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Free Range Bison Tags

Eric Pawlak
|  
  • Eric Pawlak
Species: Bison
Location: WyomingUtah

Free Range Bison Tags 

by Eric Pawlak – WTA TAGS DIRECTOR

When applying for free range bison tags in the United States your options are extremely limited. The state that seems to garnish the most attention – Utah. This state is definitely at the forefront of people’s minds, for those interested in hunting this iconic species in a free range environment and or the life of me, I cannot figure out why.

If applying in Utah for their Henry Mountains bison tag is good … that then makes applying in Wyoming completely epic. Let’s take a look:

2017 Bison Draw Results (non-resident, bull tag): Utah vs. Wyoming

  • UTAH – 1st hunt on the Henry Mountains : Drawing odds = 1 in 1,491 (with zero bonus points)
  • WYOMING – Hunt Area 2 (Jackson bison herd): Drawing odds = 1 in 54 (no point system in WY for Bison)

(Applying in Wyoming offers a 29 times greater chance of drawing)

Now, you may be thinking that the bison hunting in the state of Utah must be far superior. To think this would definitely not be accurate. The bison specie is so “hyper-managed” across the west that, with the right outfitter, the hunting is actually world-class in both states.

Where Utah does have Wyoming beat is in the cost of the non-resident tag. In 2017, the price of a non-resident bison tag in Wyoming was $2,502. In Utah, only $1,518.

In 2018, the price of the tag in Utah will remain constant, while Wyoming has decided to increase their tag fee to $4,402. However, this hefty price increase will bode-well for the non-resident drawing odds in Wyoming. Remember, the state of Wyoming is a FLOAT state, meaning you must send in the entire tag fee at time of application. If the odds were 1 in 54 at $2,502, can you imagine what they will be this year when requiring applicants to front $4,402?! My bet – better than 1 in 40!

This is your year to draw a free range bison tag! REMEMBER WTA TAGS WILL FLOAT THE $4,402 ON YOUR BEHALF. The application DEADLINE to apply for WYOMING BISON is bearing down – February 28th.

CALL US TODAY – 1-800-755-TAGS(8247) 

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Kansas – A Whitetail Hunter’s Paradise

Kansas – A Whitetail Hunter’s Paradise

Kansas is at the top of the list for many whitetail enthusiasts. Why? Because big bucks are most often produced in the Midwest, and Kansas has done an excellent job of managing its whitetail herd for decades. However, tag quotas are decreasing slightly and application numbers are continuing to increase, making it more difficult to draw a whitetail tag. Non-residents can no longer apply for a tag in late April and be guaranteed to draw. In fact, with 0 points, first-time applicants can expect drawing odds to be less than 70%. Purchasing a whitetail preference point is now highly recommended.

Deadline to Apply: April 24. Draw Post Date: Mid-May. WTA TAGS Species: Whitetail Deer. Youth: Any age,…
Europe Awaits! Hosted Hunting + A European Vacation

Europe Awaits! Hosted Hunting + A European Vacation

I have been hunting Europe for a little over 10 years now, but there are so many countries and so much game that I feel like it could take another 20 years to see and do everything I want to do. That’s part of what makes Europe so exciting. It truly feels endless. Europe has become incredibly popular for several reasons. First, as an international hunting destination, it is easily accessible, with numerous flights available and no 15-hour, long-haul flights required from the U.S. and North America. Second, the hunts are almost always 100% successful because game management is top-notch and populations are extremely healthy. Third, hunts are relatively short, usually three to five days. Hunts lend themselves perfectly to adding extra vacation time, bringing non-hunters, and enjoying a truly memorable overall trip.

I’ve had the privilege of running WTA-hosted trips designed specifically for couples for the past three years, and we will continue this program well into the future, due to its overwhelming popularity. These trips are structured with a primary hunt alongside a dedicated non-hunter program for observers who prefer not to spend time in the field. Some of these activities have included spa days, shopping excursions, guided sightseeing tours, visits to olive oil operations or wineries, and more. Of course, non-hunters are always welcome to join the hunters in the field if they’d like.

On a personal level, my wife absolutely loves these trips, and I wouldn’t think of traveling to Europe without her. On several occasions when I’ve finished my hunt early, I’ve joined the non-hunters on their excursions and had an absolute blast. We also typically add a couple of days at the beginning of the trip to explore a city or region we haven’t visited before, which helps us adjust to the time change before the hunt begins.

In addition to the hunting, the scenery, the accommodations, and the food are always top-shelf.

After buying Wyoming moose preference points for years, throwing money at a dream that would probably never happen, Jeremy Ivie at WTA gave me advice that changed everything. “If you really want a chance at a Shiras moose, let’s put you in for Idaho.” The second year I applied, I drew the tag. Sometimes the best hunting advice isn’t about what unit to hunt, it’s about where to apply in the first place.

From Argentina to Idaho

My wife and I had just returned from an incredible trip to Argentina with WTA last April, and I wasn’t planning another hunt so soon. But when that Idaho draw result came through, everything changed. Now I’m planning two hunts a year, and my whole outlook has shifted. WTA doesn’t just book hunts; they help you build a hunting life.

October 1 found us in Idaho. The setup was perfect for us: a smaller, family-run operation with two cabins out back, a bathhouse between them, and the whole family was involved in the operation. Mike guided me, his father-in-law took the other hunter, and Mike’s wife and daughter helped run camp. After hunting at a bigger operation in Wyoming where I took a nice mule deer (another great recommendation from Jeremy), this intimate setting felt just right for a moose hunt.

Mountain Moose

Going in, I had no idea we’d be hunting at 5,000 feet above sea level. In my mind, moose meant swamps and willows, not mountain clear-cuts and steep terrain. But that’s where Idaho’s Shiras moose live, and Mike knew exactly how to hunt them.

Day one brought rain, cold, and long hours of glassing. We saw five moose total, including one bull that Mike immediately identified as “maybe a last-day bull, definitely not a first-day bull.” We also spotted a grizzly and some black bears. Idaho’s wild country was showing off! The terrain was brutal but beautiful, though after a full day of hiking those mountains, the word beautiful becomes relative!

Day two, Mike had a specific plan: a four-mile hike to a four-year-old clearcut he’d been watching. The timber gets so thick in Idaho that these clearcuts become magnets for moose. “We’re not going to do as much glassing today,” Mike said. “We’re going to do a lot of calling and listening.”

The Moment

Four miles in, calling and listening the whole way, we finally got an answer. Things happened fast after that. First, a cow appeared, then the bull at 250 yards. On the second morning of the hunt, I had my Idaho Shiras moose down. It was an unforgettable moment.

As most moose hunters will tell you, the real work begins after the moose is down. While we quartered and caped the moose on that steep mountainside, Mike’s wife and father-in-law were gathering horses and mules at the trailhead. The pack-out was something I’d always wanted to experience, and it lived up to all of my expectations. Idaho’s backcountry is stunning in photos, but once you’re off the trail, dealing with deadfall and near-vertical slopes while loading hundreds of pounds of moose meat onto mules, “beautiful” takes on a different meaning. I’m in good shape, and I was completely exhausted. It was fantastic.

…

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