Game and Fish Commission

Game and Fish Commission Regulations

Effective Date: 03/28/2014 to 02/20/2026

Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 040.0001.41.03282014

WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION

AND WYOMING LIVESTOCK BOARD

CHAPTER 41

BISON DESIGNATED AS WILDLIFE

Section 1. Authority. This regulation is promulgated by authority of W.S. §23-1-302, §11-6-302, §11-18-103, §11-20-101, and §11-20-202.

Section 2. Definitions. Definitions shall be as set forth in Title 23 and Title 11, Wyoming Statutes, Commission regulations, and the Commission and Board shall also adopt the following definitions:

(a) “Absaroka wild bison management area” means all lands in Park, Hot Springs and Fremont counties and Teton County east of the Continental Divide, excluding lands administered by the Wind River Indian Reservation and Yellowstone National Park.

(b) “Board approved individual identification” means a permanent silver metal USDA/APHIS/VS ear tag, or a permanent orange, metal USDA/APHIS/VS Brucellosis Vaccination tag, or a permanent green, metal USDA/Wyoming tag placed in the right ear of the bison.

(c) “Jackson wild bison herd area” means all lands in Lincoln and Sublette counties and Teton County west of the Continental Divide, excluding Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

(d) “Privately owned” means the person claiming ownership of the bison shall exhibit, upon demand, documentation of proof of ownership that meets the approval of a representative of the Board.

(e) “Wild bison” means any bison that is found in the Absaroka wild bison management area or Jackson wild bison herd area that is not a privately owned bison.

Section 3. Bison Designated as Wildlife. Wild bison found in the Absaroka wild bison management area and Jackson wild bison herd area are hereby designated as wildlife.

Section 4. Bison Designated as Privately Owned. All bison in the State, excluding wild bison found in the Absaroka wild bison management area and the Jackson wild bison herd area, are hereby designated as privately owned or bison running at large.

Section 5. Removal of Privately Owned Bison.

(a) Any privately owned bison, as determined by the Board or its designee, found to be running at large outside the geographic area described as the Absaroka wild bison management area or the Jackson wild bison herd area shall be removed by the owner within forty-eight (48) hours of a request from the Board or its designee. If the Board or its designee is unable to determine ownership, the Board or its designee may immediately destroy such bison.

(b) Any privately owned bison, as determined by the Board or its designee, found to be running at large within the geographic area described as the Absaroka wild bison management area or the Jackson wild bison management herd area shall be removed by the owner within forty-eight (48) hours of a request from the Board or its designee. If the privately owned bison is suspected of having been exposed to wild bison infected with brucellosis, the owner shall remove and quarantine the privately owned bison within forty-eight (48) hours of a request from the Board or its designee. The owner shall quarantine the bison away from all other bison or livestock until such time as the bison is determined to be brucellosis free. If the Board or its designee is unable to determine ownership of the bison or the owner fails to remove a privately owned bison running at large within forty-eight hours (48) of a request from the Board or its designee, the Board or its designee may destroy the bison.

Section 6. Marking of Privately Owned Bison. It shall be the responsibility of the owner of privately owned bison found in the geographic area described as the Absaroka wild bison management area and the Jackson wild bison herd area to identify the bison with Board approved individual identification.

Section 7. Removal of Wild Bison within the Absaroka Wild Bison Management Area and the Jackson Wild Bison Herd Area.

1. (a) If a wild bison poses a health threat to livestock as determined by the Board or its designee, the Board or its designee may order the Department to remove the wild bison immediately. The order may be in verbal form, but in all cases the Board or its designee shall forward the order in written form to the Department within twenty-four (24) hours of giving the Department the verbal order.
2. (b) If a wild bison poses an immediate threat to public safety or threatens improvements on private or public lands as determined by the Department, the wild bison may be removed by the Department.
3. (c) In the event a person claiming ownership of a bison shall, by written declaration, preclude the Department from complying with subsections (a) or (b) of this section, the person claiming ownership shall provide proof the bison is privately owned. When such proof is provided, the person claiming ownership shall comply with Section 7 of this regulation within twenty-four (24) hours immediately following verification of ownership.
4. (d) If a wild bison does not pose a health threat to domestic livestock as determined by the Board or its designee or does not pose an immediate threat to public safety or improvements as determined by the Department, the bison may be removed by the Department or its designee in accordance with Commission Regulation Chapter 15, Wild Bison Recreational Hunting Season.

Section 8. Repeal of Regulation. Either the Commission or the Board may repeal this regulation upon ninety (90) days written notice to the other party.

WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION

By: Mike Healy, President

Dated: January 22, 2014