Most dream about epic hunts; some go on them. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department announced the winners of its Wyoming Super Tag raffle on July 15.
Created by Gov. Matt Mead and the Wyoming Legislature in 2013, the Super Tag raffle provides hunters opportunity and raises money for wildlife management in Wyoming. This year, 87,112 tickets were sold, a 20 percent increase from last year. This amounts to $1.1 million generated for wildlife conservation. The program has raised more than $4.8 million since its inception.
“Funds generated from Super Tag sales are a win-win for hunters and wildlife. Super Tag sales contribute to the Game and Fish general fund that helps pay for projects like the Wyoming Mule Deer Initiative, big game migration corridor designations and chronic wasting disease monitoring,” said Glenn Pauley, who coordinates the Super Tag raffle for Game and Fish. “Thank you, hunters, for supporting Wyoming’s wildlife.”
This fall, 11 hunters will pursue bighorn sheep, moose, mountain goat, elk, bison, deer, pronghorn, black bear, gray wolf and mountain lion or a combination of three species of their choice with the Trifecta. A 12th winner was awarded a gear package with top-of-the-line hunting equipment and apparel. The 2019 winners are:
- Super Tag Trifecta: Eric Nesheim, South Dakota
- Pronghorn: Mark Minzlaff, Oregon
- Deer: George Wulff, California
- Elk: Ayden Fatherree, Louisiana
- Bighorn sheep: Paul Dona, Wyoming
- Black bear: Justin Downes, South Dakota
- Gray wolf: John Blevins, Texas
- Moose: Mark Gunnufson, Minnesota
- Mountain goat: Jeffrey Joy, Texas
- Mountain lion: Benjamin Chasteen, Alabama
- Wild bison: Randy Higgins, Wyoming
- Ultimate Gear Package: Richard Carpenter, California
The pronghorn, elk, black bear and mountain goat winners all drew with one Super Tag ticket.
Winning the Super Tag allows hunters to choose any open hunt area in the state, with some limitations depending on license availability for moose, sheep and bison. Furthermore, lifetime limits do not apply and hunters keep their preference points
Super Tag was supported this year in part by KUIU, Swarovski Optik, Mathews Archer, Maven, Gunwerks, Worldwide Trophy Adventures, Lathrops and Sons, Weatherby, HuntWise, the Muley Fanatic Foundation and the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation.
Tickets for the 2020 Super Tag raffle are on sale from July 17 until next year’s deadline of July 1.