The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is announcing the emergency process to register new black bear bait sites for 2020. New sites will now be registered through an online application process. These changes to the registration process creates a priority ranking that will be used to allocate open bait sites while minimizing contact between people. 

“We appreciate the public’s patience as we changed this process to align with CDC recommendations to protect customer and employee health. Our employees will do everything they can to help hunters register bear baits,” said Scott Edberg, deputy chief of the wildlife division.  

DATES AND DETAILS
Game and Fish will begin accepting bear bait registration ranking applications at 8 a.m. MDT on April 15 on the Game and Fish website. Black bear hunters must have already purchased a 2020 black bear license in order to register a bait site. Applications close at 5 p.m. MDT on April 17, and rankings will be posted on the Game and Fish website at 8 a.m. MDT on April 20.

Licenses can be purchased anytime online or at a license selling agent. Black bear hunting licenses purchased online will be mailed within 10 days.

For hunters who do not have internet access, please contact your local regional office. 

Casper Regional Office - (307) 473-3400
Cody Regional Office - (307) 527-7125 
Green River Regional Office - (307) 875-3223
Jackson Regional Office - (307) 733-2321 
Lander Regional Office - (307) 332-2688
Laramie Regional Office - (307) 745-4046
Pinedale Regional Office - (307) 367-4353 
Sheridan Regional Office - (307) 672-7418 

RANKING APPLICATION PROCESS
To apply:

1. Visit the Game and Fish Hunting webpage at: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/hunting.
2. Applicants will need to know their 2020 black bear hunting license number or outfitter license number and designate a single Game and Fish region on their First Primary bait site location. These license numbers will also grant applicants access to the bear bait site map on the website so they can get bait site location legal description (Township, Range, Section). If you do not have your black bear hunting license number, call your local regional office. 
3. Applicants can register up to two primary bait sites; one must be in the single region designated under step number #2. Up to six alternate bait sites locations may also be submitted and can be in multiple regions. Applicants can only submit one application. 
4. Regardless of the number of bait site registration locations submitted, each non-outfitter applicant can have no more than two registered bait sites statewide.

CHECKING RANKINGS
Rankings for black bear site registration priority will be posted on the Game and Fish website at 8 a.m. MDT on April 20. Applicants can check their ranking using their black bear hunting license number or outfitter license number. Those without access to the internet can call their local regional office for assistance.

REGISTERING SITES
Based on rankings, Game and Fish personnel will begin registering bait sites at 8 a.m. on April 20. Hunters are advised not to come to a regional office nor call to confirm their site registration. Game and Fish will send completed bear bait site registration information to hunters either by email or postal mail.

If an applicant’s primary and alternate site locations are unavailable, Game and Fish will make attempts to notify the applicant over the phone, text or email. These details are outlined on the application form, so it is important applicants read and understand that process.

Beginning at 8 a.m. MDT on April 22, applications for any remaining available bait sites will be taken over the phone by calling your local Game and Fish regional office. 

RULES FOR BAIT SITES
No bear bait may be placed on state, federal or Game and Fish lands without first registering the bait site with Game and Fish. See Section 6 of the Black Bear Hunting Seasons regulation for areas closed to baiting. Each bear hunter is allowed two bait sites; however, hunters may only have one bait per section, as illustrated on U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management maps. Bear baits cannot be placed more than seven days prior to opening day and must be removed seven days after the last day of the spring or fall black bear hunting season.