Abide by the Rules on Walk-In Areas

Press Release – The actions of a few people may jeopardize the future of some Wyoming Game and Fish Department Walk-In Hunting Areas in Sheridan and Campbell Counties. Complaints from landowners enrolled in the Walk-In Area Program have prompted Access Yes Coordinator Troy Tobiasson to remind the public that access to these areas is a privilege. “Gates have been left open, wrong species have been harvested and hunting areas that are clearly marked with “Area Closed” signs have been ignored,” Tobiasson said.

These incidents may seem small, but when combined, they cause frustration and increased work for landowners when they have to round up and sort cattle that have escaped through open gates. Landowners voluntarily agree to enroll in the Walk-In Area Program and can withdraw from the program at any time.

To keep these areas open, hunters should follow these basic rules:

• Leave gates as you found them.

• Picking up trash that you see and packing out your own trash (including shotgun shell hulls and spent brass).

• Leave carcasses and gut piles out of sight of roads and parking areas.

• Stay on roads and don’t travel on roads when they are wet or muddy (park and walk as the landowner will have to fix the ruts)

• Ensure fellow hunters are following the rules and report violations.

• Thank the landowners if you contact them.

It is imperative that hunters respect the land, landowners, Access Yes Program rules and each other. Hunters that value these Access Yes areas should report violations or these areas may be removed from the program and closed to further public hunting opportunities. Please report violations to your local Game Warden or the Stop Poaching Hot-line at 1-877-WGFD-TIP (1-877-943-3847). See the Access Yes page on the Wyoming Game and Fish website for specific rules, open dates and other pertinent information at https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Public-Access/Walk-In-Hunting.

~WGFD~