The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission unanimously just voted to increase the price of preference points for non-residents beginning January 1, 2027. This increase will affect deer, elk, and antelope which will increase them to the maximum amount permitted by the Wyoming State Legislature.
“We need to be prepared to do more for our Game and Fish employees,” Commissioner Bill Mai said. “Costs have increased across the board – we have to be ready to cover that.”
The increases will include the following.
- Antelope preference points: $31 to $75, a $44 increase.
- Deer preference points: $41 to $75, a $34 increase.
- Elk preference points: $52 to $75, a $23 increase
Moose and sheep preference points had previously been increased to the maximum allowed on January 1, 2018.
Game and Fish Chief Fiscal Officer Meredith Wood said that the revenue increase, based on current preference point sales, will provide the Department with an annual revenue increase of an estimated $14,654,829.
Source Link: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/news-events/commissioners-vote-increase-non-resident-preference-point-prices
32 comments
Good By Wyoming!! I will not be part of this money grab just like Utah.
I hate traveling anyways.
I agree……. GOOD BYE wyoming!
I wrote this to the commission:
“I’m really not sure why you all even allow non-residents to apply for big game tags????? You obviously don’t want us hunting in your state!!!!!! You keep raising prices of preference point fees…. ASTRONOMICALLY. Please Just come out and say it…… You don’t want us there! Oh wait, it’s our money that you want. Well, I’ll be avoiding Wyoming from now on. I typically drive through a few times a year, as I visit friends on the other side. I’ll go around wyo. from now on. I’ll by my gas, my food, and hotel rooms in one of the other states. Enjoy your way too windy and dry state.”
Should be a lot less traffic on I-80 then. Thanks!
States just keep raping the non-res. It’s bad enough we have to put in for 10-20 plus yrs to draw a tag and pay 10x or more than what a resident pays. Now double just for a pref pt. Non residents pay for almost all the F&G expenses like salaries and land improvements. My income didn’t double and I bet no other hunters did either so why double the cost of pts on top of the increase in tag cost just the other year. It’s time to start drawing a tag with the pts I have even if it’s not the one I want, just to save me some money. Hopefully others will do the same and stop applying then the F&G depts of all the states will have even less money
This always ruffles feathers but why not increase the resident fees? I live out west and I would be fine with resident fees increasing in my state. Why is it each state always looks to the non residents to help with budget shortfalls, don’t we all enjoy the same sport equally?
Its easy to rape the nonresidents
They actually have, but residents don’t have a preference point system in Wyoming for non-trophy species.
Many residents actually want an in-state preference point system for limited quota areas, but that idea hasn’t gone anywhere.
A preference point system for resident antelope, deer and elk would be welcomed by many of Wyoming’s resident hunters. It’d be extra moola for G&F. Makes too much sense, that’s why the idea goes nowhere. They could use that extra money to hire more fish biologists.
I’m not surprised. I think as long as there is increased demand from non-resident hunters with any state, the demand out-strips supply by a wide margin.
The software platforms that enable hunters to apply for multiple species in several states opened Pandora’s box. Now, very little knowledge of hunting areas is required…just a credit card.
There were nowhere near as many non-resident applicants in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s as there are today. This will not change – it is the evolution of the system we created.
“We need to be prepared to do more for our Game and Fish employees,”..how about a DOGE audit and cut a bunch of useless positions?
Not sure why you would assume there a bunch of useless positions to cut. DOGE already showed what stupid assumptions will do to a country.
A DOGE audit of WY Game and Fish is a great idea! We’ve seen how the racist, misogynistic, bigoted radical left whined about it when they had to get a job instead of playing video games while sitting in their underwear in their parent’s basement. It would likely save a lot of money in Wyoming Game and Fish spending, as well.
We know who you voted for!!
Seems to me Wyoming is pricing themselves out of the hunting market for non residents to spend even more money in Wyoming other than hunting points and licenses. Your losing needed economy money from small businesses to corporate motels! More on the table than dollars on the game and fish coffer’s. Non residents boost our state economy from licensing to tourism dollars!! Licensing cost increases just prevent a hunter from getting that tag this year to maybe next year or a few years down the road. Which in turn shifts that loss of revenue back to the resident with tag increases to make up for the lost revenue.
PP systems are flawed from day 1. Resident or NR.
Legalized Ponzi scheme. And we are suckers because it is the only way the states allow participation.
Unfortunately, hunting has become all about money. There is no way to tell who is a skilled hunter anymore. Some people pay thousands of dollars to go on guided hunts, others pay out of state application cost for years to draw the same tag, and others can only afford to hunt in their home states. States like Idaho charge non residents outrageous fees to pick up shed antlers. How can fish and game agencies have any legal authority over something that isn’t attached to an animal any longer? It’s no different than picking up a rock or stick.
Rocks and sticks don’t fetch as much money as shed antlers do. Duh.
It’s unfortunate that the hunting community has to pay the bill for almost all other outdoor activities but that’s the way it’s setup.
Looks like I’m going to have to move there.
Shucks!!! Wyoming here I come!!!
Yeehaw!!!
I will burn my Antelope points asap, stop buying deer points and then just buy elk points. I guess it will save me some money.
How much does a nice dinner with your wife cost? Maybe you should do that one less time this year. Then maybe you can afford points in Wyoming. Have you quit buying gas yet? I complain after every fill-up, yet still keep buying gas!!
Those dirty mother XXXX’s.
I’m done I have been buying elk deer and antelope points for myself and my son and daughter for 13 years we will be putting in next year after that no more Wyoming for us
Unfortunately, WGFD is going to learn a real world lesson in marginal economics.
“… the revenue increase, based on current preference point sales, will provide the Department with an annual revenue increase of an estimated $14,654,829.”
They can subract $225.00 they will no longer be getting from me, I’m out.
Trust me, there will be no difference in the amount of revenue for Wyoming by a few folks stepping aside. Replacements are already scrambling for more points. Yeah, I realize it sucks, but it’s nonresident hunting all across the west. Pay to play or don’t play.
I just used up my points and booked a hunt this yr. Sorry to say I won’t be buying anymore or supporting Wyo after 2026. A small increase I’d still play but this isn’t a fair increase.
I and my friends , have been playing points and buying tags for years. have loved hunting in Wyoming. Had a lot of fun. I have a guided elk hunt next year that will be the end for me. My friends will follow me as I am the one who puts hunts together. Sad to say but with so much higher tags, and now pref points doubling. They have found my exit point.
Rick P
Simple math…WY figured out they gave up a pile of $$$ by taking tags away from non-res, exacerbated by winter loss, so they’re trying to make that up by charging us more for those points they devalued, that we now need more of in order to draw a tag! Leave it to a politician to fix bad policy with more bad policy. I’ll probably quit buying points and make a couple attempts to use my points before they expire then I’ll be done with Wyoming. Call it an expensive lesson and move on. Wyoming also charges extra fees to non resident visitors to state parks. It’s getting old.
Go pull up the GF budget, all these increases do zero for wildlife (the actual resource driving the entire system). Instead budget shows the money is “sifted and shifted”, what a joke / criminal. Millions going to nonsense studies that result in nothing, very large pay increase to FG administration and officers that actually never raise a finger to solve the biggest issues of habitat improvement, never planted or improved native historical habitat or increased dispersed water sources. So all the money never improves the situation- only allows it to get worse ! Ideally the legislation would say 80% of sportsman’s dollars coming into FW departments must go to improving wildlife numbers not improving the clowns running the system lives who subsequently do very little (not saying zero- but little/ just enough to promulgate continuation of self licking ice cream cone system and Dept).
Not sure I will be buying points anymore in Wyoming. Hunting is becoming a rich man’s sport, and the anti-hunters outnumber the hunters. WY is not the only state to do this to non-residents, CO requires you buy a small game license as a qualifying license to apply for big game tags. It seems it is getting harder and more expensive to hunt.
Seems like a loss for everyone. Residents might celebrate now but after doing some digging it appear non res. pay for a lot of the state’s hunting revenue. Meaning if nonresidents quit paying to play locals prices will skyrocket in a few years. Plus, now nonresidents wont advocate for public land there anymore which will probably lead public land loss.
There will always be non-resident folks with deeper pockets. That’s a fact. There will be no decrease in demand. The hard truth is that you won’t be missed. And there will always be fewer tags/ animals than the people who want to hunt them.