JACKSON, Wyo. — After a man was recently convicted for illegally purchasing a Wyoming resident general deer and elk license before meeting the state’s residency requirement, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is reminding everyone of the need to reside in the state for a full year prior to license application.
In a Tuesday, March 18, press release, the WGFD revealed the convicted man failed to appear in court for over 20 years. He was arrested in March of last year on a bench warrant issued in February 2000.
“Wyoming law requires a person to be a resident for at least one year before applying for or purchasing a resident hunting or fishing license,” the WGFD writes in the release. Those 365 days must immediately precede the date the person applies for or purchases the license.
The exception includes any active duty member of the armed forces who has been stationed in Wyoming for 90 days.
The WGFD notes that the definition of residency for the purpose of purchasing resident hunting, fishing, trapping licenses and preference points are “vastly different” than for other purposes like driver’s license, voter registration, vehicle registration, college tuition, jury duty, tax purposes and/or professional and business licenses.
Like all other states, Wyoming has different fees for residents and nonresident hunting licenses.
Read more about Wyoming resident requirements for the WGFD here.
