Top Ten Hunting Violations
by Wyoming Game & Fish
September 22, 2006
With the hunting seasons getting underway across Wyoming, Game and Fish officials are reminding hunters to familiarize themselves with the hunting regulations for the species they plan to pursue. Each year game wardens issue citations to hunters who do not follow current laws and regulations. Avoid violations, review the top ten list and call if you have questions.
1. Failure to properly tag the game animal. After an animal is harvested, the hunter should sign the carcass coupon, detach it from the license, cut out the entire wedge for the day and month of the kill. Then attach the coupon in a clearly visible manner to the animal. During transport, the properly completed carcass coupon may be removed to prevent loss, but must be in the possession of the person transporting the carcass.
2. Failure to retain evidence of sex. If an animal is harvested in an area where the take of either sex is controlled, hunters must keep the head or a visible external sex organ naturally attached to an edible portion of the animal.
3. Hunting in the wrong area. Hunters must know the boundaries of their hunt area. BLM maps are excellent. If you have questions about the boundary, talk to your local game warden or biologist. Don't be tempted to cross the boundary.
4. No fluorescent clothing. Big game and trophy game rifle and muzzleloader hunters are required to wear one exterior garment of fluorescent orange. This also applies to archery hunters hunting during the rifle season. This could be a hat, shirt, jacket, coat vest, or sweater. Bird hunters on Game and Fish Wildlife Habitat Management areas are also required to wear hunter orange. Fluorescent orange camouflage is legal.
5. Failure to purchase a conservation stamp. Hunters and anglers must purchase a conservation stamp to hunt and fish in Wyoming. Pioneer license holders and one-day license holders are exempt from this requirement.
6. Shooting from a public road. Shooting from a public road is dangerous and illegal. Hunters cannot shoot or attempt to kill any wildlife from or across any public road or highway. Hunters must be off the road and past the borrow ditch or across the fence.
7. Trespassing to hunt. Hunters must have permission from the landowner to cross or hunt on private land. The Department recommends licensees obtain the signature of the landowner, lessee, or agent of the landowner as evidence that permission to hunt has been granted.
8. Failure to produce a hunter safety card. No person born on or after January 1, 1966 may take any wildlife by the use of firearms on land other than that of his/her own family unless they possess and can exhibit a hunter safety card. All Hunters in Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge are required to posses a hunter safety certificate, regardless of age.
9. Transfer of license to another person. Only the individual issued a license or stamp may use that license to harvest the animal specified on the license.
10. Taking the wrong sex of an animal. Hunters must take only a doe/fawn on a doe/fawn tag and a buck on a buck tag. Some hunt areas or license allow taking either sex. Be sure you know the regulations for the area and license you have.
Elk hunters should remember an elk feedground stamp is required to hunt those Elk Hunt Areas associated with elk feedgrounds, which includes most hunt areas in the Jackson/Pinedale Region. Specifically, an elk feedground Stamp is required to hunt elk in Hunt Areas 70, 71, 74, 75, and 77-98. These stamps can be purchased for $10.50 at any license vendor.
Hunters are encouraged to be on the lookout for wildlife violations and report such violations to the Stop Poaching hotline at 1-800-442-4331. Informants can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.
Hunting regulations can be obtained from any hunting and fishing license vendor. For more information you may contact the Jackson Game and Fish office at 1-800-423-4113 or the Pinedale Game and Fish office at 1-800-452-9107.
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