HB0200 • 2023

Nonresident hunting licenses-application fees.

AN ACT relating to game and fish; modifying the provisions of elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear and wild bison hunting licenses issued to nonresident applicants; increasing nonresident license fees to hunt elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear and wild bison; and providing for an effective date.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Representative Northrup
Last action: 2023-03-02
Official status: enrolled
Effective date: 1/1/2024

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation had incorrect figures for antelope and wild bison license fees which were corrected based on the official source material.

Nonresident Hunting License Fees

This law increases hunting license fees for nonresidents who want to hunt elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear, and wild bison in Wyoming.

What This Bill Does

Increases the application fee for special pools of nonresident licenses for elk from $576.00 to $1,258.00.
Raises the application fee for deer from $288.00 to $826.00.
Boosts the antelope license application fee from $288.00 to $874.00.
Increases bighorn sheep hunting fees from $2,138.00 to $3,000.00.
Raises mountain goat hunting fees from $2,160.00 to $2,750.00.
Boosts moose hunting fees from $1,980.00 to $2,750.00.
Increases grizzly bear hunting fees from $6,000.00 to $7,500.00.
Raises wild bison hunting fees from $4,400.00 to $6,000.00.

Who It Names or Affects

Nonresident hunters who want to hunt elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear, and wild bison in Wyoming.
The state of Wyoming's wildlife management agency that issues hunting licenses.

Terms To Know

Nonresident: A person who does not live in the state where they are applying for a hunting license.
Special pools: A set of licenses reserved for nonresidents that are drawn before other available licenses.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not specify how the increased fees will be used.
It is unclear if there will be any exceptions or discounts for certain groups of hunters.

Bill History

2023-03-02 LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 137
2023-03-02 Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0073
2023-02-27 Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0073
2023-02-27 House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0073
2023-02-27 LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0073
2023-02-27 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 19-12-0-0-0
2023-02-24 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2023-02-23 Senate
S COW:Passed
2023-02-23 Senate
S Placed on General File
2023-02-23 Senate
S06 - Travel:Recommend Do Pass 4-1-0-0-0
2023-02-13 Senate
:Refer to S06 - Travel
2023-02-09 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture
2023-02-08 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2023-02-08 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 43-19-0-0-0
2023-02-07 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2023-02-06 House
H COW:Passed
2023-01-31 House
H Placed on General File
2023-01-31 House
H06 - Travel:Recommend Do Pass 7-2-0-0-0
2023-01-24 House
H Introduced and Referred to H06 - Travel
2023-01-24 House
H Received for Introduction
2023-01-21 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 23LSO-0660
Bill No.:

HB0200

Effective:

1/1/2024

LSO No.:

23LSO-0660

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0073

Chapter No.:

137

Prime Sponsor:

Northrup

Catch Title:

Nonresident hunting licenses-application fees.

Subject:

Increases the nonresident hunting special license fees for elk, deer and antelope and nonresident hunting license fees for the "big 5" animal species: bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear and wild bison.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act increases the fees that are required for an application for a special pool of forty percent (40%) of the nonresident hunting licenses for elk, deer and antelope. The application fee for these pools is in addition to the license fee and the licenses are drawn prior to the remaining available nonresident licenses. The additional application fees for these pools are increased as follows:
Nonresident elk from five hundred seventy-six dollars ($576.00) to one thousand two hundred fifty-eight dollars ($1,258.00).
Nonresident deer from two hundred eighty-eight dollars ($288.00) to eight hundred twenty-six dollars ($826.00).
Nonresident antelope from two hundred eighty-eight dollars ($288.00) to eight hundred seventy-four dollars ($874.00).

This act also increases the standard nonresident hunting license fees for the "big 5" animal species as follows:
Nonresident bighorn sheep from two thousand one hundred thirty-eight dollars ($2,138.00) to three thousand dollars ($3,000.00).
Nonresident mountain goat from two thousand one hundred sixty dollars ($2,160.00) to two thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($2,750.00).
Nonresident moose from one thousand nine hundred eighty dollars ($1,980.00) to two thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($2,750.00).
Nonresident grizzly bear from six thousand dollars ($6,000.00) to seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500.00).
Nonresident wild bison from four thousand four hundred dollars ($4,400.00) to six thousand dollars ($6,000.00).

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

23LSO-0660

ORIGINAL House

Bill No
.
HB0200

ENROLLED ACT NO. 73,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2023 General Session

AN ACT relating to game and fish; modifying the provisions of elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear and wild bison hunting licenses issued to nonresident applicants; increasing nonresident license fees to hunt elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, grizzly bear and wild bison; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 23
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2
‑
101(f)(i) through (iii), (j)(xxiii), (xxv), (xxvii) and (xxix) and 23
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2
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107(e) are

amended to read:

23
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2
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101.

Fees; restrictions; nonresident application fee; nonresident licenses; verification of residency required; donation of refunded application fees.

(f)

Forty percent (40%) of available nonresident elk licenses, forty percent (40%) of available nonresident deer licenses and forty percent (40%) of available nonresident antelope licenses for any one (1) calendar year shall as established by the commission, be offered to nonresident applicants upon receipt of the fee prescribed by this subsection.

Seventy
‑
five (75) of the nonresident deer licenses set aside pursuant to this subsection shall be used for a national bow hunt for deer. The licenses authorized by this subsection shall be offered by drawing to nonresident applicants prior to the drawing for the remaining nonresident licenses issued. The licenses offered under this subsection shall be issued in a manner prescribed by rules and regulations promulgated by the commission. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit any unsuccessful applicant for a nonresident license pursuant to this subsection from submitting an application for any licenses remaining after the drawing during the calendar year in which the application under this subsection was submitted. The following fees shall be collected by the department and are in addition to the nonresident license fee for the appropriate big game species imposed under subsection (j) of this section and the application fee imposed under subsection (e) of this section:

(i)

Nonresident elk license ......
$576.00

$1,258.00
in addition to the license fee imposed under paragraph (j)(xix) of this section;

(ii)

Nonresident deer license ....
$288.00

$826.00
in addition to the license fee imposed under paragraph (j)(xv) of this section;

(iii)

Nonresident antelope license .....
$288.00

$874.00
in addition to the license fee imposed under paragraph (j)(xxxi) of this section.

(j)

Subject to W.S. 23
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2
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101(f), 23
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1
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705(e) and the applicable fee under W.S. 23
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1
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701, the following hunting licenses and tags may be purchased for the fee indicated and subject to the limitations provided:

(xxiii)

Nonresident bighorn sheep license; one (1) bighorn sheep.......................
$2,318.00
$3,000.00

(xxv)

Nonresident mountain goat license; one (1) mountain goat...........................
$2,160.00
$2,750.00

(xxvii)

Nonresident moose license; one (1) moose...................................
$1,980.00
$2,750.00

(xxix)

Nonresident grizzly bear license; one (1) grizzly bear............................
$6,000.00
$7,500.00

23
‑
2
‑
107.

Wild bison licenses.

(e)

A resident applicant shall pay a license fee of four hundred twelve dollars ($412.00) for a license to harvest any wild bison or two hundred fifty
‑
eight dollars ($258.00) for a license to harvest a female or calf wild bison and shall pay the fee required by W.S. 23
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2
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101(e).

A nonresident applicant shall pay a license fee of
four thousand four hundred dollars ($4,400.00)
six thousand dollars ($6,000.00)
for a license to harvest any wild bison or two thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($2,750.00) for a license to harvest a female or calf wild bison and shall pay the fee required by W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
101(e). The fee charged under W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
701 shall be in addition to the fee imposed under this subsection.

Section 2.

This act is effective January 1, 2024.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

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