For Immediate Release:

 

 

Game and Fish Habitat Areas Now Open for Summer Months........................................................... . 1

Johnson County Elk Poaching Case Settled............................................................................................. . 2

Sign up Now for Youth Hunter Education Challenge to be Held May 31 in Upton......................... . 3

Antler/Horn Hunting and Interstate Game Tag Procedures and Regulations.................................... . 4

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

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

 

 

 

GAME AND FISH HABITAT AREAS NOW OPEN FOR SUMMER MONTHS

CHEYENNE—With the coming of the summer months, most Game and Fish Wildlife Habitat Management Areas (WHMAs) that were closed to minimize disturbance to wintering deer, elk and other wildlife are now open for public use.

The following is a listing of habitat areas and the dates they are available for public use:

 

HABITAT AREA     NEAREST TOWN              DATES AREA OPEN             RESTRICTIONS

 

Camp Creek                  Jackson                                May 1 through Nov. 30         

Horse Creek                     Jackson                               May 1 through Nov. 30         

South Park                       Jackson                               May 1 through Nov. 30                     

Grey’s River                     Alpine                                May 1 through Nov. 30         

Half Moon                       Pinedale                             May 1 through Nov. 15         

Soda Lake                        Pinedale                             May 1 through Nov. 30

Inberg/Roy (East Fork                 Dubois                                May 16 through Dec. 17        

Whiskey Basin                 Dubois                                May 16 through Nov. 30                                              

Spence/Moriarity             Dubois                               May 16 through Dec. 17                                                                                                                                              

Sunlight                            Cody                                  May 1 through Dec. 15          

Sunshine                           Meeteetse                          June 1 through Nov. 30                  

Renner                              Hyattville                          June 1 through Nov. 30                                                                                                                           

Billy Miles/Carter AccessTen Sleep                           Sept. 1 through Dec. 31                       

Medicine Lodge               Hyattville                          July 1 through Dec. 25              

Ed O. Taylor                  Kaycee                    May 1 through Dec. 15                                                              Bud Love                   Buffalo                    May 15 through Nov. 30                                                       

Amsden Creek                           Dayton                    M ay 17 thru Nov. 15                May 17 thru May 31 and            

                                                                                                                           Nov 1 thru Nov 15 non-

                                                                                                                           motorized access only

                                                                                                                                                                      

Kerns                              Parkman                  June 1 through Nov. 15              Nov. 1 to Nov. 15 – non-

                                                                                                                           motorized access only                        

Pennock Mountain         Saratoga                  May 1 through Nov. 30                                                      Morgan Creek                  Rawlins                   May 1 through Nov. 30             non- motorized access only

Wick                               Arlington                 May 16 through Nov. 15       

Forbes/Sheep Mountain Albany                    May 1 through Dec. 31          

Laramie Peak                 Wheatland               May 1 through Jan. 30                    

Mexican Creek               Lander                     Sept.1 through Dec. 31          

Red Canyon                   Lander                     May 1 through Nov. 30

 

 

WHMAs OPEN YEAR-ROUND INCLUDE:

HABITAT AREA                                NEAREST TOWN              

Ocean Lake                             Riverton         

Sand Mesa                              Shoshoni                                                                                

Chain Lakes                            Wamsutter      

Grayrocks                                Wheatland      

Rawhide                                  Lingle 

Springer/Bump Sullivan          Yoder 

Table Mountain                       Torrington

Tom Thorne/Beth Williams     Wheatland

Yellowtail                               Lovell 

Red Rim/Daley                       Rawlins                                  

Red Rim/Grizzly                     Rawlins                                                                                               

-WGFD-  

 

 

JOHNSON COUNTY ELK POACHING CASE SETTLED

BUFFALO – A Gillette woman, Prairie Whiteface, has been ordered to pay fines and restitution totaling $19,500 following a guilty plea of the illegal taking of two bull elk in 2011 and 2013 on a ranch near the Powder River east of Buffalo.          

Due to the seriousness of the elk violations, and because of a previous case involving Whiteface in 2009, Johnson County Deputy Attorney Ryan Wright and Whiteface’s defense attorney drafted a plea agreement for the fines and restitution. Circuit Court Judge Shelley Cundiff then sentenced Whiteface in accordance with the agreement.

On April 28, 2014 Whiteface, entered a plea of guilty to the illegal take of two elk without proper licenses in 2011 and 2013. The case was initiated in October 2013, when Gillette game wardens Dustin Kirsch and Teal Joseph relayed information they had received regarding a possible poaching incident to Buffalo game warden Jim Seeman. After Seeman received the information he recalled a similar type violation that occurred in 2009 involving the same defendant. In that case, Whiteface’s license was given to a Texas man to use when he harvested a buck mule deer. The Texas man was charged with taking a deer without a proper license and paid a fine of $780. The mule deer in that case was also confiscated.

In the elk cases, it was Whiteface that used licenses in 2011 and 2013 that were not issued to her. After the Gillette wardens and Seeman collected physical evidence about both elk, Seeman interviewed Whiteface who admitted to killing both elk and having the elk she killed in 2011 mounted.

In addition to fines and restitution, Prairie Whiteface lost her privilege to purchase licenses and hunt for three years. With her hunting privileges suspended in Wyoming, Whiteface will not be able to purchase hunting licenses in 38 other states that are members of the Wildlife Violators Compact. Both elk heads were confiscated and the meat from the elk taken in 2013 was donated to a family.

(Contact: Bud Stewart 307-672-7418)

-WGFD-

 

 

 

SIGN UP NOW FOR YOUTH HUNTER EDUCATION CHALLENGE TO BE HELD MAY 31 IN UPTON

UPTON – Of all high school state championships – football, golf, soccer, speech/debate, track and field, etc. – none are more “Wyoming” than the state hunting championships.

The seventh annual Youth Hunter Education Challenge, as it is officially called, will be held May 31 at the Upton Gun Club. Young hunters do not need to qualify in a regional or district tournament to compete. All Wyoming youth 18 and under who have passed hunter education are eligible to showcase their hunting skills, while having a lot of fun.

The challenge tests youngsters in sporting clays style trap shooting, .22, muzzleloader and archery marksmanship, wildlife identification, orienteering and hunter safety judgments.

“The challenge is designed to be a fun event for all participants – not just the winners,” said Jim Dawson, Game and Fish hunter education coordinator. “Every year there’s more young Wyoming hunters participating.”

Since it started in 2008, the challenge has been hosted by the Upton Gun Club and officially sanctioned by the National Rifle Association. Participants in both age categories – 15-18 and 14 and under – are eligible to advance to the international competition to be held July 20-25 in Mansfield, Pa. Wyoming youngsters have competed in the international since 2009, including Wyoming’s first official team last year.

In addition to the Wyoming Game and Fish and the gun club, the challenge is sponsored by the Wyoming Friends of the NRA, Cabela’s and a variety of Wyoming businesses. All participants receive a prize for competing.

To participate, youngsters need to submit copies of their hunter education card, birth certificate, photo and pay a $10 entry fee. Entry forms are available on the Game and Fish website or at Game and Fish offices.

“The members of the Upton Gun Club do yeoman’s work making this a fun, memorable event for the youngsters involved,” Dawson added.

(Contact Jim Dawson 307-473-3439 or Rick Rothleutner of the Upton Gun Club 307- 281-9980)

-WGFD-

 

 

 

 

ANTLER-HORN HUNTING AND THE INTERSTATE GAME TAG PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS

SHERIDAN – Antler hunting is a popular activity in Wyoming and every year people from all over the state search big game wintering areas looking for antlers that were shed in late winter and early spring.

While most antler hunters are familiar with the rules associated with antler gathering there are several regulations that must be followed.

First, if antler hunting is going to take place on private land, permission to enter the land to look for antlers must be obtained from the landowner prior to entering the land. In addition if antler hunting is taking place on publicly accessible lands, antler hunters need to make sure those lands are open to antler or skull hunting activity. Wyoming Game and Fish Department Wildlife Habitat Management Areas (WHMAs) across the state are normally closed during the winter to protect wintering wildlife. These WHMAs typically have opening dates that vary from early May to early June. Antler hunters going to WHMAs need to verify that the area has opened to human activity.

One of the most important regulations governing antler hunting is the Interstate Game Tag procedure and the requirements of that regulation. No interstate game tag is required to possess shed antlers or antlers that have been broken or sawed off above, or immediately below, the antler burr, but to legally possess antlers or horns attached to a skull plate or to possess trophy game skulls, an interstate game tag is required.

Antler hunters in the remote backcountry may pick up and transport skull plates with antlers/horns attached or trophy game skulls. However, a Wyoming Game and Fish Department enforcement officer must be contacted as soon as a public telephone or cell phone service is available to get approval to transport such items and make arrangements to obtain an interstate game tag.

When antler/horn hunting in less remote areas where there is cell phone service, contact a Game and Fish enforcement officer to get approval prior to moving or transporting the skull plate with antlers/horns attached or the trophy game skull. Failure to follow the interstate game tag procedure and regulation could result in a citation, seizure of the wildlife parts, or both.

Anyone wanting further information regarding the Interstate Game Tagging procedure can contact their local game warden or one of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Regional Offices.                                                                        (Contact: Bud Stewart 307-672-7418)

-WGFD-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Game and Fish Calendar

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

May 14 – AIS Watercraft Inspection Training, Laramie, West Laramie Fire Station, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

May 15 – AIS Watercraft Inspection Training, Cheyenne Game and Fish Headquarters, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

May 15 – Public meeting on Gray Wolf only, Cody, Bighorn Federal Bank, 6 p.m.

May 16 – Last day to view Conservation Stamp Art Competition, Cheyenne Game and Fish Headquarters Bldg.                 May 19 – Public Meeting on Gray Wolf, Licensing and Hunter Safety regulations, Pinedale WGFD office, 6 p.m.

May 20 – Spring season for wild turkey ends in all hunt areas

May 20 – Public Meeting on Gray Wolf, Licensing and Hunter Safety regulations, Casper WGFD office, 6 p.m.

May 20 – Public Meeting on Gray Wolf, Licensing, Hunter Safety regulations, Green River WGFD office, 6 p.m.

May 20 – AIS Watercraft Inspection Training, Gillette, Alan Mickelson Fire Training Center, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.                               May 22 – Public Meeting on Gray Wolf, Licensing, Hunter Safety regs, Dubois, Arts & Conf. Ctr., 6 p.m.

June 2 – Application deadline for resident limited quota elk, deer, antelope licenses, 12 a.m. application deadline

June 11 – AIS Watercraft Inspection Training, Jackson, WGFD Regional Office, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.    

 

 

 

            

Ask Game and Fish