Wyoming Game & Fish to no longer print and mail hunting info booklets
2013 Hunting Information and Application booklet to be published online only
by Wyoming Game and Fish
December 11, 2012
CHEYENNE –The Wyoming Game and Fish Department "Hunting Information and Application Booklet" (previously mailed to nonresident hunters and provided to resident hunters at department offices and license agents) is no longer being printed. Instead, Game and Fish will post application information to wgfd.wyo.gov beginning Dec. 14.
The following downloadable documents will contain application information: "General Information," "Hunt Area Maps" (by species), "Tentative Hunting Season Information" (by species), "Applying for Limited Quota Licenses," "Applying Online," "Applying by Paper," and "Contact Information." Hunters may also request application documents from any Game and Fish office or by calling (307) 777-4600.
As online applications for big game and turkey licenses grow in popularity among hunters, the printed application booklet was losing importance and becoming a needless expense, said Jean Cole, Game and Fish license section manager. In 2012, 90 percent of nonresidents and 83 percent of residents used online applications for big game and turkey.
Previously, Game and Fish had mailed an application booklet to all nonresidents who had applied for big game licenses in the previous two years. Waiting until Dec. 14 to post application information allowed department field personnel more time to establish season opening dates.
Game and Fish sent a letter to all 7,079 nonresident hunters who would have received the booklet in previous years, encouraging them to use the new online application information.
"The booklet no longer provided the service to hunters it did when they were required to mail their applications,"
Cole said, "These changes have been made to save costs in printing and distribution of application materials and to encourage submission of online applications. We believe the new categorized information will address hunters’ inquires better, while at the same time better using their license dollars that fund wildlife management in Wyoming."
Game and Fish has proposed shortening most application periods for hunters submitting paper applications. In the proposal, paper applications would be accepted during the first two weeks of most application periods. Because more hunters are using online applications, the department anticipates that the paper applications could be processed by the close of the online application periods and drawings could be conducted earlier. Online application periods would not change.
Interested parties can comment on the proposals at wgfd.wyo.gov or by mail to Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Regulations, 3030 Energy Lane, Casper, WY 82604.
All comments must be received by 5 p.m. Jan. 2, 2013.
|
