WYOMING — With hunting seasons getting underway across the Cowboy State, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department reminds hunters to familiarize themselves with the hunting regulations for the species they plan to pursue.
Brushing up on the rules annually can help hunters avoid common field violations.
The following is a listing of the most common hunting violations Game and Fish wildlife law enforcement officers come across every hunting season.
Tag Your Harvest
Every big game, trophy game and wild turkey license has a carcass coupon attached. Each license has the tagging instructions printed on the coupon. There are four steps to properly “tag” big game, trophy game or wild turkey:
- Detach the carcass coupon from the license.
- Date the carcass coupon by cutting out the entire date and month of the kill.
- Sign the carcass coupon (but not before harvest)
- Attach the coupon to the carcass before leaving the site of the kill.
The coupon may be removed during transportation to prevent its loss, but it must be in possession of the person accompanying the carcass.
Keep Evidence of Gender
Many Wyoming hunting licenses require the taking of a specific sex of animal. There are also season dates in some hunt areas when only a specific sex of animal can be taken. To satisfy the proof of sex requirement the regulation states: “in areas where the taking of any big game animal is restricted to a specific sex of animal, either the visible external sex organs, head or antlers shall accompany the animal as a whole or edible portion thereof.”
Get Your Conservation Stamp
Hunters and anglers must purchase a conservation stamp to hunt and fish in Wyoming. There are exceptions for holders of a Pioneer license or a one-day license. Those individuals should refer to regulations for details.
Don’t Shoot from a Vehicle
It is illegal to take any game species from a motorized vehicle. This includes ATVs and snowmobiles. Hunters possessing a disabled hunter permit issued by Wyoming Game and Fish are exempt from this requirement.
Don’t Shoot from a Public Road
It is illegal to shoot a firearm or bow from, across or along a public road. A public road is any road that is open to vehicular traffic to the public. The road surface, the area between fences on a fenced public road or highway and the area 30 feet perpendicular to the road surface on unfenced roads is considered the public road. Two-track trails on public land are not considered public roads for this purpose.
Know What Area You Are Hunting in
Hunters must know the boundaries of their hunt area. BLM maps are excellent. If you have questions about the boundary, talk to your local game warden or biologist.
Avoid Trespassing
Hunters must have permission from the landowner to cross or hunt on private land. Game and Fish recommends licensees obtain the signature of the landowner, lessee, or agent of the landowner as evidence that permission to hunt has been granted.
Wear Fluorescent Orange Clothing
Big game and trophy game rifle and muzzleloader hunters are required to wear one exterior garment of fluorescent orange. This also applies to archery hunters hunting during the rifle season. This could be a hat, shirt, jacket, coat, vest or sweater. Bird hunters on Game and Fish Wildlife Habitat Management Areas are also required to wear hunter orange. Fluorescent orange camouflage is legal.
Have Your Hunter Safety Card
No person born on or after January 1, 1966 may take any wildlife by the use of firearms on land other than that of his/her own family unless they possess and can exhibit a hunter safety card. All hunters in Grand Teton National Park are required to possess a hunter safety certificate regardless of age.
Know if You Need an Elk Management Stamp
Elk hunters are reminded that an Elk Management Stamp is required to hunt those elk hunt areas associated with elk feedgrounds, which includes most hunt areas in the Jackson and Pinedale regions. Specifically, an Elk Management Stamp is required to hunt elk in Hunt Areas 70, 71, 74, 75, and 77-98.
Hunters are encouraged to be on the lookout for wildlife violations and report such violations to the Stop Poaching hotline at 1-877-WGFD-TIP or 1-877- 943-3847. Informants can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.
Hunting regulations can be obtained from any hunting and fishing license vendor. For more information call the Game and Fish Sportsperson Hotline at (307) 777-4540.
