Game and Fish wildlife habitat management areas beginning to close for winter
Many big game hunting seasons are coming to a close, and so are the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Wildlife Habitat Management Areas (WHMA). The majority of WHMAs close for the winter annually to provide protection to big game on their winter range.
“Seasonal closures are essential for minimizing stress-causing disturbances to wintering deer, elk, bighorn sheep and other wildlife,” Ray Bredehoft said, 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.
“Seasonal closures are essential for minimizing stress-causing disturbances to wintering deer, elk, bighorn sheep and other wildlife,” Ray Bredehoft said, 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 | |
| Grey’s River | Alpine | Dec. 1 through April 30 | |
| Wick/Beumee | Arlington | Nov. 16 through May 15 | Only lands south of I-80 are closed |
| Bud Love | Buffalo | Jan. 1 through May 14 | |
| Sunlight | Cody | Dec. 16 through April 30 | |
| Inberg/Roy (East Fork) | Dubois | Dec. 16 through May 15 | |
| Spence & Moriarity | Dubois | Dec. 16 through May 15 | East Fork County Road and the portion east of the road is open year round |
| Whiskey Basin | Dubois | Dec. 1 through May 15 | Closed to vehicles only - Open to foot/horse traffic |
| Medicine Lodge | Hyattville | Dec. 26 through June 30 | Medicine Lodge Creek open to foot access for fishing |
| Renner | Hyattville | Dec. 1 through May 31 | Lower portion remains open year round |
| Camp Creek | Jackson | Dec. 1 through April 30 | |
| Horse Creek | Jackson | Dec. 1 through April 30 | |
| 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 |
| Ed O. Taylor | Kaycee | Jan. 1 through May 14 | |
| Red Canyon | Lander | Dec. 1 through April 30 | |
| Sunshine | Meeteetse | Dec. 1 through May 31 | Closed to vehicles year round - Closed to human presence Dec 1 - May 31 Foot or horseback allowed June 1 to November 30th |
| Half Moon | Pinedale | Nov. 21 through April 30 | |
| Soda Lake | Pinedale | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Fishing on Soda Lake is closed Nov 15 through April 30. |
| Luke Lynch | Pinedale | Dec. 1 through April 30 | |
| Fall Creek | Pinedale | Nov. 21 through April 30 | |
| Morgan Creek | Rawlins | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to vehicles only - Open to foot/horse traffic |
| Pennock Mountain | Saratoga | Dec. 1 through April 30 | Closed to vehicles only - Open to foot/horse traffic |
| Amsden Creek | Sheridan | Nov. 1 through May 31 | Closed to vehicles |
| Amsden Creek | Sheridan | Nov. 16 through April 30 | |
| Kerns | Sheridan | Nov. 1 through May 31 | Closed to vehicles |
| Kerns | Sheridan | Nov. 16 through May 31 | |
| Laramie Peak | Wheatland | Feb. 1 through April 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 | DATES AREA CLOSED | RESTRICTIONS |
| Ocean Lake | Riverton | ||
| Sand Mesa | Shoshoni | ||
| Chain Lakes | Wamsutter | ||
| Grayrocks | Wheatland | ORV access not allowed | |
| Jelm | Laramie | ||
| Rawhide | Lingle | Vehicular access restricted to parking areas. ORV access not allowed | |
| Springer/Bump Sullivan | Yoder | Closed to motorized vehicles from October 1 through Memorial Day weekend. ORV travel is not allowed | |
| Table Mountain | Torrington | Closed to motorized vehicles from October 1 through Memorial Day weekend. ORV travel is not allowed | |
| Tom Thorne/Beth Williams | Wheatland | ||
| Yellowtail | Lovell | ||
| Red Rim/Daley | Rawlins | ||
| Red Rim/Grizzly | Rawlins | ||
| 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 November 22 |
| VonGontard Landing | Jackson | Dec. 1 through Mar. 15 | Weather may affect closing and opening dates. |
| Pitcher/ Brokaw | Arlington | Jan. 1 through July 31 | |
| Billy Miles/Carter | Ten Sleep | Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 | |
Sara DiRienzo (307-777-4540)
