Wyoming’s 10 different tag types, plus general opportunities can be confusing when you apply for Wyoming hunting licenses. Here’s a full breakdown of types of deer, elk, and antelope licenses available to help you understand them better.
Keep in mind, these are general descriptions of tag types to give an overview and help you better understand them. For the most part, these “Things To Know” describe the tag-types as they pertain to the 2022 Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) hunting regulations for deer, antelope, and elk. They are subject to change from year-to-year, however. You should consult current WGFD regulations before making your final application decisions.
Type 1
Species: Deer, Elk, Antelope
Fee-Type: Full Price
Weapon-Type: Any Legal Weapon + Special Archery Seasons
Animal-Type: Antlered/Horned or Any
Things To Know: Type-1 tags are usually the most sought after tags for an individual unit or group of units in the application process. These limited hunting opportunities for a time of year, gender, or species reduce the amount of hunters in the field and can create higher-quality hunting experiences compared to general areas.These hunting opportunities are often the most flexible, with the best season dates for harvest success or the longest season dates and the ability to take any gender/antler individual of the tagged species. Most have a special archery season that precedes the start of the any legal weapon season dates. To participate in the archery season, one must also purchase an archery permit.
Type 2
Species: Deer, Elk, Antelope
Fee-Type: Full Price
Weapon-Type: Any Legal Weapon + Special Archery Seasons
Animal-Type: Antlered/Horned or Any
Things To Know: Type-2 licenses will have different season dates, area boundaries, or antler restrictions than type-1 licenses. These are not always a less desirable hunt than type 1, though they are often viewed as such if they have less favorable season dates or limited public access to the species pursued. Many also have a Special Archery Season that precedes the start of the Any Legal Weapon season dates, usually the same special archery season as a type-1 tag for the same area. To participate in this archery season, one must also purchase an archery permit.
Type 3
Species: White-tailed Deer, Elk, Antelope
Fee-Type: Full Price
Weapon-Type: Any Legal Weapon + Special Archery Seasons
Animal-Type: Antlered/Horned or Any
Things To Know: Most well-known as a white-tailed deer tag, type-3 licenses are an antlered or either sex opportunity that may be held in addition to a type-1, type-2, or general season tag as long as only one tag is acquired through the tag application process and the other is a leftover. This goes both ways if leftover licenses of the other type are available. Most have a special archery season that precedes the start of the Any Legal Weapon season dates, usually the same special archery season as the other general or limited quota tags for the area. To participate in this archery season, one must also purchase an archery permit.
Type 4
Species: Elk
Fee-Type: Full Price
Weapon-Type: Any Legal Weapon + Special Archery Seasons
Animal-Type: Antlerless
Things To Know: A full price antlerless tag, the type-4 licenses are exclusively for elk hunting as of Wyoming’s 2020 hunting regulations. Some will have sub-unit restrictions, as well as varying season dates for any legal weapon. Any legal weapon season for type-4 tags may or may not coincide with another valid special archery season in the unit, so hunters should be aware of others in the field.
Type 5
Species: Elk
Fee-Type: Full Price
Weapon-Type: Any Legal Weapon
Animal-Type: Antlerless
Things To Know: The type-5 tag is very similar to the type-4 licenses in that it is exclusively for elk hunting as of Wyoming’s 2020 hunting regulations. Most will have a different sub-unit or season date structure than type-4 tags in the same unit which helps distribute hunting pressure, as well as improve hunter harvest on certain populations.
Type 6
Species: Deer, Elk, Antelope
Fee-Type: Reduced-Price
Weapon-Type: Any Legal Weapon
Animal-Type: Doe/Fawn, Cow/Calf Elk
Things To Know: One of the more common types of tags for doe/fawn deer and antelope and cow/calf elk tags, type-6 tags are reduced-price and can be held in addition to most primary tags. For instance, it is possible to apply and receive a type-1 bull elk tag and a type-6 cow/calf elk tag in the same year. Type-6 licenses are applied for separately from primary tag types within the tag application portal. These tags are often used to address specific management concerns about herd-size, which includes overpopulation on public and private land. Type-6 tags are a great way to take advantage of an additional harvest opportunity while maintaining the chance for sportsmen to pursue mature males of the same species, or just to fill the freezer.
Type 7
Species: Deer, Elk, Antelope
Fee-Type: Reduced-Price
Weapon-Type: Any Legal Weapon
Animal-Type: Doe/Fawn, Cow/Calf Elk
Things To Know: Another reduced-price option, type-7 tags are used to identify areas in a unit where the additional female harvest is desired. Often these areas are close to agricultural land, river bottoms, and/or given different harvest dates from type-6 tags. You can pick them up through the tag draw process in addition to full-priced license types. They will be applied for in the same place in the tag application system as the type-6 licenses.
Type 8
Species: Deer, Elk, Antelope
Fee-Type: Reduced-Price
Weapon-Type: Any Legal Weapon
Animal-Type: Whitetail Doe/Fawn, Antelope Doe/Fawn, Elk Cow/Calf
Things To Know: Type-8’s are most commonly known as a whitetail doe/fawn opportunity tags, though a few antelope and elk type-8 tags pop up in regulations. From looking at the resident doe/fawn draw odds, these are often the easiest of the tag types to secure a nearly guaranteed doe/fawn opportunity. If you have a good whitetail doe spot, these are the tags for you.
Type 9
Species: Deer, Elk, Antelope
Fee-Type: Full Price
Weapon-Type: Archery Only
Animal-Type: Antlered/Horned or Any
Things To Know: Though a special archery season is normally included with most any-weapon licenses, type-9 tags give an explicit opportunity for archery hunting-only. The majority of type-9 tags are elk tags. Additionally, they may be held at the same time as another tag holder’s archery season, though it most often gives the tag holder prime season dates for archery hunting. These count toward your primary types of tags for deer and elk, so they must be applied for in the same place in the tag application system as type-1 and type-2 tags.
Type 0
Species: Deer, Elk, Antelope
Fee-Type: Full Price
Weapon-Type: Specialty Weapon (i.e. Muzzle-loader)
Animal-Type: Antlered/Horned or Any
Things To Know: The Game and Fish has the ability to make more type-0 opportunities in the future, however, as of 2020 WGFD regulations, there are three type-0 tags available for application. All three of these type-0 tags are muzzle-loader specific seasons for pronghorn hunting. One of them also includes a handgun option. Much like the type-9 tags, they are also found in the same place in the tag application system as type-1 and type-2 tags.
General
Species: Deer, Elk
Fee-Type: Full Price
Weapon-Type: See Regulations
Animal-Type: See Regulations
Things To Know: General tags can be picked up by residents at a license agent “over-the-counter” and do not need to be applied during the tag application process. If you know you would like to hunt a general season, and you did not draw a conflicting license in the application process, residents just need to go to a local sporting good store to pick one up or purchase online at wgfd.wyo.gov
Endnote
When applying for tags in Wyoming, research draw odds, hunter access, and hunt specific regulations. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department website and regulations are the best resources for tag information. Oftentimes, the local biologists or wardens may also provide clarity on hunting information specific to a unit or general area. It’s better to be safer than sorry, so do not hesitate to reach out to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department with further questions on applications at 307-777-4600.
To get started with your applications, click here. Good luck!
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