Each fall, hunters in Wyoming go afield in pursuit of their favorite big game animal or game bird. For Wyoming Game and Fish Department wildlife managers, planning for that hunting season started almost a year earlier.
Wildlife biologists and game wardens consider a variety of information in developing hunting season proposals, incorporating both biological and social issues. Data from wildlife surveys, hunter harvest surveys and winter conditions as well as landowner concerns and hunter comments are collected and evaluated throughout the year.
Managers conduct wildlife surveys to monitor population size, herd composition and distribution. These surveys occur at various times of the year, depending on the species being surveyed. For example, pronghorn antelope surveys are generally conducted in August, while mule deer surveys are generally conducted in November and December.
Managers also consider the previous year’s big game harvest. Harvest can be influenced by several factors, including season length, licenses issued and weather conditions during the hunting season. Harvest rates are determined through check station data and information provided by hunter harvest surveys.
Winter weather conditions determine how well wildlife survive until spring, particularly fawns and calves. This winter has been more severe than the past several years and wardens and wildlife biologists are monitoring herds to determine potential impacts.
Game and Fish also considers landowner and hunter comments gathered through surveys and in-person conversations. Private lands provide much of the wildlife habitat in the Sheridan Region. As such, we must work closely with landowners to manage toward a mutually desired goal. Landowners are surveyed annually for their thoughts on wildlife numbers as well as season structure.
Hunters provide comments when they complete a big game harvest survey or come through a hunter check station. We also talk with hunters throughout the year, in formal and informal settings.
All of this information helps managers know if they are moving toward established objectives with current hunting strategies or if changes need to be made.
Season proposals are developed in February and presented to the public in March at a series of open houses. These meetings allow wildlife managers to get feedback about the proposals and local management issues of concern.
After reviewing the proposals, hunters and landowners can submit written comments at the open houses or online. The comments are reviewed first by local wildlife managers. If appropriate, changes may be made to the proposals based on these comments.
The proposals and all the received comments are next presented to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission, which finalizes the seasons at its April meeting.
This year’s season setting open houses will be as follows:
March 20 – Kaycee Community Library at 5 p.m.
March 21 – Buffalo – Johnson County Library from 5-7 p.m.
March 21 — Gillette – Campbell County Library from 4 to 6 p.m.
March 22 — WGFD Sheridan Regional Office from 4-7 p.m.
The open houses are informal, with time for the public to visit with local game wardens and biologists.
A final information gathering meeting and presentation of region-wide proposals will be held March 27 at the Game and Fish Sheridan Regional Office at 6 p.m.
If you cannot attend the meetings, written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. March 29. Comments can be submitted online at www.wgfd.wyo.gov or mailed to: Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Regulations, 3030 Energy Lane, Casper, WY 82604.
Tim Thomas is Wyoming Game and Fish Department Sheridan Region wildlife coordinator.
