PUBLIC ACCESS

WHMA / WHMA / Yellowtail

Yellowtail - WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT Area

                
Public Access Area Open: Open year-round None
Recreation Opportunities: Fishing, Hunting, Camping, Hiking, Wildlife Viewing
Amenities: Parking, Comfort Stations, Boat Ramp
Restrictions: Open year round.
Additional Restrictions: 14-day camping limit.
Total Acres: 19202.4

Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area is six miles east of Lovell and comprises 19,214 acres.  Through a cooperative agreement between the Wyoming Game & Fish Commission, National Park Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Bureau of Land Management, this area was established in the early 1960s to enhance waterfowl habitat.
 
The plant communities are comprised mostly of riparian (river bottom) and wetlands, with some sagebrush grasslands.  About 925 acres are farmed, under lease contracts, in which cereal grains for wildlife are planted on more than half the cropland.  Yellowtail has perhaps one of the largest cottonwood riparian systems in Wyoming and supports one of the richest concentrations of wildlife species in the state.
 
Yellowtail is probably most recognized for pheasant hunting.  Good numbers of white-tailed deer, mule deer, ducks, geese, cottontail rabbits, wild turkeys and mourning doves provide additional hunting opportunities.  Hunters should check regulations for season dates.
 
More than 160 species of birds can be observed.  The best place to see waterfowl and shore birds are the marshy areas south of U.S. Highway 14A.  Great blue herons and white pelicans are commonly seen during the summer.  Red-tailed hawks and an occasional trumpeter swan might also be seen.
 
The Yellowtail area is open all year and provides many forms of outdoor recreation.  More than 35 miles of roads and many trails provide access for whatever you want to do.  Fishing in Big Horn Lake might yield a walleye, trout, catfish, black crappie or perch. 
 
Spring is probably the best time to observe wildlife.  Birds are engaged in their breeding displays and insects are not yet meddlesome.

Use of tree stands and blinds are permitted 7 days prior to hunting seasons and must be removed within 7 days after season ends.
 
Camping is permitted in most areas. Camping limit is 14 days.
 
Yellowtail is open all year.

Questions

For questions about this Public Access Area, please contact:
Cody Regional Office

2820 State Highway 120
Cody, WY 82414
ph: (307) 527-7125
Visit our Region Page


Last Updated: 6/28/2019
*Some boundary areas are missing and will be updated as soon as possible.
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