Hunting opportunities are better here than other states

Last week, I found out that I hadn’t drawn any of the limited-quota licenses I had put in for. That’s a bummer, but in Wyoming, there are still lots of opportunities to hunt. It’s not that way everywhere.

I’m constantly getting little reminders why I love living in Wyoming. Every region of the country is loved by most of the people who live there, I am sure. Maybe it’s just a factor of being familiar with the place. But I have to think that here in Wyoming, it’s bigger than that.

This whole COVID-19 thing, for instance, is a much bigger deal in places that are more populated. It’s simple virology. Anywhere a population is more dense, a virus can spread much more quickly.

But we really see how lucky we are to live in Wyoming when we go hunting. There are set seasons, and because each area has a different open season, it can get pretty complicated. But compared to most other states, our seasons are long. And they can be extended if you hunt with a bow. We’re one of the few states that offers an archery permit, rather than a specific archery game tag. That means if you have a deer tag, you can hunt the archery season, then go again in the gun season if you don’t get your deer. In a lot of states, you get one tag, and it’s archery or rifle specific.

That’s the way it was in North Dakota during my brief time up there. My friends who hunt up there have to put in for all their licenses, including deer. And if they don’t draw one, they can’t hunt.

I didn’t draw my limited-quota areas for elk or deer here in Wyoming this year, but I did get a general tag for each that’s good in about half the state.

And I can even get leftover doe or fawn and cow or calf tags, too. And hunt public land in about 50 percent of the state.

Yep, I’m glad I live here. Wyoming is a great state to be in if you hunt.