July 27 Game and Fish news

For Immediate Release:

 

 

Leftover big game licenses go fast................................................................................................................ 1

Golden trout spawning at Story Hatchery provides unique fishing opportunities............................... 2

Wyoming Backcountry Hunters & Anglers donates to Game and Fish Access Yes program........... 4

Game and Fish Calendar................................................................................................................................ 5

Ask Game and Fish......................................................................................................................................... 5

 

 

Leftover big game licenses go fast

CHEYENNE – If you were one of the hunters who accessed the Game and Fish website shortly after 8 a.m. on July 8 or 15 to get leftover full-price or reduced price licenses for antelope, elk or deer and found that the area you wanted was gone, you weren’t alone.

 

Leftover full-price elk, deer, and antelope licenses went on sale at 8 a.m. on July 8 and reduced price cow/calf elk and doe/fawn deer and antelope licenses were released a week later on July 15.

 

Hunters purchased 2,344 full price licenses in the first hour after 8 a.m. on July 8 and 5,497 reduced price licenses within the first hour after the 8 a.m. starting time on July 15.

 

The answer to how licenses could go so fast is a result of the computer age, but issuing licenses via computer is not new. For several years the Game and Fish has been issuing leftover licenses online via the Game and Fish website.

 

“Before 8 a.m. on the license release dates there were hundreds of people who had already logged in, waiting for the licenses to be released,” said Game and Fish computer programmer Tom Graham. “On the morning of July 8 we looked at the activity on our website and 1,100 people were already logged in and waiting for the licenses to be released at 8 a.m.”

 

Some license buyers were also waiting at license agents and Game and Fish offices, but lines were shorter this year as it appeared many hunters got the message they had a better chance of obtaining a high demand leftover license from their home computer than at Game and Fish offices.

 

Graham said licenses are sold at those facilities the same way they are on your home computer. “At Game and Fish offices, a hunter’s personal information must be entered by the Game and Fish employee, and by the time that gets taken care of, others who were already online had often taken the available licenses in some of the areas,” Graham said. “Essentially, the people who were waiting at offices had 1,100 people ahead of them in the line at 8 a.m. on July 8 and about 1,600 folks at the front of the line on July 15.”

 

According to the Game and Fish it is getting more and more difficult to find licenses leftover in areas that have good public access. If that trend continues, hunters will find it easier to obtain licenses if they apply in the initial drawing as opposed to waiting for leftovers. For nonresidents, the obtaining of a preference point often enhances the chance of drawing an elk, deer or antelope license in areas with reasonable public access. The deadline to purchase a preference point that will affect drawing odds for 2016 hunts is September 30.

 

Even with the flurry of license buying activity there are a number of areas that still have licenses remaining. For deer and antelope, most of those licenses are on private land areas and hunters are advised to secure a place to hunt before obtaining a license.   Some of the reduced price cow/calf elk licenses are for private land areas, but others are available on national forest lands. A complete listing of areas with leftover licenses and application information is available on the Game and Fish website http://wgfd.wyo.gov.                                                                                                                                 (Contact: Al Langston (307)777-4540)

-WGFD-

 

Golden trout spawning at Story Hatchery provides unique fishing opportunities

 

SHERIDAN – “Another successful year” is how Steve Diekema, Story Fish Hatchery Superintendent, is describing the golden trout spawning operation that was just completed in early July at the Story Fish Hatchery.  

 

The golden trout spawning program at Story Fish Hatchery is unique in that it is the only fish hatchery in the nation that maintains a genetically pure population of golden trout for egg collection purposes. Fish maintained at fish hatcheries for egg collection are referred to as captive brood stock.

 

About ten years ago when the idea of trying to establish a captive golden trout brood stock was being discussed, all those involved in the discussion knew it was going to be a difficult task to accomplish. Difficult because it had never been done before; a few other fish hatcheries had tried it, but none were successful.

 

So, why have golden trout? In Wyoming golden trout are a unique species found only in remote high mountain lakes that usually require hiking a considerable distance to access the waters. Many anglers will travel great distances just to get to the trailhead where the long hike begins. Spending time in the high country attempting to catch one of these elusive fish is a very enjoyable challenge for most anglers.

 

The employees at the Story Hatchery knew their cold water supply, which closely matches the requirements of golden trout, had the best chance of maintaining a captive brood stock. In 2007, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department obtained eggs from a genetically pure wild population of golden trout from the State of Montana. The eggs were taken to an isolation facility at the Boulder Rearing Station for hatching and rearing. The isolation facility reared the fish for about eight months until a full disease screening could be completed. After passing all disease free requirements, the fish were then transferred to Story and in two years the fish had grown to become mature adults. The first step in establishing a captive brood stock had been taken.

 

Over 46,000 eggs were collected from 147 two year old females in 2009, the first year in which eggs were collected from the captive golden trout.   In 2011, 119,000 eggs were collected from 383 three and four year old females. In 2014, 261,000 eggs were collected from 447 three, four and five year old females. These successes proved it could be done; golden trout could be maintained at a fish hatchery and successfully spawned.

 

A sufficient number of eggs were collected in 2011 to meet the entire fish stocking request for the high mountain lake stocking of Wyoming’s waters in 2012.   This was the first time in 17 years an adequate number of three inch long, pure golden trout had been available for alpine lakes stocking. Also, in 2012, surplus eggs were shipped to Idaho, Utah, and Washington for their high mountain fish stocking program.

 

This year, surplus eggs not needed in Wyoming will be shipped to other states such as Idaho, Washington, Utah, Colorado and California as part of a reciprocal trade agreement. In return for these eggs, the state of Wyoming receives assistance in tiger trout production from Idaho and, kokanee salmon eggs from Colorado; similar reciprocal agreements are set up with other states receiving the surplus eggs.

 

Currently, the annual in-state stocking requests for golden trout range from approximately 30,000 to 45,000 three inch fish.

(Contact: Bud Stewart (307-672-7418)

-WGFD-

 

 

 

Wyoming Backcountry Hunters & Anglers donate to Game and Fish Access Yes program

CASPER –The Wyoming Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (WYBHA) recently donated $500 to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Access Yes program. Access Yes is a funding mechanism that helps pay for the Private Lands Public Wildlife (PLPW) program.

 

Access Yes funds provide monetary payments landowners who want to grant hunters and anglers access to private land. This donation helps secure access for hunters and anglers across Wyoming, through the PLPW program.

 

“The Wyoming Backcountry Hunters & Anglers are an outstanding partner to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. A dollar does not go very far these days, but it will open 3.7 acres of land to hunting and fishing access. Sportsmen will see about 1,850 acres become available to them with this donation,” says Scott Talbott, Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

 

The WYBHA organization is dedicated to ensuring the future generations have the same opportunities to enjoy wide-open landscapes, clean water, fair chase and fair access to game, the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, as well as responsible and planned management of motorized and industrial development.

 

“We are grateful for the support of the Wyoming Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and thank them and all the landowners who give hunters and anglers access to their property for this generous donation,” says Matt Withroder, Casper regional access coordinator for Game and Fish.

 

Funding for the Access Yes comes from several sources; primarily conservation stamps sales, donations and restitutions payments. Hunters and anglers also have the option of donating to the program when they purchase or apply for a license. Access Yes donation can only be used for purchasing easements for Hunter Management Areas and Walk-in Areas.

 

For more information, visit the Game and Fish web page at wgfd.wyo.gov under the PLPW Access Program or contact the Casper Game and Fish office at (307) 473-3401.

 

- WGFD -

 

 

Game and Fish Calendar

 

 

 

July 27 – Free wildlife/scenic photography workshop, Green River Game and Fish Office, 2-4 p.m.

July 28 – Free wildlife/scenic photography workshop, Pinedale Game and Fish Office, 2-4 p.m.

July 29 – Free wildlife/scenic photography workshop, Jackson Game and Fish Office, 2-4 p.m.

July 31 – Application deadline for sandhill crane and limited quota fall turkey licenses

Aug. 15 – Archery antelope season opens in most hunt areas

Aug. 17 – Free wildlife/scenic photography workshop, Casper Game and Fish Office, 2-4 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Ask Game and Fish