JACKSON, Wyo. — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is asking residents to help protect migrating big game animals by cleaning up potential backyard hazards as rutting season begins.
Fall brings breeding season for moose, deer and elk. Before and during the rut, bulls and bucks will often rub their antlers on trees and vegetation to mark territory and shed velvet. When animals find themselves in residential areas, they could use items found in yards to scratch their antler itch, WGFD said. Things like hammocks, rope swings, decorative lights, sports netting and lawn furniture all hold the potential to become entangled in antlers. Entanglement in human objects can create dangerous situations and possibly harm the animal.
“During the breeding season, males are very active and travel extensively, rubbing their antlers on almost anything they encounter,” North Jackson Wildlife Biologist Aly Courtemanch said. “This time of year, we see an increase in reports of wildlife entangled in fencing, ropes, and lights. We’re asking everyone to be proactive and clear their properties to prevent these situations this fall.”
Anyone who encounters an entangled animal is advised not to attempt to free the animal. The high stress and aggression experienced by an animal in rut can pose a significant risk of injury to anyone who approaches it. Folks are urged to report entangled and distressed wildlife to the local WGFD office or call the agency’s Stop Poaching Hotline at (877) 943-3847. The Jackson Regional Office phone number is (307) 733-2321.
