Wyoming
(Note: This overview was extracted from the December 2007 issue of The Huntin' Fool) 
Wyoming offers Rocky Mountain Bighorn, Shiras moose, Mountain goat, elk, Mule deer, Whitetail deer, and antelope. There is excellent quality available for all species! In 2007, Wyoming initiated an online application system for the first time that worked very well. The tag fees must continue to be paid up front when applying, but applicants may use a credit card and the margin for error is much less. Paper applications are accepted as well.
Wyoming has had a preference point system for moose and sheep for over a decade where 75% of the tags are issued to the applicant with the most points. Elk, deer, and antelope were included in the preference point system in 2006 with the same proportion of tags being allocated to applicants with the most points. The interesting thing we found this year is Wyoming will issue 2nd choice tags after all of the applicants 1st choices are considered, but applicants with the most preference points will obtain the 2nd choice tags over applicants with less points also! This is bizarre because if you were to draw your 2nd choice, you would continue to build preference points as if you never drew. This can be key if you’re looking to apply for a general region deer or elk tag.
Wyoming issues the most Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep tags in the West. Most harvested rams will score in the 160’s to 170’s with some years harvesting a 180 class ram. Success is generally high and hunt dates are very liberal. Wyoming also issues a lot of Shiras moose tags, which you can typically draw after about 6 to 8 years of applying. Next to Idaho, Wyoming offers non-residents their best chance to draw a Shiras moose tag. The population of Mountain goats in Wyoming is very small and as a result only a couple of non-resident tags will be issued. Apply if you absolutely need a goat tag, otherwise look toward Idaho, Montana, and Colorado for your best goat opportunities.
Wyoming has some great elk hunting, especially for archery hunters. The rifle seasons are generally in October and November which is after the rut. Archery hunters may either draw an archery specific tag or draw a rifle tag and obtain an archery stamp and hunt the entire month of September with a bow or crossbow and if unsuccessful, pick up a rifle during rifle season. This general principle with a few season date adjustments holds true for all species. Bulls ranging from 300"-380" plus B&C will come from Wyoming every year depending on the unit. The general elk tag is over-the-counter for residents but on a draw for non-residents. Hunters willing to go guided in the late season wilderness areas seem to do the best on the general tag with 350"-360" class bulls harvested annually.
The Mule deer quality has been suffering the past few years. Great bucks continue to be harvested but on a smaller scale than 10 years ago. General region tags are over-the-counter for residents and on a draw for non-residents. Over-the-counter tags in this day and age has, in our opinion, had a drastic negative effect on the number of trophy bucks. We don’t believe that any western state should manage for trophy critters only, but when Region G and H have had some of the best genetics of any state and used to produce a few world class bucks, it’s sad to see it decline the way it has.
Wyoming issues more antelope tags to non-residents than any other state. Each year a lot of good bucks including some incredible bucks come out of Wyoming. Wyoming is a “must apply for” state for serious antelope hunters. Draw odds are good and there is plenty of public land.