CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department celebrated a year of exceptional conservation success in 2025. Standout achievements included advancements in wildlife management and several key agency milestones that strengthened our mission to protect Wyoming’s wildlife and their habitats.

“Each year has its own unique set of challenges and successes, and 2025 was no different,” said Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce. “The work we accomplished built a solid foundation for 2026, and we will leverage that progress to accelerate our long-term vision for our ongoing mission to conserve and protect Wyoming’s wildlife.”

Here are a few of the major highlights from 2025:

Wins for wildlife

One of the standout achievements for the department in 2025 was the significant advancement of the Sublette Antelope Migration Corridor toward formal designation. Identified under the governor’s Migration Corridor Executive Order, the designation identifies migration routes connecting vital seasonal ranges across western Wyoming.

The 60-day public input phase that began in March included extensive meetings and comments, allowing the department to gather perspectives from key stakeholders. This feedback, coupled with more than 20 years of GPS data, helped form the final recommendations brought to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission in September. Ultimately, Gov. Gordon moved the process into its final phase in December, This marks the first time a pronghorn migration has been brought through the state’s rigorous review process, representing a historic win for Wyoming residents and the future of the state's wildlife.

In November, the Game and Fish Commissioners approved the final draft of the Statewide Habitat Plan for 2026-2030. This plan serves as a unified roadmap for Game and Fish habitat protection and enhancement efforts. The current plan is the fifth since SHP was initiated in 2001. It works to address conservation of terrestrial and aquatic habitat, along with migration paths and habitat conservation and restoration. The latest revision emphasizes a systematic approach to prioritizing areas that have high conservation values and areas Game and Fish plans to restore, as well as priority areas for fish and wildlife migrations. There are 25 strategies and 93 specific actions that will be implemented through SHP across the department. 

Justice for Wyoming’s wildlife

Game and Fish saw the culmination of several multi-year investigations, which sent a clear message that poaching will not be tolerated. Significant cases solved this year included:

• An eight-year investigation in the Green River Region into a systematic poaching ring resulted in more than $40,000 in fines and a 20-year hunting ban for the lead offender, who used fraudulent residency to illegally harvest elk, deer and pronghorn.
• A district court upheld an 18-year suspension of hunting privileges for a high-profile poacher involved in the illegal taking of trophy-class mule deer and elk. The case was handled by Jackson Region game wardens.

Out on the water

It was another notable year for tiger trout fishing in the state. Kemmerer resident Shelby Holder set the new record on June 6 with a 14-pound, 15.2-ounce fish caught in the Hams Fork River near Kemmerer. The area is known for record-setting trout, and is a popular location for anglers.

For youth anglers, twelve-year-old Tucker Bass of Shoshoni set a junior line-class world record with a 2-pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass catch at Lake Cameahwait. 

Anglers continue to take advantage of Wyoming fishing opportunities statewide. The Wyoming Cutt-Slam program saw record-breaking participation, with 210 anglers catching the state’s four native subspecies of cutthroat trout.

For habitat preservation of the state’s waterways, Wyoming faced an increased risk from aquatic invasive species as surrounding states continue to discover new infestations. The state still remains free of invasive mussels. Over the inspection season, staff inspected more than 76,000 boats to protect the state’s waters from invasive aquatic plants and animals. Of those inspections, more than 6,000 were considered high-risk — the highest number since the AIS program was established in 2010 by the Wyoming Legislature. 

Leadership on the national and state stage

Former Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik made headlines when he was nominated by President Trump in February to be the 19th Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. His nomination and appointment underscored Wyoming’s leadership in state-led conservation and large carnivore management.

Strengthening conservation partnerships

The department partnered with Governor Mark Gordon to host the second annual Wyoming Sportsperson’s Conservation Forum in Dubois in May. The event featured key speakers from various non-profit organizations, stakeholder groups and other agencies, providing an opportunity for productive dialogue and discussion on some of the key issues facing outdoor recreation and wildlife management in Wyoming.

In September 2025, as part of an ongoing state agency partnership, the Wyoming Department of Transportation and Game and Fish held a groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on the U.S. Highway 189 Kemmerer South Wildlife Crossing Project. The event marked a major milestone for public safety and wildlife conservation. This project is a $33 million investment designed to protect the Wyoming Range and Uinta deer herds, as well as the Carter Lease pronghorn herd, by constructing seven underpasses and one overpass along a 30-mile stretch of highway. It is slated for completion in October 2027.

Honoring conservation icons and partners

The Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame added three figures to its ranks in 2025: strategist Doug Crowe, habitat biologist Steve Kilpatrick and outdoor writer Jim Zumbo. Additionally, Cheyenne East High School senior Colton Schick was recognized as the Youth Conservationist of the Year, representing the next generation of Wyoming’s outdoor stewards.

Game and Fish recognized its landowner partners this year through the annual Landowner of the Year Awards. Each year, Game and Fish personnel nominate landowners who have demonstrated exceptional stewardship for wildlife habitat and support on their land. Four families — the Grants, the Chants, the Curtises and the Falxas — were honored for their stewardship and for providing critical access and winter range for the state’s big game herds.

Throughout the state, the department works with industries that are developing in and around key wildlife areas. By providing assessments and recommendations, Game and Fish is able to work with industry partners to develop sustainable methods that help maintain conservation while developing key industries in Wyoming. Each year, the department recognizes a standout industry that has gone above and beyond to adhere to sustainable practices in their field. Awards are given for the prior year, and in July, it was announced that the Powder River Energy Corporation - PRECorp, was the recipient of the 2024 Industry Wildlife Stewardship Award.

For more information on the year’s highlights and upcoming 2026 initiatives, visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website.

—WGFD—