Wyoming Game and Fish Regional Office Phone Numbers are listed at bottom of page

BLACK BEAR AREA 13 CLOSED

LANDER - Black bear hunters take note: Hunt area 13, the southeast end of the Wind River Range, closed June 7, 2008, for the spring season.
Area 13 is the eastern slope of the Wind River Range south of the Wind River Indian Reservation.  Hunters are reminded to check the Black Bear Hunting Regulations for specific area boundaries. The area closed because the harvest quota of three female bears, or sows, was reached. Black bear hunt areas that are closed as of June 11, 2008, include hunt areas 7, 8, 9,13, and 33. All other hunt areas will remain open until June 15, 2008, or until harvest quotas are reached.   
Black bear hunters are reminded to check the status of their hunt areas before they hunt by calling the Black Bear Mortality Hotline at (800) 264-1280.

MOUNTAIN LION HUNTERS ASKED TO RETURN SURVEYS

CHEYENNE – For the first time, all mountain lion hunters who hunted lions during the 2007-08 hunting season are being surveyed as the Game and Fish is seeking more information on mountain lion hunter success rate and the effort being put into lion hunting.

“For a number of years, all successful lion hunters have been required to have their kill checked by Game and Fish officials,” said Reg Rothwell, Supervisor of Biological Services.  “But, this is the first year that all licensed hunters have been surveyed, whether they were successful or not in the hunting season.”

 Last year (2006-07) hunters harvested 186 lions in Wyoming, which approximates the 5-year harvest average of 188.

Surveys have already been sent to more than 1,600 hunters who purchased licenses in 2007 and the first few months of 2008.  The Game and Fish is looking for information from hunters who hunted between Sept. 1, 2007 and Mar. 1, 2008.  Even though several hunt areas are open year round, most mountain lion hunting takes place between the September-March. time period. 

Perhaps more than any other big game or trophy game species, more mountain lion licenses are sold to hunters who purchase a license on the chance they will see a mountain lion while hunting other species such as deer and elk, and as such, many hunters with lion licenses do not actively hunt mountain lions.  The survey will enable the department to get a better handle on hunter success rates and will also provide needed information on days spent afield and numbers of lions observed. 

“This is important information in helping us determine population trends in the different management areas in Wyoming,” Rothwell said.

Harvest survey coordinator Chris Leonard said mountain lion surveys were sent out in the last month and, so far, the return has been less than expected.  “We will be doing follow up surveys in the near future,” Leonard said.  “But, hunters can help right now by getting their surveys back to us as soon as possible.”   

CORRECTION TO THE 2008 DEER SUMMARY MAP INFORMATION

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Game and Fish Department alerts hunters there is an error in the new 2008 deer summary map that could affect application for certain types of deer licenses.
                     An error occurred in the printed 2008 deer summary map regulation concerning issuance of deer licenses.  The corrected information should read as follows:

“For deer, no person shall apply for and receive more than one (1) full price deer license through the initial draw and leftover draw.  After the initial and leftover license drawings are completed any person may apply for and receive up to two (2) full priced deer licenses provided that at least one (1) license is a Limited Quota Type 3 any white-tailed deer license valid for hunt areas 11-15, 22-24, 26, 27, 51, 65, 66, 88 or 167.  However, no person shall apply for and receive more than a total of two (2) deer licenses valid for the taking of antlered or any deer, of which not more than one (1) shall be valid for antlered or any mule deer.”

“For deer, any person may apply for and receive a maximum of two (2) Limited Quota reduced price doe/fawn deer licenses, EXCEPT after the initial drawing is completed any person may purchase on or after August 15 from designated license selling agents up to four (4) Limited Quota Reduced Price doe/fawn deer licenses valid for hunt areas 1-14, 17-24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 65, 66, 88, or 167.  However, no person shall apply for and receive more than a total of four (4) Limited Quota Reduced Price doe/fawn deer licenses.”

ONLY TWO FIREARM HUNTING ACCIDENTS FOR 2007 -- NO FATALITIES

CHEYENNE – For the second year in a row, Wyoming hunters have recorded an outstanding safety record with only two firearm related hunting accidents reported in 2007. 

According to hunter education coordinator Jim Dawson, as with almost all firearm related accidents, both incidents could easily have been prevented by following safe firearm handling practices.

In Laramie County, two young men were riding down a county road on a coyote hunting trip.  The truck hit a bump in the road and the passenger’s rifle discharged, hitting the driver in the left arm taking out the tricep.  Dawson said this accident could easily have been prevented by not having a loaded gun in a vehicle.

The other accident occurred in Fremont County when a 13 year old boy was shot in the lower left leg by his 14 year old brother.  The two were hunting deer and after shooting at a deer, the two went to recover the game.  The older brother tripped on a rock, fell, and the rifle went off.  According to the ambulance crew, the boy’s life was saved due to emergency first aid rendered by the supervising adult on the hunting trip.

Dawson said that while every incident is tragic, considering the tens of thousands of hunters that take to the Wyoming outdoors every year, the few accidents confirm that hunting is a very safe activity. 

“The goals of the Hunter Education Program are to reduce hunting related accidents and violations, promote safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunting, and enhance hunting traditions and values,” Dawson said.

“We now have more than 400 instructors, who include game wardens, volunteers and professional educators.  These volunteer instructors certify an average of 3,500 students each year.” 

Migratory bird hunters are alerted that the federal Harvest Information Program permit is required every year to hunt doves, cranes, snipe, rails, ducks, geese, coots and mergansers.  The free HIP permit is available at all license agents, G&F offices or by visiting the G&F website at http://gf.state.wy.us.  All licensed hunters in Wyoming, including Pioneer, lifetime license holders and nonresidents are required to have a HIP permit and carry it with them while hunting.  Hunters under 14 are not required to have the permit. Hunters must get the permit in each state they hunt migratory birds.  HIP permits expire June 30, just like the federal duck stamp.