Wildfire Impacts in Wyoming
Impacts to hunters
- If you had planned a hunt through an outfitter, please contact them to find out the current situation of your hunt.
- If you have arranged to hunt private lands, you are encouraged to contact the landowner directly. However, please be mindful that there are active fires in some areas that have not yet been contained, so exercise patience and discretion when reaching out to private landowners.
- If you plan to hunt public land, you are encouraged to contact local Game and Fish personnel to inquire about hunting opportunities.
Resources
Hunters and the public can use the following resources to monitor current fire updates.
Wyoming State Forestry
Access maps, management reports and additional wildfire resources published by Wyoming State Forestry.
National Interagency Fire Center
Access maps, management reports and additional wildfire information from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Road closures and advisories
Check road conditions and closures in the WYDOT 511 app or their website, linked below.
Fire bans on Game and Fish land
With the dry conditions, Game and Fish is banning open fires on many Commission-owned and administered lands.
License refunds and reservations
License reservations or refunds are available if a hunter’s opportunity is lost for the year and the department determines licenses cannot be used for a good cause due to a natural disaster, such as a wildfire. Commission regulation (Chapter 44 sec. 21) allows a full-price, limited quota license holder to request a license reservation for the same species, hunt area and license type for the following hunting season (types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9). Commission regulation (Chapter 44 sec. 24) allows a limited quota license holder to request a license refund.
If it is determined that a hunter has lost their hunting opportunity/location due to a fire, they can request a license reservation or refund by completing the appropriate forms linked here and returning them to the address found on the forms. If a hunter requires clarification or assistance, they may contact the Department’s license section in Cheyenne by calling 307-777-4600.
- Reduced price licenses (type 6, 7 and 8) are not eligible for reservation but are eligible for refund in some areas.
- Accumulated preference points will be reinstated if a refund is granted to nonresident hunters. Anyone who receives a refund will be eligible to purchase a preference point for 2024.
- Chapter 44 does not allow for resident general deer or elk licenses to be refunded or reserved for the next year.
- Nonresident regional deer and elk licenses are eligible for a reservation or refund.
- Any hunter who has hunted on a license cannot receive a refund or reservation, regardless of whether or not they harvested an animal.
Game and Fish wildlife managers are monitoring multiple other wildfires in Wyoming. Depending on fire behavior and movement, there may be further impacts to habitat, wildlife and hunting opportunities. Game and Fish will contact potentially impacted hunters in coming days if warranted.
The Elk Fire has been burning in the northeast portion of the Bighorn National Forest since its discovery on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. The fire is burning in or has impacted public access to elk areas 37 and 38 and deer areas 24 and 25.
The U.S. Forest Service has issued a closure order for a portion of the Bighorn National Forest. Updates to the closure order can be found on the forest website under the Tongue Ranger District or on the Bighorn National Forest Facebook page.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has reopened the Amsden Creek and Kerns wildlife habitat management areas in northern Sheridan County. The properties had been closed to public access due to impacts from the Elk Fire.
The Amsden Creek and Kerns WHMAs will be open to non-motorized use only. No camping will be allowed. The areas will also adhere to their annual seasonal closure dates that have been in place for decades to protect wintering wildlife from disturbance:
Amsden Creek WHMA
Nov. 16, 2024 to May 14, 2025 - closed to human presence
Kerns WHMA
Nov. 16, 2024 to May 31, 2025 - closed to human presence
Members of the public are cautioned that road and fence repairs, fireline rehabilitation and other post-fire activities will be taking place on these properties in the coming weeks. Significant portions of the properties were burned and users are also cautioned that there is the potential for falling trees, loose rocks and debris and other safety concerns.
The Tongue River Canyon Public Access Area will remain CLOSED at this time.
Other properties outside the fire perimeter have also reopened.
The Story Fish Hatchery is again open to the public.
The Penrose Public Access Area, accessed via Game and Fish property near Story, is reopened to public access.
Sheridan County Walk in Area #12 is reopened for public hunting. This area is privately-owned property, so hunters are asked to respect the land and the landowner and adhere to all rules and regulations for the area.
The Bighorn National Forest still has a public access closure in place for several trails and a portion of the forest south of Highway 14. Forest users can visit the Bighorn National Forest website or Facebook page for current updates. Additionally, county road closures implemented by the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office can be found on the Sheridan County Emergency Management Department website.
Hunters can call the Sheridan Regional Office at (307) 672-7418 for updated information.
Sheridan Region personnel are monitoring the situation and further updates will be provided as necessary.
House Draw Fire Info
The suspected lightning-caused House Draw fire was initially reported southeast of Buffalo. It is over 170,000 acres in size and uncontained as of Aug. 23. The burned area is located within Elk Hunt Area 129, Antelope Hunt Areas 16 and 22, and Deer Hunt Areas 26 and 29.
Flat Rock and Constitution Fire Info
The Flat Rock and Constitution fires are burning near Gillette, north of Interstate 90. As of Aug. 23, the Flat Rock Fire is over 41,000 acres in size (west of Gillette) and the Constitution Fire (north of Gillette) is over 19,000 acres in size. The fires are at various levels of containment.