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Deer decoy A mule deer decoy set up by Wyoming Game and Fish wardens to curb out-of-season hunting near the Wyoming-Idaho border. Photo by Wyoming Game & Fish.

JACKSON- Wyoming Game and Fish law enforcement officers from the Jackson Region recently conducted a deer decoy operation on the west side of the Teton Range, near the Wyoming-Idaho border, in an effort to reduce the number of hunting violations occurring there. Game and Fish officials have received several complaints of illegal deer hunting taking place in the area. The buck mule deer decoy was set up on the morning of October 10 and again on the evening of October 16 in deer Hunt Area 149, which had closed to Wyoming deer hunting on October 7.

During those two days, a total of 13 vehicles passed by with 10 of those observing the decoy. Of the 10 that saw it, four shot at the decoy. A total of four citations and five warnings were issued totaling $3,160 in fines.

Deer Hunt Area 149 has had a history of violations, likely due to its geographic isolation from Jackson and the rest of Wyoming. Regional Game and Fish officers have identified it as a problem area and have periodically used such special operations to increase the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s enforcement presence there. Similarly, in 2013, a deer decoy was used and it resulted in three citations and three warnings being issued.

"We don’t use decoys a lot," says Jackson Game Warden Kyle Lash. "But when we have certain problem areas such as this, they have proven to be pretty effective. They’re effective in that they put the wildlife, the game warden and the violator all at the crime scene at the same time. They’re just a good tool to keep hunters playing by the rules."