Many hunters know planning for the fall hunting seasons begins in at the first of the year; that’s when applications for many licenses begin to open and decisions about what species and where in Wyoming to hunt start. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department offers a variety of resources to help hunters get started on their planning before applying for licenses.
“If you’re hunting anything from deer to birds, we have the resources to help you plan your hunts and answer your application questions. Many of these resources are available online where you can access them anytime,” said Sara DiRienzo, Game and Fish public outreach specialist.
Experienced and new hunters can gain insight into hunt areas--including area specific drawing odds, harvest data and season dates on the Hunt Planner webpage for elk, deer, antelope, moose, bison, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and turkey. The Hunt Planner, considered the one-stop place for hunting information, has interactive maps of all big game hunt areas that show important information like land status and roads. With different map layers, you can also see land and water features. The maps are also available to download and use on your phone like a GPS even without cell phone reception, all for free.
Game and Fish also offers more in-depth maps and information for the public access areas, called Access Yes, a program supported through sportsperson donations. These are Walk-in Hunting and Hunter Management Areas--private land that is, in partnership with landowners, available through Game and Fish for hunting. Access Yes programs help expand opportunities for antelope, elk, deer, upland game birds, small game, black bear, mountain lion, waterfowl and turkey hunting.
“Access Yes areas are a good option for the DIY hunter in addition to the plentiful public land in the state,” DiRienzo said. “Thanks for donating to Access Yes when you apply for your license.”
Beyond online resources, anyone can also call the Game and Fish sportsperson hotline at (307) 777-4600 during business hours to talk with a real person to get help with questions about applying for licenses.
To stay up-to-date on deadlines, research and hunting information in Wyoming, Game and Fish offers a Monthly Hunting Update. Signup and receive it in your e-mail.
