Committee approves plan to switch sheep and moose draws to weighted bonus-point system

The Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Committee voted to send Senate File 2 to the full Senate after debate over whether to convert Wyoming's sheep and moose drawing system from a preference-point model to a weighted bonus-point ("squared points") random draw and to delay implementation for several years to allow long-time point holders to use existing points.

The bill, drafted from recommendations of a statewide Wildlife Task Force, would shift the allocation of many licenses into a system where applicants accumulate bonus entries and those entries are weighted (squared) to increase the chance for long-term applicants. The task force recommended a delayed implementation window recommended at five years to give hunters with large point balances an opportunity to draw under the current rules before the change takes effect.

The committee heard detailed modeling from members of the task force and Wyoming Game and Fish Department staff showing that demand for limited tags far outstrips supply. Joe Schafer, a member of the task force and president of Laramie County Community College, summarized the technical work: "The first thing is, overall the odds stink. No matter what system you put in place with the few numbers…