The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently received a $4,000 donation from the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga- The Howard Fund divided equally to support hunter access through the Access Yes Program and the Cliff Creek Ungulate Nutrition Project, part of the state’s mule deer recovery efforts.
Access Yes is a program that facilitates the partnership between landowners and the Game and Fish to create public hunting and fishing access on private land including Walk-in Fishing, Walk-in Hunting Areas and Hunter Management Areas as well as other Game and Fish public access areas. The Cliff Creek Ungulate Nutrition Project established long-term monitoring to track forage nutritional response and ungulate movements over time. This is following the Cliff Creek Fire which burned more than 34,000 acres in 2016 on the Bridger-Teton National forest in western Wyoming. The area serves as important habitat for mule deer, elk, moose and bighorn sheep throughout the year.
“The generosity from The Howard Fund has provided nearly 6,200 acres of access for hunters and anglers in Wyoming in the last year and has bolstered mule deer recovery efforts,” said Scott Talbott, director of Game and Fish. “We’re very grateful for support of volunteers who care deeply for wildlife. They truly help ensure resources for wildlife as well as hunting and fishing are available now and for future generations.”
Each dollar donated to Access Yes in 2017 equated to approximately 3.1 acres of public access. This donation helps every hunter and angler in Wyoming have increased access opportunities for
years to come. Access Yes funds directly pay for access easements, not funding operating expenses of Game and Fish access programs. Walk-In Areas and Hunter Management Areas funded by Access Yes provide hunting opportunities for big game, small game, upland game and migratory game birds. They also provide fishing opportunities throughout the state.
The public can support Access Yes through donations when purchasing a license, either online or from a license selling agent. For more information please visit the Game and Fish public access page.
