The Wyoming Game and Fish Department reminds those who want to use the same bait site for the upcoming spring black bear season that the renewal period for bear bait sites begins Wednesday, March 1 at 8 a.m. By regulation, bait is allowed as a lawful tool in parts of Wyoming, but please see the regulations for areas that are closed to baiting. 

Individuals who want to renew the same black bear bait site from the previous calendar year can renew by calling Game and Fish, by mailing the department, sending a fax, or new for 2017, submitting online using the website (live on March 1). Any bait sites not renewed before March 20 will be made available for new registrations on April 1, 2017.

Black bear hunters must have a 2017 black bear license to register a bait site. No bear bait may be placed on state, federal, or Game and Fish lands without first registering the bait site with Game and Fish. Each bear hunter is allowed two bait sites; however, hunters may only have one bait per section, as illustrated on U.S. Forest Service of Bureau of Land Management maps. Bear baits cannot be placed more than seven days prior to opening day and must be removed seven days after the last day of the hunting season.

Bear hunters should be aware of new changes to baiting regulations in the Chapter 3 Black Bear Hunting Seasons for the 2017 season. Hunters should always read and refer to the Black Bear Hunting Season regulations for comprehensive information. The changes include:

• GPS coordinates of a registered bait site shall be provided on the bait site registration form at the time of application or within seven (7) days after placing any bait at a registered bait site.  For the purpose of receiving preference to register a bait site, any person who fails to place a bait at a properly registered bait site and provide GPS coordinates for that bait site during the previous calendar year shall lose all preference to register that bait site and shall be considered as a first-time registrant for that site the following calendar year.
• A person licensed as an outfitter in Wyoming for the current calendar year shall register or place no more than twenty (20) baits for their outfitting business use during the calendar year.

New black bear bait site registration begins April 1. Individuals must register new sites in person (or by representative) at any regional office. Bait sites cannot be registered at the Cheyenne Headquarters Office. New sites cannot be registered online. 

See Section 6 of the Black Bear Hunting Seasons Seasons for areas closed to baiting.

Black bear hunters with questions about hunting seasons can review the regulations or contact a regional office.