximum bonus points for Shiras moose: 22

Find your draw odds

For another view of the bonus point breakdown using tables, visit the Wyoming Shiras moose species profile. The table view will allow for an easier readout of the higher point totals.

I Have 0 Shiras Moose Preference Points. What Can I Expect?

Like bighorn sheep, the only chance you will have without any accrued points will be in the random draw. Nonresidents should only look at Areas 5, 10, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 38/41 since these are the options that will have at least four nonresident permits in 2017. You can check the random draw odds here.

What Can I Do with 3 or 4 Shiras Moose Preference Points?

Unfortunately, you are still in the same predicament as having zero points, but don’t get discouraged. With three or four points, you will still be applying for a random tag at this point level. Look to hunt choices with four or more tags and apply there.

What Can I Expect with 9 or 10 Shiras Moose Preference Points?

You will still be relying on drawing a tag in the random draw. As a nonresident with nine or 10 points, you will still fall shy of the needed points to guarantee a tag. Nonresidents will need 15 or more points to be guaranteed to draw. Look to the hunt choices with at least four total permits and hope for luck!

Residents with nine or 10 points are in the same boat and will find themselves short of the needed points to guarantee a tag. Select from the hunt choices with at least four total tags and cross your fingers.

Hunters in this point slot would be guaranteed a cow tag in some areas.

What Can I Expect with 15 to 22 Shiras Moose Preference Points?

Once a hunter is in this category, research is a must. You will be able to draw a tag or getting really close to being able to. By using INSIDER, you will be able to find what areas you have the best chance to draw on Filtering 2.0 and Draw Odds.

Wyoming's Rocky Mountain Goat Breakdown

Mountain goat in the summer. Photo credit: Shutterstock

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Wyoming offers limited mountain goat opportunity with only three areas (Area 1 - Beartooth, Area 2 - Palisades, Area 3 - North Absaroka). The Cowboy State has only produced 12 total entries in the B&C record book (seven entries since 2010). The upside is that Wyoming’s mountain goats are not on a point system. Even though draw odds are low, hunters have a chance to draw a tag every year.

Weather can play a major factor in hunting and harvesting mountain goats in Wyoming. Hunters can easily get weathered out to the point that access will be a hunter’s biggest issue. Mountain goats live in some of Wyoming’s roughest terrain and the later into the season you hunt, the higher the chance that a snowstorm will make access difficult. Mountain goat hunting comes down to finding a balance between waiting long enough into the season to ensure a long-haired trophy while still going early enough to not be snowed out.

Even with weather being a major factor, Areas 1 and 3 experienced a 100% harvest success in 2016 and Area 2 had a 90% harvest success. If you are a nonresident pay close attention to the wilderness boundaries. We would recommend hiring a guide or finding a Wyoming resident to help access some of the hunting areas within the Wilderness Boundaries.

2017 Mountain Goat Herd Conditions

Even though hunting is limited to only three hunt areas, mountain goats in Wyoming are doing well. Herd numbers continue to remain healthy and exceed their objectives. Grizzly bears generally live in some of the areas where goats are hunted but predation is pretty limited. With high goat numbers, high harvest rates and a random draw, Wyoming should be on your radar for mountain goat hunting.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Mountain Goat Areas

With only three hunt Areas in Wyoming, there are no real “hidden gems.” Here's a detailed breakdown of each hunt area.

* 2017 tag quotas** 2016 draw odds

* 2017 tag quotas** 2016 draw odds

As you can see, some hunt areas have better draw odds for nonresidents than residents.

B&c Entry Trends for Wyoming Mountain Goats

Areas listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Areas in this table are included if any part of the area is found within the county.

Managing Expectations for Mountain Goat

As detailed above, there are no points for mountain goats in Wyoming. Research draw odds and accessibility to find the right area for you.

Find your draw odds

Wyoming's Bison Breakdown

Photo credit: Shutterstock

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If you want to harvest a wild bison, then Wyoming is your state. With liberal seasons and good draw odds, Wyoming offers the best wild bison hunting in the West. Bison populations are well over objective and is one of the reasons that hunters have the opportunity to hunt them in Wyoming. Hunters should be prepared to hunt later in the season as weather will drive bison into huntable areas.

If a hunter is lucky enough to draw a tag, be sure to look into hunting on the National Elk Refuge. A National Elk Refuge permit is required prior to hunting wild bison on the National Elk Refuge and only a limited number of permits are available. Permits will be issued by WGFD to licensed wild bison hunters by random drawing and are valid only for specified dates. Alternate permits may become available throughout the hunting season depending upon harvest and management objectives.

B&c Entry Trends for Wyoming Bison

Areas listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Areas in this table are included if any part of the area is found within the county.

Managing Expectations for Bison

Since there are no points for bison, hunters will have to cross their fingers as they hit the submit button on their online application.

Find your draw odds