Game and Fish wildlife habitat management areas beginning to close for winter
Many of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Wildlife Habitat Management Areas (WHMA) are closing for the season to provide protections for wildlife on their winter ranges. The majority of WHMAs close or have restrictions for the winter annually.
Protecting crucial habitat for wildlife is one of the main reasons the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission invests in land throughout Wyoming. WHMAs provide a refuge for big game that must conserve energy and rely on fat restores to survive the coldest months of the year.
“Seasonal closures are essential for minimizing stress-causing disturbances to wintering deer, elk, bighorn sheep and other wildlife,” said Ray Bredehoft, habitat and access branch chief for Game and Fish. “Closures also reduce the human and recreational impacts to the forage, which supports the wintering wildlife.”
The closures are for any human presence unless otherwise noted.
| WHMA SEASONAL CLOSURES | |||
| HABITAT AREAs | NEAREST TOWN | DATES AREA CLOSED | RESTRICTIONS |
| Forbes/Sheep Mountain | Albany | Jan. 1 through April 30 | Closed to human presence. Opens to human presence May 1 at 8 a.m. |
| Greys River | Alpine | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to human presence. |
| Wick/Beumee | Arlington | Dec. 1 through May 15 | Only lands south of I-80 are closed. Vehicles restricted to FS-111 for access to Forest Service boundary, otherwise closed to human presence. Opens to all human presence May 16 at 8 a.m. |
| Bud Love | Buffalo | Jan.1 through May 14 | Closed to human presence. Opens to human presence May 15 at 8 a.m. |
| Sunlight | Cody | Dec. 16 through April 30 | Fishing along Sunlight Creek is open year-round, The rest of the WHMA is closed to human presence. |
| Inberg/Roy (East Fork) | Dubois | Dec. 16 through May 15 | Closed to human presence. Opens to human presence May 16 at 8 a.m. |
| Spence & Moriarity | Dubois | Dec. 16 through May 15 | East Fork County Road and that portion east of the road is open year-round. Rest of the WMA is closed to human presence. Rest of WMA opens May 16 at 8 a.m. |
| Whiskey Basin | Dubois | Dec. 1 through May 15 | Closed to vehicles only - Open to foot/horse traffic. Opens to vehicles May 16 at 8 a.m. |
| Medicine Lodge | Hyattville | Jan. 1 through May 31 | Lower campground portion is open year-round. The rest of WHMA is closed to human presence. |
| Renner | Hyattville | Jan. 1 through May 31 | Upper portion Closed to human presence. Lower portion remains open year- round. |
| Camp Creek | Jackson | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to human presence. |
| Horse Creek | Jackson | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to human presence. |
| South Park | Jackson | Jan. 1 through April 30 | Closed to vehicle traffic Dec 1 through April 30. Signed area open to foot traffic Dec 1 through December 31. |
| Patrol Cabin | Jackson | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to Human Presence. Opens to human presence May 1 at 8 a.m. |
| Ed O. Taylor | Kaycee | Jan. 1 through May 14 | Closed to Human Presence. Opens to human presence May 15 at 8 a.m. |
| Red Canyon | Lander | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to human presence |
| Sunshine | Meeteetse | Dec. 22 through May 31 | Closed to vehicles year- round. Closed to human presence Dec 22 - May 31. |
| Half Moon | Pinedale | Nov. 21 through April 30 | Closed to human presence. Opens to human presence May 1 at 8 a.m. |
| Soda Lake | Pinedale | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to human presence. Opens to human presence May 1 at 8 a.m. |
| Fall Creek | Pinedale | Nov. 21 through April 30 | Closed to human presence. Opens to human presence May 1 at 8 a.m. |
| Luke Lynch | Pinedale | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to human presence. Opens to human presence May 1 at 8 a.m. |
| Black Butte | Pinedale | Nov. 21 through April 30 | Closed to human presence. Opens to human presence May 1 at 8 a.m. Access to WHMA is through BLM only. |
| Morgan Creek | Rawlins | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to vehicles except on BLM road 3159 |
| Pennock Mountain | Saratoga | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to vehicles only - Open to foot/horse traffic. Opens to human presence May 1 at 8 a.m. |
| Amsden Creek | Sheridan | Nov. 1 through May 14 | Closed to vehicles. Opens to vehicles and human presence May 15 at 8 a.m. |
| Amsden Creek | Sheridan | Nov. 16 through May 14 | Closed to human presence. Opens to vehicles and human presence May 15 at 8 a.m. |
| Kerns | Sheridan | Nov. 1 through May 31 | Closed to vehicles. Opens to vehicles and human presence June 1 at 8 a.m. |
| Kerns | Sheridan | Nov. 16 through May 31 | Closed to human presence. Opens to human presence June 1 at 8 a.m. |
| Laramie Peak | Wheatland | Feb. 1 through April 30 | Laramie Peak is open all year except the Hay Canyon, Tony Ridge, and Duck Creek Canyon areas shall be closed to human presence from Feb. 1 through April 30 each year. |
| Pilot Hill | Laramie | Feb. 1 through April 30 | Closed to human presence |
| WHMAs OPEN YEAR-ROUND | |||
| HABITAT AREA | NEAREST TOWN | DATES AREA CLOSED | RESTRICTIONS |
| Ocean Lake | Riverton | ||
| Sand Mesa | Shoshoni | ||
| Chain Lakes | Wamsutter | ||
| Cottonwood Draw/Grayrocks | Wheatland | ORV access prohibited. | |
| Jelm | Laramie | Vehicular access restricted to parking areas. ORV access prohibited. | |
| Rawhide | Lingle | Vehicular access restricted to parking areas. ORV access not allowed. | Vehicular access restricted to parking areas. ORV access prohibited. |
| Springer/Bump Sullivan | Yoder | Closed to motorized vehicles from Oct. 1 through Memorial Day weekend. ORV travel is not allowed. | Closed to motorized vehicles from Oct. 1 through Memorial Day weekend. ORV access prohibited. |
| Table Mountain | Torrington | Closed to motorized vehicles from Oct. 1 through Memorial Day weekend. ORV travel is not allowed. | Closed to motorized vehicles from Oct. 1 through Memorial Day weekend. ORV access prohibited. |
| Tom Thorne/Beth Williams | Wheatland | Closed to motorized vehicles beyond reservoir from Feb. 1 through May 31. | |
| Yellowtail | Lovell | ||
| Red Rim/Daley | Rawlins | ||
| Red Rim/Grizzly | Rawlins | ||
| Sand Creek | Sundance | ||
| PUBLIC ACCESS AREAS WITH SEASONAL CLOSURES | |||
| HABITAT AREA | NEAREST TOWN | DATES AREA CLOSED | RESTRICTIONS |
| Mexican Creek | Lander | Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 | County access road closes Nov. 22. |
| VonGontard Landing | Jackson | Dec. 1 through Mar. 15 | Weather may affect closing and opening dates. |
| Pitcher/ Brokaw | Arlington | Jan. 1 through July 31 | ORV access prohibited. |
| Billy Miles/Carter | Ten Sleep | Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 | Closed to wheeled motorized vehicles Dec 1-April 14. |
| Coco Belle VanMeerendonk | Jackson | Dec. 1 through April 14 | Closed to wheeled motorized vehicles |
**Unless noted, WHMAs open at 12 midnight on their respective opening day.
Sara DiRienzo (307-777-4540)
