From the Wyoming Game and Fish, frequently asked questions regarding Wyomings wolf season which starts March 28, 2008:
On March 28, 2008, wolves were officially removed from the Endangered Species List in the Northern Rocky Mountains. This includes the entire states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, as well as portions of Utah, Oregon, and Washington.
As of March 28, management authority for wolves in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho now rests with the individual states. However, a number of groups have filed a 60-day notice of intent to file a lawsuit challenging the delisting of wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains, and it is possible that state management authority for wolves could be changed as a result of a lawsuit.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will provide updated information as events occur that might impact state management authority for wolves.
The following are answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about wolves and wolf management in Wyoming. If you have any additional questions, please call the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Wolf Information Line at 307-777-4655 or visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website at: http://gf.state.wy.us.
Wolf Conflicts
Q: I have heard that wolves are classified as both a Predatory Animal and a Trophy Game Animal in Wyoming. What will that mean for ranchers or others who might be experiencing wolf conflicts?
A: Wolves in Wyoming are classified as a Trophy Game Animal in the northwest part of the state (see official boundary description and map below) and as a Predatory Animal in the remainder of the state. Ranchers experiencing wolf depredation in the Trophy Game area should contact their local Game Warden or regional Wyoming Game and Fish Department office to mitigate wolf depredation. Department personnel will respond within 48 hours to assess the situation and either issue a permit to kill the wolf(ves) or take action to remove the wolf(ves). However, ranchers in the Trophy Game area are allowed to immediately kill wolves that are physically in the act of attacking their livestock or other domestic animals. In such cases, the rancher will be required to notify the department within 72 hours and shall not disturb the site. The department will investigate and may require substantive proof of the attack.
Ranchers may kill wolves in the Predatory Animal area at any time without a license or permit, and do not need to contact the department before doing so, but must report the date of kill, location of kill, and sex of the wolf to the department within 10 days. This person is not required to provide this information in person or present the wolf for inspection. No specific permit or other authorization is required to possess a dead wolf or wolf parts that were taken in the predatory animal area.
Q: Can I kill a wolf if it is threatening me?
A: While such incidents are extremely rare, a person can kill a wolf in defense of human life. The same reporting requirements apply as described above.
Q: Will ranchers whose livestock are killed or injured by wolves be eligible for any compensation?
A: Yes. Ranchers in the Trophy Game area are eligible for compensation from the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission for livestock lost to wolves upon notification and investigation by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (contact your regional Wyoming Game and Fish Department office or game warden). There is no compensation available to ranchers in the Predatory Animal area.
Wolf Hunting
Q: I have heard that wolves in Wyoming are classified as both a Predatory Animal and a Trophy Game animal. What does that mean for hunters?
A: Wolves in Wyoming are classified as a Trophy Game Animal in the northwest part of the state (see official boundary description and map below) and as a Predatory Animal in the remainder of the state. In the Trophy Game area, hunters are required to possess a wolf hunting license and may take wolves only during established hunting seasons. Licensed hunters who kill wolves in the Trophy Game area will be required to present the pelt and skull to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department within 72 hours, or as otherwise directed by the department. In the Predatory Animal area, wolves may be taken by anyone at any time in accordance with Wyoming statutes, and there will be no closed seasons or bag limits for wolves. However, Wyoming statute requires that all wolves taken within the Predatory Animal area must be reported to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department within 10 days.
Q: I have seen wolves in the Predatory Animal area designated in Wyoming’s Gray Wolf Management Plan. Can I legally kill any of those wolves?A: Yes. Wolves in the Predatory Animal are may be taken by anyone at any time and without a license or permit (see reporting requirements above). Those who wish to kill a wolf in the Predatory Management area must comply with all state statutes regarding trespass, shooting from a public road, and shooting from a vehicle.
Q: When can I buy a license to hunt wolves in Wyoming?
A: Wyoming will likely authorize hunting and trapping seasons in the Trophy Game area for wolves in the fall of 2008. Proposals for these seasons will be developed and available for public review in spring of 2008.
Q: How many wolf licenses will be available? Will hunting licenses for wolves be available over the counter or through a lottery system?
A: This has yet to be determined. Proposals for the number of wolf licenses and the licensing process will be developed and available for public review in the spring of 2008. Wolves will likely be hunted under a quota system, in which only a certain number of wolves can be taken in each hunt area. Upon reaching the quota, the season will end. Quotas will assure the wolf population is maintained above the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s recovery criteria.
Q: Will there be a trapping season for wolves within the Trophy Game area?
A: A wolf trapping season is not planned for fall 2008. However, Wyoming plans to offer a limited trapping season in the future.
Reporting Wolf Kills
Q: Will there be any reporting requirements for people who kill wolves in Wyoming?
A: Yes. Wyoming statute requires anyone who kills a wolf within the area where wolves are classified as a Predatory Animal to report the date of kill, location of kill, and sex of the wolf to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department within 10 days. Licensed hunters who kill wolves in the Trophy Game area will be required to present the pelt and skull to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department within 72 hours, or as otherwise directed by the department. Ranchers who kill wolves to protect private property within the Trophy Game area will be required to report the kill to the department within 72 hours.
Q: Who do I contact if I see someone kill a wolf illegally, or if I find a dead wolf?
A: Call the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s stop poaching hotline at: 1-877-WGFDTIP (1-877-943-3847).
Other Questions About Wolves and Wolf Management in Wyoming
Q: Can I own or possess a live wolf in Wyoming?
A: No. Wyoming statutes specifically prohibit the possession of live wolves and wolf hybrids in Wyoming.
Q: I have heard that people will be able to kill wolves from airplanes. Is that true?
A: As part of its wolf management efforts, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department will likely use aerial gunning in some cases to remove wolves that are killing livestock. This has been shown to be the most effective way to resolve these situations. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has used this practice extensively in Wyoming to assist livestock owners that may be experiencing losses from wolves. However, the public will not be able to kill wolves from airplanes within the Trophy Game area. Members of the public could be issued a permit by the Wyoming Department of Agriculture to use aircraft to remove wolves within the Predatory Animal area to protect livestock.
Q: Will it be legal to kill wolves by poisoning them in Wyoming?
A: Poisoning is not a legal method to take wolves within the Trophy Game area. Wolves within the Predatory Animal area may be taken by the use of poison only in compliance with applicable Environmental Protection Agency and state statutes and regulations, and to the extent authorized by the surface management agency, if on public lands.
Q. Where can I find additional information about wolf recovery and wolf population status in Wyoming?
A. Visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website at: http://gf.state.wy.us.
Official Boundary Description of the Trophy Game Area:
Northwest Wyoming beginning at the junction of Wyoming Highway 120 and the Wyoming-Montana State line; southerly along Wyoming Highway 120 to the Greybull River; southwesterly up said river to the Wood River; southwesterly up said river to the Shoshone National Forest boundary; southerly along said boundary to the Wind River Indian Reservation boundary; westerly, then southerly along said boundary to the Continental Divide; southeasterly along said divide to the Middle Fork of Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; northwesterly along said boundary to its intersection with U.S. Highway 189–191; northwesterly along said highway to the intersection with U.S. Highway 26–89–191; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 22 in the town of Jackson; westerly along said highway to the Wyoming-Idaho State line; north along said State line to the Wyoming-Montana State line; north, then east along said State line to Wyoming Highway 120.
On March 28, 2008, wolves were officially removed from the Endangered Species List in the Northern Rocky Mountains. This includes the entire states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, as well as portions of Utah, Oregon, and Washington.
As of March 28, management authority for wolves in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho now rests with the individual states. However, a number of groups have filed a 60-day notice of intent to file a lawsuit challenging the delisting of wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains, and it is possible that state management authority for wolves could be changed as a result of a lawsuit.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will provide updated information as events occur that might impact state management authority for wolves.
The following are answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about wolves and wolf management in Wyoming. If you have any additional questions, please call the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Wolf Information Line at 307-777-4655 or visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website at: http://gf.state.wy.us.
Wolf Conflicts
Q: I have heard that wolves are classified as both a Predatory Animal and a Trophy Game Animal in Wyoming. What will that mean for ranchers or others who might be experiencing wolf conflicts?
A: Wolves in Wyoming are classified as a Trophy Game Animal in the northwest part of the state (see official boundary description and map below) and as a Predatory Animal in the remainder of the state. Ranchers experiencing wolf depredation in the Trophy Game area should contact their local Game Warden or regional Wyoming Game and Fish Department office to mitigate wolf depredation. Department personnel will respond within 48 hours to assess the situation and either issue a permit to kill the wolf(ves) or take action to remove the wolf(ves). However, ranchers in the Trophy Game area are allowed to immediately kill wolves that are physically in the act of attacking their livestock or other domestic animals. In such cases, the rancher will be required to notify the department within 72 hours and shall not disturb the site. The department will investigate and may require substantive proof of the attack.
Ranchers may kill wolves in the Predatory Animal area at any time without a license or permit, and do not need to contact the department before doing so, but must report the date of kill, location of kill, and sex of the wolf to the department within 10 days. This person is not required to provide this information in person or present the wolf for inspection. No specific permit or other authorization is required to possess a dead wolf or wolf parts that were taken in the predatory animal area.
Q: Can I kill a wolf if it is threatening me?
A: While such incidents are extremely rare, a person can kill a wolf in defense of human life. The same reporting requirements apply as described above.
Q: Will ranchers whose livestock are killed or injured by wolves be eligible for any compensation?
A: Yes. Ranchers in the Trophy Game area are eligible for compensation from the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission for livestock lost to wolves upon notification and investigation by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (contact your regional Wyoming Game and Fish Department office or game warden). There is no compensation available to ranchers in the Predatory Animal area.
Wolf Hunting
Q: I have heard that wolves in Wyoming are classified as both a Predatory Animal and a Trophy Game animal. What does that mean for hunters?
A: Wolves in Wyoming are classified as a Trophy Game Animal in the northwest part of the state (see official boundary description and map below) and as a Predatory Animal in the remainder of the state. In the Trophy Game area, hunters are required to possess a wolf hunting license and may take wolves only during established hunting seasons. Licensed hunters who kill wolves in the Trophy Game area will be required to present the pelt and skull to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department within 72 hours, or as otherwise directed by the department. In the Predatory Animal area, wolves may be taken by anyone at any time in accordance with Wyoming statutes, and there will be no closed seasons or bag limits for wolves. However, Wyoming statute requires that all wolves taken within the Predatory Animal area must be reported to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department within 10 days.
Q: I have seen wolves in the Predatory Animal area designated in Wyoming’s Gray Wolf Management Plan. Can I legally kill any of those wolves?A: Yes. Wolves in the Predatory Animal are may be taken by anyone at any time and without a license or permit (see reporting requirements above). Those who wish to kill a wolf in the Predatory Management area must comply with all state statutes regarding trespass, shooting from a public road, and shooting from a vehicle.
Q: When can I buy a license to hunt wolves in Wyoming?
A: Wyoming will likely authorize hunting and trapping seasons in the Trophy Game area for wolves in the fall of 2008. Proposals for these seasons will be developed and available for public review in spring of 2008.
Q: How many wolf licenses will be available? Will hunting licenses for wolves be available over the counter or through a lottery system?
A: This has yet to be determined. Proposals for the number of wolf licenses and the licensing process will be developed and available for public review in the spring of 2008. Wolves will likely be hunted under a quota system, in which only a certain number of wolves can be taken in each hunt area. Upon reaching the quota, the season will end. Quotas will assure the wolf population is maintained above the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s recovery criteria.
Q: Will there be a trapping season for wolves within the Trophy Game area?
A: A wolf trapping season is not planned for fall 2008. However, Wyoming plans to offer a limited trapping season in the future.
Reporting Wolf Kills
Q: Will there be any reporting requirements for people who kill wolves in Wyoming?
A: Yes. Wyoming statute requires anyone who kills a wolf within the area where wolves are classified as a Predatory Animal to report the date of kill, location of kill, and sex of the wolf to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department within 10 days. Licensed hunters who kill wolves in the Trophy Game area will be required to present the pelt and skull to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department within 72 hours, or as otherwise directed by the department. Ranchers who kill wolves to protect private property within the Trophy Game area will be required to report the kill to the department within 72 hours.
Q: Who do I contact if I see someone kill a wolf illegally, or if I find a dead wolf?
A: Call the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s stop poaching hotline at: 1-877-WGFDTIP (1-877-943-3847).
Other Questions About Wolves and Wolf Management in Wyoming
Q: Can I own or possess a live wolf in Wyoming?
A: No. Wyoming statutes specifically prohibit the possession of live wolves and wolf hybrids in Wyoming.
Q: I have heard that people will be able to kill wolves from airplanes. Is that true?
A: As part of its wolf management efforts, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department will likely use aerial gunning in some cases to remove wolves that are killing livestock. This has been shown to be the most effective way to resolve these situations. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has used this practice extensively in Wyoming to assist livestock owners that may be experiencing losses from wolves. However, the public will not be able to kill wolves from airplanes within the Trophy Game area. Members of the public could be issued a permit by the Wyoming Department of Agriculture to use aircraft to remove wolves within the Predatory Animal area to protect livestock.
Q: Will it be legal to kill wolves by poisoning them in Wyoming?
A: Poisoning is not a legal method to take wolves within the Trophy Game area. Wolves within the Predatory Animal area may be taken by the use of poison only in compliance with applicable Environmental Protection Agency and state statutes and regulations, and to the extent authorized by the surface management agency, if on public lands.
Q. Where can I find additional information about wolf recovery and wolf population status in Wyoming?
A. Visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website at: http://gf.state.wy.us.
Official Boundary Description of the Trophy Game Area:
Northwest Wyoming beginning at the junction of Wyoming Highway 120 and the Wyoming-Montana State line; southerly along Wyoming Highway 120 to the Greybull River; southwesterly up said river to the Wood River; southwesterly up said river to the Shoshone National Forest boundary; southerly along said boundary to the Wind River Indian Reservation boundary; westerly, then southerly along said boundary to the Continental Divide; southeasterly along said divide to the Middle Fork of Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; northwesterly along said boundary to its intersection with U.S. Highway 189–191; northwesterly along said highway to the intersection with U.S. Highway 26–89–191; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 22 in the town of Jackson; westerly along said highway to the Wyoming-Idaho State line; north along said State line to the Wyoming-Montana State line; north, then east along said State line to Wyoming Highway 120.
