Grizzly Bear Confirmed in Piney Creek

PINEDALE— The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently confirmed a grizzly bear in the Middle Piney Creek drainage west of Big Piney in the Wyoming Range. This is outside of the area of northwest Wyoming where grizzly bears are usually encountered, and the area is also heavily used by black bear hunters. The department is urging bear hunters in the area to use caution and to be sure of their target before harvesting a bear.

An outfitter and a local hunter in the area reported seeing a grizzly bear while black bear hunting and provided photographs of the animal that allowed Big Piney Game Warden Adam Hymas to confirm that it was a grizzly bear.  Zach Turnbull, Bear Management Specialist with the department, said: “It is not unusual to see young bears disperse long distances from their natal home ranges.” Turnbull advises hunters to be sure of their target before shooting a bear. There is a possibility of encountering grizzly bears in any areas adjacent to known occupied habitat as bears are common in areas north of the Wyoming Range and many parts of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. 

Grizzly bears are managed under state law and there are currently no open hunting seasons for grizzlies in any part of the state.  If a grizzly bear visits a black bear bait, hunters are reminded to call their area Game Warden so the bait can be closed and the bait removed in accordance with state regulations.  The Game and Fish is carefully monitoring the situation and encourages anyone with sightings or information from the area to call the Pinedale Regional Office at 307-367-4352.

The Game and Fish Department also reminds those recreating on the National Forest to follow food storage guidelines and store food and attractants unavailable to bears, and to carry and know how to use bear spray. 

51 CITATIONS AND WARNINGS ISSUED AT GLENDO RESERVOIR OVER MEMORIAL DAY

CASPER – Game and Fish Department law enforcement officers issued 27 citations and 24 warnings for a total of $4,630 in fines for fishing and boating violations at Glendo Reservoir over Memorial Day weekend.

The special Law Enforcement Task Force, made up of nine game wardens, was in place to address the large boating crowds at Glendo on holiday weekends. However, cool rainy weather kept boating violations to a minimum and most citations issued were for fishing violations.

“The number one violation was for over-the-limit of fish,” said Glenrock Game Warden Gary Boyd. “We issued 13 citations and seized 222 walleye from anglers who had too many fish.” One group of four anglers from Colorado and Utah had 45 walleye, and another group of six anglers from Colorado had 71. The possession limit for walleye is six fish per angler. “That is six fish total, not a daily bag limit,” Boyd said. “A lot of fish go out of this lake illegally and being greedy is going to ruin this fishery.” 

Wardens also issued two citations for illegal transport of live fish. Wyoming fishing regulations prohibit the transportation of live fish from the water of capture. All fish must be killed before leaving the lake and cannot be kept alive in live wells. Four citations were also issued to anglers fishing without a license.

Boating violations included underage operation of watercraft; failure to register boat; and failure to provide enough life jackets. Wyoming watercraft regulations require that boats be properly registered and numbered, contain working lights and flame arresters, have proper ventilation, contain a life jacket for every person on board, have mandatory throwable flotation devices, and working fire extinguishers.

For more information on fishing or boating regulations, visit the Game and Fish Department Web site at: http://gf.state.wy.us.

CHUG CREEK CHAPTER OF PHEASANTS FOREVER DONATES $5,600 TO ACCESS YES PROGRAM

WHEATLAND — The Chug Creek Chapter of Pheasants Forever in Wheatland recently donated $5,600 to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s AccessYes program.

“This contribution is a significant increase over what the Chug Creek Chapter was able to contribute in 2008 and provides more evidence of their on-going commitment to improve hunter access in southeast Wyoming,” says Jason Sherwood, regional access coordinator. “We appreciate these contributions from our partners in Pheasants Forever because they allow us to pursue additional hunter access in southeast Wyoming that would not have been possible without them.”

Access obtained through donations like these from Pheasants Forever is only possible with willing landowners. “That willingness lasts only as long as hunters using these lands stay on their best behavior, respect the landowner and obey Walk-in Area rules,” says Sherwood.

                The Access Yes program was initiated in 1998 to assist landowners that support wildlife and to maintain public hunting and fishing opportunities. AccessYes is a voluntary donation program allowing hunters and anglers to contribute funds for the purchase of hunting and fishing access easements each time they purchase a WGFD license. In 2008, there were 1,544,725 acres of private land, 27 lake acres and 45.22 miles of stream in the hunting access program and 97 stream miles and 272 lake acres in the fishing access program. On average, every dollar donated to the AccessYes program results in 4.2 acres of additional access.  Information on the AccessYes program is on the Game and Fish Web site at: http://gf.state.wy.us/wildlife/access/index.asp.

Thanks to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for the info!

Visit the Wyoming Game & Fish Website!

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