EVANSTON — The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission heard proposals from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department on several regulation changes and updates during the first day of its September meeting Monday in Evanston. 

Game and Fish Interim Director Eric Wiltanger highlighted the department’s discussions with  the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Interim Committee last week and provided a more realistic glance of the department's current financial situation. “Our responsibility is to understand the financial trajectory, identify the challenges ahead and work together on solutions before those challenges become a crisis,” Wiltanger said 

Game and Fish Interim Deputy Director Dan Smith provided comments about the 2026 wolf season. “Wolf hunt areas 1 and 2 closed on Saturday after reaching the mortality limit of four wolves. None of the wolves taken were from the wolf packs that were previously assigned to Yellowstone National Park.” Smith said. 

Smith also highlighted the work of field personnel going into the hunting season, and employees who recently retired from  the department:

• Gary Fralick, Jackson Region wildlife biologist, 39 years.
• served in the Jackson Region for 39 years as a wildlife biologist.
• Dean Clause, Pinedale Region wildlife biologist, 35 years.
• Debbie Wheat, Laramie Region office manager, 37 years, 37 years.
• Dean Follet, superintendent of the Clarks Fork Fish Hatchery, 37 years. 
• Brian Olsen, Casper Region wildlife supervisor, 38 years.
• Dirk Miller, Chief of the Fiscal Division,  38 years.with the department.
• Hilda Sexaur, Pinedale Region fisheries supervisor, 30 years.
• Mark Nelson, Chief of Planning and Special Projects, 35 years.
• Sheila Deinhart, Green River Region office manager, 26 years. 

Game and Fish Deputy Director Jeff Davis highlighted the work of Gov. Mark Gordon in signing the Sage-Grouse Executive Order. “Gov. Gordon leads the way when it comes to wildlife conservation, and his signing of the sage-grouse executive order is just another example of that leadership.” Davis said.

The Commission approved changes to four big game herd unit management objectives. Justin Binfet, Game and Fish Deputy Chief of Wildlife, gave a presentation on the need to reduce the objective population of the Greybull River, Shoshone River and Sheep Mountain Mule Deer Herds, and the Black Hills Elk Herd. Based on the current population trends of mule deer herds, agricultural damage and chronic wasting disease prevalence, the Commission voted to reduce population objectives in the three mule deer herds. The Commission also voted to move the Black Hills Elk Herd from a landowner and hunter satisfaction objective to a postseason population objective. 

Dr. Jacob Hochard, Knobloch Associate Professor of Conservation Economics at the University of Wyoming, presented on the long-term, economic value of Wyoming’s deer, elk, and pronghorn. Hochard and his team have worked to define an economic value to the wildlife on Wyoming’s  landscape, and estimated the long-term, net value of these species at nearly $6 billion. The value is determined by costs such as management and vehicle collisions, and benefits such as licenses and fees, meat harvest and hunter expenditures. Hochard and his team will present this research at the 23rd annual National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Sportsman-Legislator Summit in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Dec. 1-4.

The Commission approved $31,000 from Wildlife Conservation License Plates to extend the Trapper’s Point fence project near Pinedale. Expanding fencing along U.S. Highway 191 includes adding 0.7 miles of 8-feet-high fencing along both sides of the highway. This addition will reduce opportunities  for wildlife to enter the highway right-of-way.

The meeting concludes Tuesday  in Evanston. More information regarding Monday’s meeting can be found on the Game and Fish website Commissioners page. The public can join the meeting tomorrow virtually on Zoom.

-WGFD-