Wyo. Code R. 040-0001-4 – Furbearing Animal Hunting or Trapping Seasons

WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION

CHAPTER 4

FURBEARING ANIMAL TRAPPING SEASONS

Section 1. Authority. These rules are promulgated by authority of W.S. §23-1-302.

Section 2. Definitions. For the purpose of this regulation, definitions will be as set forth in Title 23, Wyoming Statutes, and the Commission also adopts the following definitions:

(a) "Green pelt" means the untanned hide or skin of a furbearing animal.
(b) APermit@ means a document which authorizes additional privileges granted to an individual who possesses the proper license(s) to carry out activities not authorized by the license itself.
(c) ATrapping@ means trapping or taking with a firearm or archery equipment.

Section 3. Trapping Seasons Established. There will be open seasons for the trapping of furbearing animals and the pursuit of bobcats with dogs as set forth in this Chapter.

Section 4. Trapping Regulations.

(a) Species, Open Areas, Season Dates and Limitations.
Trapping Date of Seasons Species Area Opens Closes
Limitations
Mink 1 Jan. 1 June 15 Any mink Oct. 1 Dec. 31 Any mink
Bobcat 1 Jan. 1 Mar. 1 Any bobcat Nov. 15 Dec. 31 Any bobcat
Muskrat 1 Jan. 1 June 15 Any muskrat Oct. 1 Dec. 31 Any muskrat
Weasel 1 Jan. 1 April 30 Any weasel Oct. 1 Dec. 31 Any weasel
Badger 1 Jan. 1 Dec. 31 Any badger Marten 1 Jan. 1 Feb. 28 Any marten Oct. 1 Dec. 31 Any marten
503 Jan. 1 Feb. 28 Any marten Dec. 1 Dec. 31 Any marten
602 Jan. 1 Feb. 28 5 trappers; 100 marten Oct. 1 Dec. 31
Trapping Date of Seasons Species Area Opens Closes
Limitations
Beaver 1 Jan. 1 June 15 Any beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31 Any beaver
101 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 5 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
102 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 20 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
103 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 10 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
104 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 25 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
301-303 CLOSED
304 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 10 beaver Nov. 1 Dec. 31
305 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 10 beaver Nov. 1 Dec. 31
401 CLOSED
404 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 25 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
405 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 20 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
406 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 10 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
407 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 10 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
408 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 15 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
409 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 15 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
410 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 15 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
411 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 35 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
412 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 15 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
413 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 30 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
414 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 30 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
501 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 10 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
502 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 10 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
601 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 30 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
602 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 30 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
603 Jan. 1 June 15 2 trappers; 60 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
604 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 30 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
Trapping Date of Seasons Species Area Opens Closes
Limitations
Beaver 605 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 5 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31
606 Jan. 1 June 15 1 trapper; 5 beaver Oct. 1 Dec. 31

Section 5. Trapping Area Descriptions.

(a) Area and Number.
Area 1.
Beaver. The entire state of Wyoming, excluding those limited quota trapping areas listed in Section 5(b) and closed areas listed in 5(c).
Martin. The entire state of Wyoming, excluding those limited quota trapping areas listed in Section 5(b) and closed areas listed in 5(c).
All other furbearing animals. The entire state of Wyoming, excluding those closed areas listed in 5(c).
(b) Limited Quota Trapper Areas and Numbers.
Area 101. Ditch Creek. Ditch Creek drainage in Teton County.
Area 102. Willow Creek. Willow Creek drainage in Teton and Sublette counties.
Area 103. Game Creek and Little Horse Creek. Game Creek and Little Horse Creek drainage in Teton County.
Area 104. Fall Creek. All of the Fall Creek, Mosquito Creek and Dog Creek drainages on U.S.
Forest Service lands in Teton and Lincoln counties.
Area 301. North Tongue River. North Tongue River drainage in Sheridan County.
Area 302. South Tongue River. South Tongue River drainage in Sheridan County.
Area 303. East Fork of Big Goose Creek. East Fork of Big Goose Creek above Park Reservoir in Johnson County.
Area 304. Clear Creek. Clear Creek drainage on U.S. Forest Service lands in Johnson County.
Area 305. Crazy Woman Creek. Crazy Woman Creek drainage on U.S. Forest Service lands in Johnson County.
Area 401. South Rock Springs. That portion of Sweetwater County south of I-80 between Flaming Gorge Reservoir and Wyoming Highway 430.
Area 404. Henrys Fork. Henrys Fork, Louse Creek and Sage Creek drainages on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Uinta County.
Area 405. Cottonwood Creek. Cottonwood Creek drainage on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Uinta County.
Area 406. East Fork of Smiths Fork. Gilbert Creek and East Fork of Smiths Fork upstream from Wasatch-Cache National Forest boundary in Uinta County.
Area 407. West Fork of Smiths Fork. West Fork of the Smiths Fork River and Willow Creek drainages upstream from Wasatch-Cache National Forest boundary in Uinta County.
Area 408. Salt Creek. Salt Creek drainage on U.S. Forest Service lands, Salt Creek Proper and Raymond Creek drainage on public lands in Lincoln County.
Area 409. Upper Smiths Fork. Smiths Fork drainage on U.S. Forest Service lands in Lincoln County.
Area 410. Hobble Creek. Hobble Creek drainage on U.S. Forest Service lands, Coal Creek, Saw Mill Creek in Lincoln County.
Area 411. Hams Fork River (south). Beginning where the Hams Fork River crosses the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary to where the river crosses U.S. Forest Service Road 062 and all tributaries lying east of the river in Lincoln County.
Area 412. South Fork Fontenelle Creek. Beginning where the South Fork of Fontenelle Creek crosses the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary to its headwaters and all tributaries in Lincoln County.
Area 413. Fontenelle Creek. Beginning where Fontenelle Creek crosses the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary to the mouth of Camp Fire Creek and all tributaries in Lincoln County.
Area 414. LaBarge Creek and South LaBarge Creek (main streams). Beginning where LaBarge Creek crosses the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary to its headwaters and the main stream of South LaBarge Creek in Lincoln County. LaBarge Creek Proper will be closed one (1) mile each side of the confluence of Nameless Creek and LaBarge Creek in Lincoln County.
Area 501. North Pole Mountain. All of the drainages of Brush Creek, Crow Creek, Lodgepole (Pole) Creek, McKechnie Creek and Horse Creek within the boundaries of the Pole Mountain Division of the Medicine Bow National Forest and north of the Happy Jack Road (Wyoming Secondary Highway 210-U.S.F.S. 722) in Albany County.
Area 502. South Pole Mountain. All of the drainages of Brush Creek, Lodgepole (Pole) Creek, Crow Creek and Dale Creek within the boundaries of the Pole Mountain Division of the Medicine Bow National Forest and south of the Happy Jack Road (Wyoming Secondary Highway 210-U.S.F.S. 722) in Albany County.
Area 503. Snowy Range. Beginning at the junction of Interstate Highway 80 and U.S. Highway 287 in the city of Laramie; southerly along U.S. Highway 287 to the Wyoming-Colorado state line; westerly along said line to Wyoming Highway 230 in Carbon County; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 130; northerly along said highway to Interstate Highway 80; easterly along said highway to its junction with U.S. Highway 287.
Area 601. Beaver Creek. All public lands within the Twin and Beaver Creek drainage south of U.S. Highway 287 in Fremont County.
Area 602. Little Popo Agie. All U.S. Forest Service lands within the Little Popo Agie River
drainage (including Cherry and Snow Creek) and Sawmill Creek drainage in Fremont County.
Area 603. Upper Sweetwater. All public lands within the Sweetwater River drainage above Phelps-Dodge Bridge in Fremont and Sublette counties.
Area 604. Sweetwater. All public lands within the Rock Creek, Strawberry Creek and Deep Creek drainages and along the Sweetwater River proper between Phelps-Dodge Bridge and Sweetwater Station in Fremont County.
Area 605. Green Mountain. All public lands within the Crooks Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Cooper Creek and Willow Creek drainages on Green Mountain in Fremont County.
Area 606. Cherry Creek. All public lands within Cherry, Pete and Rush Creek drainages, north slope of Ferris Mountains in Carbon County.
(c) Closed Areas.
1. (i) Areas Closed to the taking of all furbearing animals:
  1. (A) Grand Teton National Park.
  2. (B) National Elk Refuge.
  3. (C) Rawhide Wildlife Management Area, Springer Wildlife Habitat Management Area and the Table Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Area will be closed October 1 - December 31 and January 1 - January 31.
2. (ii) Areas closed to the use of steel leg hold traps and snares.
  1. (A) John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway.
3. (iii) Areas Closed to the Taking of Beaver:
  1. (A) Cliff Creek drainage in Sublette County.
  2. (B) Cache Creek drainage in Teton County.
  3. (C) Granite Creek from the Granite Hot Springs swimming pool downstream to the confluence with the Hoback River in Teton and Sublette counties.
  4. (D) South Fork Lake Creek and Geetze Creek drainages on the Pennock Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Area in Carbon County.
  5. (E) Nameless Creek proper in Lincoln County.
4. (iv) Areas Closed to the Taking of Marten:
  1. (A) All lands within the Pole Mountain Unit of the Medicine Bow National Forest in Albany County.

Section 6. Common Season Boundary. Whenever a stream or river forms a boundary between two different trapping seasons for the same furbearing animal, the stream or river channel proper shall open for trapping on the earliest opening date and close on the latest closing date of the two seasons involved.

Section 7. Limited Quota Trapping Areas. Limited quota trapping areas shall be open only to the holders of permits. The holder of a permit for a limited quota trapping area(s) shall be allowed to trap the designated species for one trapping season. Permit holders shall be determined by a random computer selection and trapping instructions shall be obtained from the warden responsible for the limited quota area.

(a) Application. Applications shall be available from Wyoming Game and Fish Department regional offices and game wardens. Any person holding a valid Wyoming trapping license may submit one application for a limited quota trapping area drawing and may list as many as three choices.
(b) All permit holders must be able to present upon demand to any game and fish personnel or any law enforcement officer empowered to enforce these regulations their permit and a valid Wyoming trapping license.
(c) Application Date. Applications shall be submitted on a form provided by the Department to the Cheyenne office of the Department from July 1 through September 1.
(d) Drawing. Only correct and complete applications received in the Cheyenne office of the Department during the application dates shall be entered in the random computer selection. Successful applicants will be notified by mail. Successful applicants shall contact the game warden listed on the notice prior to taking permitted furbearing animals in the limited quota area. The district game warden shall issue instructions regarding the number of furbearing animals to be taken and any other information necessary to fulfill the permit requirements.
(e) Issue After Draw Limited Quota Trapping Areas. Applicants may apply after the regular drawing for permits for limited quota trapping areas not issued in the drawing. Applicants must apply to the Cheyenne Office. Applications shall have permits issued in the order they are processed or until quotas are reached. Submission of an application either through the mail or hand delivered shall not guarantee a permit. Individuals issued limited quota trapping areas shall contact the game warden listed on the notice prior to taking permitted furbearing animals in the limited quota areas. The district game warden shall issue instructions regarding the number of furbearing animals to be taken and any other information necessary to fulfill the permit.
(f) Alternate Permittee. A permittee who does not follow regulations or the game warden's written instructions or who does not trap the area during the permit period may have his/her permit revoked by the game warden. The permit shall then be issued to an alternate applicant selected at the time of the drawing. If there is no alternate applicant, or the alternate fails to follow regulations or the game warden's written instructions, the permit may be issued to the first eligible applicant responding to public notice of the vacant trapping area.
(g) Report Required. A trapping report shall be required from the permittee. The permittee shall return a complete and accurate report on a form provided by the department to the game warden who issued the limited quota trapping area permit within ten days after the close of the trapping season for the limited quota area. Failure to comply with this subsection shall be a violation of this regulation.

Section 8. Authorization to Trap. Any person holding a valid trapping license issued in accordance with all pertinent Wyoming laws and regulations shall be authorized to trap furbearing animals in any trapping area specified in the current trapping regulations, excluding species within limited quota trapping areas specified in Section 5(b) of this regulation and excluding closed areas in Section 5(c) of this regulation.

Section 9. Mandatory Bobcat Registration. All bobcats harvested in Wyoming after July 1, 1990 shall be registered by the trapper with the department, regardless of the final disposition of the pelt or unskinned carcass. Bobcat pelts may be registered throughout the bobcat season, but registration of

pelts shall end at 5:00 p. m. on March 11. It shall be unlawful to possess an untagged green bobcat pelt after the registration period expires. For a bobcat pelt or unskinned carcass to be registered, the properly licensed trapper shall present the pelt or unskinned carcass to a game warden or Wyoming Game and Fish Department regional office. The trapper shall provide the lower jaw of the bobcat with canines intact, sex of the bobcat, legal description where the bobcat was harvested, and the date of harvest for each bobcat taken before a bobcat export tag shall be issued. A bobcat export tag shall be attached by an

employee of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Bobcat tags may be issued free of charge. The licensee shall furnish to the Department the legal description of the harvest site to include section, township and range at the time of registration. Failure to provide a harvest location shall be a violation of this regulation.

Section 10. Trapping of wildlife, other than furbearing animals; Disposition of furbearing animals at the trap site. Wildlife classified as game animals, game birds or protected animals or protected birds that are trapped, shall be released unharmed. If the animal caught, has been injured to the extent that the injury will result in death of the animal or has been killed, the trapper shall immediately notify a game and fish enforcement officer. Furbearing animals legally taken by a holder of a valid trapping license during an open season shall be either killed at the trap site or released to the wild. If the trapper holds both a furbearing trapping license and a license to capture furbearing animals for domestication, the furbearing animals do not have to be killed at the trap site.

Section 11. Use of Dogs. Persons possessing a valid trapping license may use dogs to pursue and take bobcats during the bobcat trapping season.

WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION

By: MIKE HUNZIE PRESIDENT

Dated: July 15, 1997