Game and Fish Wildlife Habitat Management Areas beginning to open this spring
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has 38 Wildlife Habitat Management Areas (WHMA) that provide big game winter range and other benefits. These areas are beginning to open for the season, after being closed to protect key winter habitat. Several areas open beginning May 1, and some have changes to traditional opening dates and times. These changes were made to protect wildlife and to improve public safety on these areas.
Ray Bredehoft, Wyoming Game and Fish Habitat and Access Branch Chief said, “Seasonal closures minimize stress-causing disturbance to wintering deer, elk and other wildlife. We appreciate the public’s cooperation to help animals make it through the winter and we are excited to open up these lands for the public to enjoy this spring, summer and fall. We do ask that in the early spring that the public is cautious around wildlife. Elk, deer, pronghorn, moose and others are about to start fawning and calving.”
The closures also reduce the human and recreational impacts to the forage, which supports wintering wildlife. Some areas have shifted to a later opening date than previous years; the public should confirm opening dates before entering any WHMA.
Users are reminded to stay on designated travel routes, obey all signs, and camp in designated areas where required. If roads become too wet due to spring moisture, users are asked to please try and avoid traveling those roads to reduce resource damage.
WHMA SEASONAL DATE TABLE
WHMAs OPEN YEAR-ROUND
PUBLIC ACCESS AREAS WITH SEASONAL CLOSURES
Ray Bredehoft, Wyoming Game and Fish Habitat and Access Branch Chief said, “Seasonal closures minimize stress-causing disturbance to wintering deer, elk and other wildlife. We appreciate the public’s cooperation to help animals make it through the winter and we are excited to open up these lands for the public to enjoy this spring, summer and fall. We do ask that in the early spring that the public is cautious around wildlife. Elk, deer, pronghorn, moose and others are about to start fawning and calving.”
The closures also reduce the human and recreational impacts to the forage, which supports wintering wildlife. Some areas have shifted to a later opening date than previous years; the public should confirm opening dates before entering any WHMA.
Users are reminded to stay on designated travel routes, obey all signs, and camp in designated areas where required. If roads become too wet due to spring moisture, users are asked to please try and avoid traveling those roads to reduce resource damage.
WHMA SEASONAL DATE TABLE
| HABITAT AREAS | NEAREST TOWN | DATES AREA OPEN | RESTRICTIONS |
| Forbes/Sheep Mountain | Albany | May 1 through Dec. 31 | |
| Grey’s River | Alpine | May 1 through Nov. 30 | |
| Wick | Arlington | May 16 through Nov. 15 | Only lands South of I-80 are closed. |
| Bud Love | Buffalo | May 15 through Dec. 31 | |
| Sunlight | Cody | May 1 through Dec. 15 | |
| Inberg/Roy (East Fork) | Dubois | May 16 through Dec. 17 | Gates will open at 8 a.m. on May 16 |
| Spence & Moriarity WMA | Dubois | May 16 through Dec. 17 | East Fork County Road and that portion east of the road is open all year. Gates will open at 8 a.m. on May 16 . |
| Whiskey Basin | Dubois | May 16 through Nov. 30 | Closed to vehicles only-open to foot/horse traffic. Gates will open at 8 a.m. on May 16 . |
| Medicine Lodge | Hyattville | June 1 through Dec. 31 | Medicine Lodge Creek open to foot access for fishing. |
| Renner | Hyattville | June 1 through Dec. 31 | Lower portion remains open year round. |
| Camp Creek | Jackson | May 1 through Nov. 30 | |
| Horse Creek | Jackson | May 1 through Nov. 30 | |
| South Park | Jackson | May 1 through Nov. 30 | Signed area open to foot traffic Dec. 1- Dec. 31 |
| Ed O. Taylor | Kaycee | May 15 through Dec. 31 | |
| Red Canyon | Lander | May 1 through Nov. 30 | |
| Sunshine | Meeteetse | June 1 through Nov. 30 | Closed to Motor Vehicles Year Round-open to foot/horse traffic. |
| Half Moon | Pinedale | May 1 through Nov. 20 | |
| Soda Lake | Pinedale | May 1 through Nov. 30 | |
| Fall Creek | Pinedale | May 1 through Nov. 20 | |
| Luke Lynch | Pinedale | May 1 through Nov 30 | |
| Morgan Creek | Rawlins | May 1 through Oct. 31 | Closed to motor vehicles, except BLM Road 3159; open to foot traffic during closure dates. |
| Pennock Mountain | Saratoga | May 1 through Nov. 30 | Closed to vehicles only-open to foot/horse traffic. |
| Amsden Creek | Sheridan | June 1 through Oct. 31 | |
| Amsden Creek | Sheridan | May 15 through May 31 Nov. 1 through Nov. 15 |
Open to human presence only, no motorized vehicles. |
| Kerns | Sheridan | June 1 through Oct. 31 | |
| Kerns | Sheridan | Nov. 1 through Nov. 15 | Open to human presence only, no motorized vehicles. |
| Laramie Peak | Wheatland | May 1 through Jan 30 | Laramie Peak is open all year except for Hay Canyon, Tony Ridge, and Duck Creek Canyon areas which are closed from February 1 through April 30 each year. |
WHMAs OPEN YEAR-ROUND
| HABITAT AREA | NEAREST TOWN | RESTRICTIONS |
| Ocean Lake | Riverton | |
| Sand Mesa | Shoshoni | |
| Chain Lakes | Wamsutter | |
| Grayrocks | Wheatland | |
| Jelm | Laramie | |
| Rawhide | Lingle | Vehicular access restricted to parking areas. ORV access not allowed |
| Springer/Bump Sullivan | Yoder | Closed to motorized vehicles from Oct. 1 through Memorial Day weekend. ORV travel is not allowed |
| Table Mountain | Torrington | Closed to motorized vehicles from Oct. 1 through Memorial Day weekend. ORV travel is not allowed |
| Tom Thorne/Beth Williams | Wheatland | |
| Yellowtail | Lovell | |
| Red Rim/Daley | Rawlins | Drifting snow closes most trails in early winter. |
| Red Rim/Grizzly | Rawlins |
PUBLIC ACCESS AREAS WITH SEASONAL CLOSURES
| HABITAT AREA | NEAREST TOWN | DATES AREA OPEN | RESTRICTIONS |
| Mexican Creek | Lander | Sept. 1 through Dec. 31 | County access road closes on Nov. 22 |
| VonGontard Landing | Jackson | Mar. 15 through Nov 30 | Weather may affect opening dates. |
| Pitcher/ Brokaw | Arlington | Aug. 1 through Dec 31 | |
| Billy Miles/Carter | Ten Sleep | Sept. 1 through Dec. 31 |
Photo: The Wick WHMA in the Laramie Region.
Sara DiRienzo (307-777-4540)
