Wyo. Code R. 040-0001-4
Effective Date: 09/08/2009 to 09/19/2012
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 040.0001.4.09082009
Section 1. Authority. This regulation is promulgated by authority of W.S. §23-1-302, W.S. §23-2-303, W.S. §23-2-305 and W.S. §23-3-109.
Section 2. Definitions. For the purpose of this regulation, definitions shall be as set forth in Title 23, Wyoming Statutes, and the Commission also adopts the following definitions:
(a) “Drainage” means all lands within the watershed of a named river or stream, including all tributaries and standing waters which drain into that river or stream. (b) "Green pelt" means the untanned hide or skin of a furbearing animal. (c) “Owner” means the person who physically sets any trap or snare in any fashion that may result in the take of any furbearing or predatory animal. (d) “Quick-kill Body-grip Trap” means a device that closes around the body or head of the animal in such a manner as to almost immediately kill the animal caught. Such traps include, but are not necessarily limited to, Conibear type traps. (e) “Snare” means a device consisting of a loop with no mechanical trigger for capturing furbearing or predatory animals. (f) “Leg-hold Trap” means any device using a mechanical trigger that springs the jaws or loop shut for capturing furbearing or predatory animals. (g) “Trapping” or “trap” means the taking of a furbearing or predatory animal by trap, snare or with a firearm or archery equipment. (h) “Trap Identification Number” means an identification number assigned to the owner of traps or snares by the Department. (i) “Week” means the seven-day period starting on Monday through the following Sunday.
Section 3. Hunting or Trapping Seasons Established. There shall be open seasons for the hunting or trapping of furbearing animals and the use of dogs to take bobcats as set forth in this Chapter. Furbearing animals may also be taken by hunting with the use of firearms. This regulation shall remain in effect until modified or repealed by the Commission.
(a) Species, Hunting or Trapping Areas, Season Dates and Limitations.
| Species | Trapping Area | Date of Seasons | Limitations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opens | Closes | |||
| Mink | 1 | Oct. 1 | March 31 | Any mink |
| Bobcat | 1 | Nov. 15 | March 1 | Any bobcat |
| Muskrat | 1 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | Any muskrat |
| Weasel | 1 | Oct. 1 | March 31 | Any weasel |
| Badger | 1 | Jan. 1 | Dec. 31 | Any badger |
| Marten | 1 | Oct. 1 | March 1 | Any marten |
| 2 | Dec. 1 | March 1 | Any marten | |
| 602 | Oct. 1 | March 1 | 5 trappers; 100 marten | |
| Beaver | 1 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | Any beaver |
| 101 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 5 beaver | |
| 102 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 20 beaver | |
| 103 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 10 beaver | |
| 104 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 25 beaver | |
| 301-305 | CLOSED | |||
| 401 | CLOSED | |||
| 404 | CLOSED | |||
| 405 | CLOSED | |||
| 406 | CLOSED | |||
| 407 | CLOSED | |||
| 408 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 15 beaver | |
| 409 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 15 beaver | |
| 410 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 15 beaver | |
| 411 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 35 beaver | |
| 412 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 15 beaver | |
| 413 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 30 beaver | |
| 414 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 30 beaver |
| Species | Trapping Area | Date of Seasons | Limitations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opens | Closes | |||
| Beaver | 501 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 10 beaver |
| 502 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 10 beaver | |
| 601 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 30 beaver | |
| 602 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 30 beaver | |
| 603 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 2 trappers; 60 beaver | |
| 604 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 30 beaver | |
| 605 | Oct. 1 | April 30 | 1 trapper; 5 beaver |
Section 5. Furbearing Animal Hunting or Trapping Area Descriptions.
(a) Area and Number.
(i) All furbearing animals, excluding marten and beaver.
Area 1. The entire State of Wyoming, excluding those areas closed in Section 5(b).
(ii) Marten.
Area 1. The entire State of Wyoming, excluding Area 2 and Limited Quota Area 602 as listed in this subsection and those areas closed in Section 5(b).
Area 2. 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 602. Little Popo Agie. All U.S. Forest Service lands within the Little Popo Agie River drainage (including Cherry Creek and Snow Creek) and the Sawmill Creek drainage in Fremont County.
(iii) Beaver.
Area 1. The entire State of Wyoming, excluding those limited quota trapping areas listed in this subsection and those areas closed in Section 5(b).
Area 101. Ditch Creek. Ditch Creek drainage in Teton County. Area 102. Willow Creek. Willow Creek drainage in Teton and Lincoln Counties. Area 103. Game Creek and Little Horse Creek. Game Creek and Little Horse Creek drainages 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 drainage upstream of 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 the Green River, Flaming Gorge Reservoir and Wyoming Highway 430. Area 404. Henrys Fork. Henrys Fork River, 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. Drainages of Gilbert Creek and East Fork of Smiths Fork River 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, and Saw Mill Creek drainages in Lincoln County.
Area 411. Hams Fork River (Hams Fork). 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 Hams Fork 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, including all of the drainages of the South Fork of Fontenelle Creek upstream from the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary within Lincoln County.
Area 413. Fontenelle Creek. Beginning where Fontenelle Creek crosses the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary to the confluence of Camp Fire Creek and all tributaries in Lincoln County, including all of the drainages of Fontenelle Creek between the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary and Camp Fire Creek within 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 channel of South LaBarge Creek in Lincoln County. LaBarge Creek Proper will be closed one (1) mile each direction from 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 601. Beaver Creek. All public lands within the Twin Creek and Beaver Creek drainages 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 Creek and Snow Creek) and all U.S. Forest Service lands within the 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.
(b) Closed Areas.
(i) The following areas shall be closed to the taking of all furbearing animals.
(A) Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Bighorn County.
(B) Grand Teton National Park in Teton County;
(C) John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway in Teton County;
(D) National Elk Refuge in Teton County; and,
(E) Rawhide Wildlife Management Area, Springer Wildlife Habitat Management Area and the Table Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Area in Goshen County shall be closed October 1 through February 15.
(ii) The following areas shall be closed to the taking of beaver.
(A) Beaver Creek drainage from Wyoming Highway 70 downstream to its confluence with the North Fork of the Encampment River in Carbon County;
(B) Cache Creek drainage in Teton County;
(C) Cliff Creek drainage in Sublette County;
(D) Granite Creek drainage from the Granite Hot Springs swimming pool downstream to the confluence with the Hoback River in Teton and Sublette Counties;
(E) Nameless Creek proper in Lincoln County;
(F) Nash Fork drainage south of Wyoming Highway 130 from the Snowy Range Ski Area Road downstream to its confluence with the North Fork of the Little Laramie River in Albany County;
(G) South Fork Hog Park Creek drainage from the Colorado/Wyoming state line downstream to its confluence with Hog Park Creek in Carbon County;
(H) South Fork Lake Creek and Goetze Creek drainages on the Pennock Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Area in Carbon County; and,
(I) The head of the Rock Creek drainage north and east of the Sand Lake Road (USFS Road 101) downstream to its confluence with the South Fork of Rock Creek in Carbon County.
(iii) The following areas shall be closed to the taking of Marten.
(A) All lands within the Pole Mountain Unit of the Medicine Bow National Forest in Albany County.
Section 6. Common Season Boundary. Wherever a stream or river forms a boundary between two (2) trapping areas with differing 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 (2) seasons involved.
Section 7. Limited Quota Furbearing Animal Trapping Area Permits. Limited quota trapping areas shall be open only to the person(s) who possesses a furbearing animal trapping permit for the limited quota trapping area and a furbearing animal trapping license. Only the holder of a permit for a limited quota trapping area(s) shall be allowed to trap the limited quota area for the designated species during the trapping season for which the permit is valid. Permit holders shall be determined by a random computer selection.
(a) Application for Limited Quota Furbearing Animal Trapping Permits. Applications shall be available from Wyoming Game and Fish Department Regional Offices, the Cheyenne Headquarters Office and game wardens. Any qualified person may submit one (1) application for a limited quota trapping area drawing and may list as many as three (3) choices.
(b) When trapping, each permit holder shall present his permit and a valid Wyoming furbearing animal trapping license for inspection upon request to any law enforcement officer empowered to enforce these regulations.
(c) Application Date. Applications shall be submitted on a form provided by the Department to the Headquarters Office from July 1 through September 1.
(d) Drawing. Only correct and complete applications received in the Headquarters Office during the application dates shall be entered in the random computer selection. Successful applicants shall be notified by mail.
(e) Leftover Limited Quota Trapping Area Permits. After the regular drawing, applicants may apply for limited quota trapping area permits not issued in the drawing for limited quota furbearing animal trapping areas. Applicants shall apply to the Headquarters Office. Permits shall be issued in the order the applications are processed or until quotas are reached. Submission of an application either through the mail or hand delivered shall not guarantee a permit
(a) Any person holding a valid Wyoming furbearing animal trapping license shall be authorized to trap furbearing animals in any trapping area specified in the current trapping regulations, excluding those species within limited quota furbearing animal trapping areas requiring a limited quota furbearing animal trapping permit as specified in this regulation and excluding closed areas in Section 5(b) of this regulation.
(b) Individuals issued limited quota furbearing animal trapping permits shall contact the game warden listed on the notice for instructions prior to taking furbearing animals authorized by this permit in the limited quota furbearing animal trapping areas.
(a) All snares used for furbearing or predatory animals shall be equipped with a break-away device located at the point of the snare lock;
(b) Break-away devices shall release at two hundred ninety-five (295) pounds of pressure or less;
(c) Snare capture loop size shall not exceed twelve (12) inches in diameter measured from side to side;
(d) Snares shall be solidly anchored to ensure the break-away device properly functions to release at two hundred ninety-five (295) pounds of pressure or less, and;
(i) Snares shall not be anchored to any wire of a fence.
(ii) Snares shall not be anchored to any moveable object such as a drag.
(e) All snares and quick-kill body-grip traps shall be checked a minimum of one time each week, except during the initial week the snares or quick-kill body-grip traps were set.
Section 10. Mandatory Bobcat Registration. All bobcats harvested in Wyoming shall be registered with the Department by the person taking the bobcat, 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 of each year. The properly licensed trapper shall present the pelt or unskinned carcass in an unfrozen condition to a game warden or a Department Regional Office. It shall be unlawful to possess an untagged green bobcat pelt after the registration period expires. Before a Wyoming bobcat tag shall be issued, the person taking a bobcat shall provide to the Department at the time of registration, the age and sex of the bobcat, the number of the Department's bobcat management area in which the bobcat was taken, the date the bobcat was taken, the number of traps that were set, and the number of days traps were set or days hunted with a firearm (i.e. trapping or harvest effort). A Wyoming bobcat tag shall be attached to the pelt or unskinned carcass by an employee of the Department. Wyoming bobcat tags shall be issued free of charge.
Section 11. Trapping of Non-target Wildlife; Disposition of Furbearing Animals at the Trap Site. All non-target wildlife, including but not necessarily limited to game animals, game birds, furbearing animals, protected animals or protected birds that are trapped shall be released unharmed. If a big or trophy game animal, game bird, protected animal or raptor caught has been injured to the extent that the injury may result in death of the animal or if the animal has been killed, the trapper shall immediately notify a Department law enforcement officer. Furbearing animals legally taken shall be either killed at the trap site or immediately released to the wild. If the trapper holds both a furbearing animal 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 12. Use of Dogs. Persons possessing a valid furbearing animal trapping license may use dogs to take bobcats during the bobcat hunting or trapping season.
Section 13. Trap Identification Numbers. All traps and snares used for furbearing or predatory animals shall be permanently marked or tagged with the name and address of the owner or the trap identification number assigned to the owner by the Department.
(a) A person may apply for a trap identification number from the Department. Each individual shall be issued only one (1) trap identification number for the life of the trapper. Trap identification numbers shall be transferable from one (1) person to another only upon completion of an application and approval by the Department.
(b) Trap identification numbers shall consist of the prefix WY, followed by the last two (2) digits of the calendar year in which the number is issued, followed by a number generated by the Department. A hyphen shall separate the three (3) portions of the number. For example, the first trap identification number issued in calendar year 2001 shall be WY-01-001. Numbers shall be legible, at least one-eighth (1/8) inch in height and affixed to traps in such a manner as to read left to right. The trap identification number shall be stamped on the trap or on a metal tag that is affixed to the trap.
(c) Application for a trap identification number shall include the full name and complete home address of the applicant and shall be submitted on a form provided by the Department. Applications shall be submitted to the Wildlife Division, at the Headquarters Office of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
(d) Any person who has obtained a trap identification number shall notify the Department by telephoning (307) 777-4686 within thirty (30) days of any change in address.
Section 14. Violation of Commission Regulations. Failure to abide by the provisions of this regulation shall be punishable as provided by Wyoming statutes for violation of Commission regulations.
Section 15. Savings Clause. If any provision of this regulation is held to be illegal or unconstitutional, such a ruling shall not affect other provisions of this regulation which can be given effect without the illegal or unconstitutional provision; and, to this end, the provisions of the regulation are severable.
WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION
Clifford Kirk, President
Dated: August 6, 2009