gotlost,

I don't know if you are a WY resident or not, and I don't know what your odds are, but for us nonresidents ANY red desert tag is a tough draw with about 1/8-1/12 odds. Plus, there are ZERO type 9 archery only tags in the red desert area. None! Therefore Joey would have to apply in with all the rifle hunters in order to draw a red desert tag (totally stupid management). The red desert is primarily public land. However, there are surrounding units that are 90%+ private, where the draw odds are MUCH better, 1/1-1/2. Unit 108, where I hunted,is a prime example. It's 99% private, all owned by one or two ranches.The only issue is getting access in there.

I hunt out west every year and always go self guided, almost always on public land. However, this was one exception. I wanted to take a WY antelope and didn't want to wait 4-10 years to draw. $300 beat the hell out of the cost of an outfitted hunt. Soon afterward the ranch we hunted switched to outfitted hunting so we did not return, but I am sure there are others in the area that will still do a trespass fee. There were tons of nice bucks on this land and we had zero competition. It was well worth the fee. The gas money to get there was more expensive.

The other fee one now needs to figure into this equasion is the new point fee WY instituted in 2006. Do the math. If Joey starts applying this year, he'd be in the 2nd draw pool. Everyone one point ahead of him would need to draw before he'd even have a mathematical CHANCE. Those points would cost him $30 per year. 10 years @ $30/year = $300 IF WY does not increase the fee (how often does that happen). Under that scenario Joey would not be hunting any time soon........10 years from now........for the same $300 fee! Compound the interest and it probably amounts to $600.

The new $30 point fee makes trespass fees much, much more financially appealing than previously. Joey shouldfind one now before themarket for them adjusts.That is inevitable.

Personally I'd rather pay my $300 to a rancher and go hunt this year rather than wait 10 years & pay $600 to a G&F that prostitutes our wilderness public land for outfitters only. But that's just me.