The last day to apply for leftover deer, elk

and antelope tags in Wyoming was June 28.

Everyone, even residents, have to apply for

leftover tags.

There are a limited number of leftover tags

available, so essentially, this is a limited quota

draw.

But, unlike all other limited draw hunting

tags, there is no resident hunter preference for

leftover tags.

This needs to change. Already, Wyoming is

the most liberal western state in terms of nonresident

tag allocation:

• Wyoming gives 25 percent of its bighorn

sheep tags to nonresidents. Montana? 10 percent,

but if fewer than 10 tags are offered for

that area, nonresidents can’t draw.

• Wyoming gives 25 percent mountain goat

tags to nonresidents. Idaho? 10 percent, but if

fewer then 10 tags are offered for that area,

nonresidents can’t draw.

• Wyoming gives 20 percent of it’s moose

tags to nonresidents. Nevada? 10 percent.

• Wyoming gives 20 percent of its limited

quota deer tags to nonresidents. Utah? 10 percent.

• Wyoming gives 16 percent of its limited

area elk tags to nonresidents. New Mexico? 10

percent.

• Wyoming gives 20 percent of its antelope

tags to nonresidents. Montana? 10 percent, but

if fewer then 10 tags are offered for that area,

nonresidents can’t draw.

Wyoming nonresident hunting tag allocation

needs to come down to the 10 percent

or lower level offered by surrounding states.

2019 Wyoming Super

Tag winners announced

$1.1 million generated for wildlife conservation

But as bad as this is for resident hunters, Wyoming’s

sale of leftover tags is worse.

Wyoming resident hunters have no preference.

In the leftover draw, which begins in

July, resident hunters compete with nonresidents

equally for these leftover tags.

Just last year the Wyoming Game & Fish

Department went to a draw system for leftover

tags. Before that, leftover deer, elk and

antelope tags were sold first-come, first-served

through license selling agents and the WDGF

website. But still, there was no resident preference.

Nonresidents could and did get on their

computers and started buying leftover tags

once they were opened up on the G&F website.

We like the way New Mexico does it. New

Mexico offers its leftover tags in an over-thecounter

system like Wyoming used to ... but

with one significant difference. New Mexico

residents get a 24-hour head start. For the first

24 hours leftover tags are available for sale

and only New Mexico residents can purchase

them. After this 24 hours is up, the leftover

tags are available to everyone to purchase, regardless

of residency.

Help us get this changed.

Contact your state representatives, state senators

and Game & Fish Commission members

and tell him or her Wyoming needs to lower

its nonresident hunting tag allocation overall,

and give Wyoming residents preference for

leftover tags.