Anyone take the area 7 survey about the proposed change to a general unit?

If they don't make general area regions like proposed, might make the point creep for general tags go way up for NR's that don't get to buy otc like residents....

I wonder if anyone has looked at an hma type situation where applicants apply to hunt private on a limited entry basis with a trespass fee attached. Perhaps have required videos that explain the rules for each property. General is just going to push elk off of public quicker probably earlier.

Or maybe a limited entry muzzleloader season in September, it might increase harvest rate but also probably push elk to private.

After seeing this post I went to WY G&F website and looked up there survey request.

I'm probably pretty slow but I don't understand what they are proposing. Can some one provide a simple explanation?

Bill

It appears making the area a general tag instead of a limited entry tag is a possibility by 2024. The area is over population objective.

Hint, the population is more related to land ownership than tag allocation.

Yeah, I've been trying to get drawn for a while now but point creep has it just out of reach. And, now the outfitted hunts are getting to expensive. I need to find a place to burn my points on a dyi hunt.

Thanks for the explanation!

Bill

It would be interesting to see how many points it would take to draw as a general area

it could go general for 7 tags for all i care. didn't get my 7 tag filled. then again i didn't even bother to hunt it.


but honestly it's just gonna push even more elk into wagonhound land even earlier.

2022 the regular draw was 4 for sure, 3 maybe. Special was just under 4 (averaged). 2023 - all bets are off with proposed changes coming down the pike. Newburg put out a deal recently saying burn your points this year in WY.... Hello point creep....

I have 4 points - I sucked it up and entered the special draw this year.

Jackson are you familiar with area 7 or just commenting on the proposal?
Been way over objective for elk for many years and yes access can be the issue.
Wagonhound will not want more elk on their place, they also have issues with too many elk.
Many HMAs in the area, walk in areas too.
Some landowners want lots of elk and many are now seeing the issue with too many.
Access needs to be addressed there to make a difference.
Same in area 6, too many elk but yet no access to hunt them where they go for winter.
At least Area 7 has some access and more public land.

They made area 6 a General area years back and poaching / trespassing became an issue right away. It also did not make any difference in the amount of elk taken, still too many and most on private and LOs complaining.

Be interesting for sure if it happens in area 7.

i've applied 7 times now for a general elk tag and haven't got one.. didn't buy points the first 2 times.. at 4 points i "should" finally drawthis year but awe shucks newkook didn't do me any favours

if 7 goes general i still won't hunt there. that's considering i have a good friend in douglas with good real time data. good bulls sure seem to hit private quickly

i'd rather ride horses in somewhere s else.

Nope, never been there.......

Oh ya

Turning 7 general won’t do anything but get outfitters more clients and push elk around even more on the public areas.

I think they are hoping it pushes the elk around the public land. Move the elk around all season.
Might just be a ploy to get more landowners to allow access too maybe, threat of general or allow some access to thin the herd.
Too many elk for sure though, same in 6.

Never applied for 7, just don't want to hunt in that zoo of thousands of tags. We hunt in 6.

You are one incredible genius.

You do know wildlife damage claims come with stipulations, don't you?

I know more about wildlife damage claims in Wyoming than you.
Need to allow public access to get damage claims.
Your reading comprehension is suspect.
Most large landowners do not submit damage claims in area 7, the ones that do allow hunting.
Elk population is over objective in area 7, not enough LOs allow hunting for a reasonable trespass fee or for free so elk keep multiplying.
Large ranch like Wagonhound, 300,000A is not quite at their tipping point yet but close.

Trolling threads you knowing nothing about, good look on your part.
I know many LOs in area 7 how about you?

Can anyone link me to the survey or a WGFD statement?

They sent it too folks that applied for the area in the last 5 years I think it was.
They have a few options for making changes but I can not find a link, they have closed the comment period.

Are you seriously a Wyoming resident?

You did say hunt area 7 was a bad choice to hunt......terribly limited access.....right?

Everyone knows, over-objective means you'll never see elk. Typical HuntTalk expert analysis.

Was out in unit 7 today...fishing was fair at Mike Weiner's favorite lake.

Toltec Reservoir? That is my favorite spot, Buzz. Stay away, they're susceptible this time of year.

Were your other favorite weiners there, Brad and Greenhorn?

We catch fish there, on occasion. Absolutely no desire to post pics-for-praise, however.

BuzzH must have sprinted back to HuntTalk.........where he was warm and safe.

Well this one took a turn....

Any who....the writing is on the wall, 7 will more than likely go general for rifle. Maybe they go type 9 limited entry for archery.

Won't change anything, unless the outfits can bring in more hunters with the general tag, assuming point creep doesn't go crazy for its region.

Don't they already issue over 4k tags? (Guessing it's over 5k without looking it up)

I think you’re right. It’s something close to those numbers.

There was a time when I thought Area 7 being general would be the way to go. The problem will only get worse.

If you know where to go you can pull elk out there, but there’s nothing to knockdown the population to the objective level. Making it general will push those elk further into the “safe zones”.

Absolutely.

Yep way over population.
There is public access but they need access to private to help with getting numbers under control.

Thinking may be that LOs will let more folks they know hunt but tags are hard to draw for their friends and family.
Making it General means residents can buy OTC and that way LO's friends and family that are residents will have OTC tags and maybe access.
That was thinking for area 6 when they went general on it, didn't help with numbers as it is still too many elk also.

I doubt 7 will go general.

They tried it in the past and it didn't pan out.

I believe what needs to happen is to raise the objective from 5k to 10k and then try to reduce the herd by about 2K.

I think the way to do that is to attach an additional antlerless elk tag to every type 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 issued free of charge...a 2 for 1 if you will. What 7 doesn't need is more hunters, it needs more tags in the hands of the people that already draw. Countless times I could have easily shot another cow after killing the first one.

Another option is to raise the payments that LO's receive from the HMA program to entice them to allow more access.

There's other options as well, IMO, just going general is a lazy option and will have the exact opposite effect of reducing the herd.