JACKSON, Wyo. — The coming of May marks the end of winter closures on many public lands in Wyoming. It’s a date marked on the calendar by those excited to get into the hills for a new season of hiking, biking, camping, fishing and more.
May 1 is also the opening of the backcountry to antler hunters, who gather the shed racks of elk, deer and moose.
From May 1 through May 7, only residents of Wyoming are allowed to collect shed antlers. Collection opens to everyone else on May 8. Residents and nonresidents can begin collecting shed antlers or horns at 6 a.m., starting on their designated day, in Collection Area 1 on public land. A conservation stamp is required for all nonresidents 15 years of age and older.
Note that antler collection is prohibited in Grand Teton National Park and on the National Elk Refuge.
A few reminders
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) reminds antler hunters that the gathering of horns or shed antlers is prohibited from Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on May 1 on public lands west of the Continental Divide in Wyoming.
Many big game winter ranges in both Teton and Sublette counties have restrictions to either human presence or motor vehicles during the winter months. From Dec. 1 through April 30 each year, a seasonal closure limits public travel on the Refuge Road. During that period, traffic and pedestrian use are only allowed from the Refuge entrance off East Broadway Avenue to the Twin Creek subdivision, or approximately 3.5 miles. The closure provides animals protection at a time when their energy reserves are low and new vegetation is not yet widely available for foraging.
The wintering wildlife closure on the Refuge Road will be lifted at 6 a.m. on May 1 to coincide with the Bridger-Teton National Forest’s (BTNF) scheduled annual opening. Shed hunters can access some of the best antler-strewn areas of the BTNF by traveling the road through the Elk Refuge.
WGFD reminds antler collectors of an important caveat: An animal head or skull with antlers and horns attached to it cannot be removed without prior approval from WGFD law enforcement. If approved, the antlers or horns attached to a head or skull plate of a big game animal will require the purchase of a Wyoming Interstate Game Tag.
Opening day
Opening day has become quite the spectacle in Jackson in recent years. Authorities expect a large turnout for those heading into the backcountry.
Starting May 1 at 6 a.m., the Refuge Road on the National Elk Refuge opens to public travel beyond the county-maintained line. No overnight parking will be allowed on the Refuge Road on April 30.
This entrance at the end of East Broadway Avenue in Jackson is the only legal access to the Refuge without a special use permit or Refuge hunting or fishing permit. Public access from the north end of the Refuge is not allowed, including travel across the Gros Ventre River.
Parking in the Town of Jackson near the entrance to the Elk Refuge on April 30 will be extremely limited. Antler collectors are encouraged to stage at any of the public parking lots in town including the Home Ranch Lot, the Deloney Lot, the Phil Baux Lot and the Miller Park Lot.
This year, a shed antler motorcade has been implemented. Residents who applied before April 15 have been notified whether they have a space in the Jackson Police Motorcade, which opens for lineup at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, and will depart the Teton County Fairgrounds parking lot at 5:40 a.m. on Thursday, May 1.
For additional information on the 2025 Shed Hunt, visit the Town of Jackson’s website here.
