Trophy game animal-change to large carnivore game animal.

23LSO-0338
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0338
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0217

Trophy game animal-change to large carnivore game animal.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Newsome, Burkhart, Haroldson, Larson, JT, Winter and Wylie and Senator(s) Baldwin and Hicks

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to game and fish; replacing the term trophy game animal with large carnivore game animal; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 11
‑
6
‑
302(a)(iv), (ix)(B)(I), (x)(intro) and (B)(I), 23
‑
1
‑
101(a)(viii)(B)(I), (xii)(intro), (B)(I) and (II), 23
‑
1
‑
103, 23
‑
1
‑
302(a)(ii), (xxvi), (xxix) and (p), 23
‑
1
‑
304(a), (d)(i), (iv), (v) and (h), 23
‑
1
‑
703(a), (b) and (f)(i)(B), 23
‑
1
‑
705(k), 23
‑
1
‑
901(a) through (c), 23
‑
2
‑
101(d), (e) and (q), 23
‑
2
‑
102(a), 23
‑
2
‑
104(b) through (e), 23
‑
2
‑
109, 23
‑
2
‑
307(a), 23
‑
2
‑
401(a) and (b), 23
‑
2
‑
406(a)(iii), (iv)(intro), (A), (vii) and (viii), 23
‑
2
‑
407(a), 23
‑
3
‑
102(a), 23
‑
3
‑
103(b), 23
‑
3
‑
104, 23
‑
3
‑
106(a)(i), (b)(intro), (i) and (iii), 23
‑
3
‑
107(a) and (c), 23
‑
3
‑
109(a), 23
‑
3
‑
111(a), 23
‑
3
‑
112(c)(iii) and (iv), 23
‑
3
‑
113(a), 23
‑
3
‑
115(c), 23
‑
3
‑
303(a) and 23
‑
3
‑
310(b) are amended to read:

11
‑
6
‑
302.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article:

(iv)

"Depredating animal" means any
trophy
large carnivore
game animal or furbearing animal that causes damage;

(ix)

"Predatory animal" means:

(B)

Until the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
108, "predatory animal" includes wolves. After that date, "predatory animal" shall include any gray wolf within areas of the state where the state of Wyoming has jurisdiction for wildlife management, but not within an area of the state in which the gray wolf is:

(I)

Designated as a
trophy
large carnivore
game animal under W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
101(a)(xii)(B)(I) or (II).

(x)

"
Trophy
Large carnivore
game animal" means:

(B)

From and after the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
108:

(I)

"
Trophy
Large carnivore
game animal" shall include any gray wolf within those areas where gray wolves are designated as
trophy
large carnivore
game animals as provided in W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
101(a)(xii)(B)(I) or (II).

23
‑
1
‑
101.

Definitions of wildlife.

(a)

As used in this act:

(viii)

"Predatory animal" means:

(B)

Until the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
108, "predatory animal" includes wolves.

After that date, "predatory animal" shall include any gray wolf within areas of the state where the state of Wyoming has jurisdiction for wildlife management, but not within an area of the state in which the gray wolf is:

(I)

Designated as a
trophy
large carnivore
game animal under subdivision (xii)(B)(I) or (II) of this subsection.

(xii)

"
Trophy
Large carnivore
game animal" means:

(B)

From and after the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
108:

(I)

"
Trophy
Large carnivore
game animal" shall include any gray wolf within those tracts of land within the following described area: northwest Wyoming beginning at the junction of Wyoming Highway 120 and the Wyoming
‑
Montana state line; southerly along Wyoming Highway 120 to the Greybull River; southwesterly up said river to the Wood River; southwesterly up said river to the Shoshone National Forest boundary; southerly along said boundary to the Wind River Indian Reservation boundary; westerly, then southerly along said boundary to the Continental Divide; southeasterly along said divide to the Middle Fork of Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to the Bridger
‑
Teton National Forest boundary; northwesterly along said boundary to its intersection with U.S. Highway 189
‑
191; northwesterly along said highway to the intersection with U.S. Highway 26
‑
89
‑
191; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 22 in the town of Jackson; westerly along said highway to the Wyoming
‑
Idaho state line; north along said state line to the southern boundary of Yellowstone National Park; east and north along said boundary to the Wyoming
‑
Montana state line; then east along said state line to Wyoming Highway 120;

(II)

"
Trophy
Large carnivore
game animal" shall include any gray wolf located, from October 15 through the last day of February in the subsequent year, within the following described area:

beginning at the boundary described in subdivision (B)(I) of this paragraph, where the Bridger
‑
Teton National Forest boundary intersects U.S. Highway 189
‑
191 at Hoback Rim; westerly and then southerly along said forest boundary to its intersection with USFS Road 10125 (McDougal Gap Road); westerly along said road to USFS Road 10138 (Grey's River Road); southerly along said road to Sheep Creek; westerly down said creek to Grey's River; southwesterly up said river to Bear Creek; southwesterly up said creek to the hydrographic divide between Bear Creek and Willow Creek; west from said divide to USFS Road 10080 (Willow Creek Road); northwesterly along said road to Lincoln County Road 123; southerly along said road to USFS Road 10081 (Grover Park Road); southerly then westerly along said road to Lincoln County Road 172; westerly along said road to the junction with Wyoming Highway 237; westerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 238; southerly along said highway to Lincoln County Road 134; westerly along said road to the Wyoming
‑
Idaho state line; north along said state line to Wyoming Highway 22 where the boundary described in this subdivision will rejoin the boundary described in subdivision (B)(I) of this paragraph.

23
‑
1
‑
103.

Ownership of wildlife; purpose of provisions.

For the purpose of this act, all wildlife in Wyoming is the property of the state. It is the purpose of this act and the policy of the state to provide an adequate and flexible system for control, propagation, management, protection and regulation of all Wyoming wildlife. There shall be no private ownership of live animals classified in this act as big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals or of any wolf or wolf hybrid.

23
‑
1
‑
302.

Powers and duties.

(a)

The commission is directed and empowered:

(ii)

To establish zones and areas in which
trophy
large carnivore
game animals may be taken as game animals with a license or, with the exception of gray wolves, in the same manner as predatory animals without a license, giving proper regard to the livestock and game industries in those particular areas;

(xxvi)

To regulate or prohibit the importation of exotic species, small game animals, furbearing animals, protected animals, game birds, migratory birds, protected birds, and fish into Wyoming, and to regulate and permit the importation of big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals into Wyoming only for exhibition purposes or for zoos;

(xxix)

After the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
108, to set seasons and bag limits for gray wolves designated as
trophy
large carnivore
game animals pursuant to W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
101(a)(xii)(B)(I) and (II), and to regulate the number of gray wolves which may be taken under a license issued under this act or as necessary to carry out the commission's duties under this act;

(p)

The commission may, by rule and regulation, establish a process by which big game licenses,
trophy
large carnivore
game licenses and wild bison licenses may be issued by a competitive raffle and prescribe the manner of payment for which raffle chances are sold and the amount of payment for each raffle chance.

No more than two (2) licenses for each big game species and
trophy
large carnivore
game species and no more than two (2) wild bison licenses shall be issued under this subsection. Each license issued for bighorn sheep, moose, mountain goat, grizzly bear or wild bison through a competitive raffle shall, when applicable, be counted against any nonresident quota. The five (5) year restriction imposed on the receipt of a moose or bighorn sheep license by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
703(b) or the lifetime restriction imposed on the receipt of a grizzly bear, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, wild bison or moose license by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
703(c), and any restriction imposed on the receipt of a wild bison license by W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
107 shall not be applicable in any manner to a license issued pursuant to this subsection.

The commission shall issue licenses upon receipt of the proper license fee by the successful competitive raffle winner. Nothing in this subsection shall authorize the issuance of a license to any person whose privilege to procure, purchase or possess a license has been suspended pursuant to this act or by operation of law.

23
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1
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304.

Classification of gray wolves.

(a)

The commission shall by rule and regulation set seasons and bag limits within those areas where gray wolves are designated as
trophy
large carnivore
game animals pursuant to W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
101(a)(xii)(B)(I) and (II).

The seasons and bag limits shall be set annually in a manner the commission determines, through rule and regulation, as necessary to reasonably ensure at least ten (10) breeding pairs of gray wolves and a total of at least one hundred (100) individual gray wolves are located in this state outside of Yellowstone National Park and the Wind River Indian Reservation at the end of the current calendar year.

(d)

The department shall institute and maintain an active program of population monitoring statewide subject to the following:

(i)

Population monitoring shall include techniques that accurately determine the population and movement of gray wolves in areas of the state where gray wolves are designated as
trophy
large carnivore
game animals;

(iv)

In areas of the state where gray wolves are designated as
trophy
large carnivore
game animals, any person who takes a wolf shall notify the department of the take and where the take occurred within a time period set by rule and regulation, which shall not exceed seventy
‑
two (72) hours;

(v)

In areas of the state where gray wolves are designated as
trophy
large carnivore
game animals, any person who takes a wolf shall submit the wolf or parts thereof, as defined by rule and regulation, to the department for inspection within a time period established by rule and regulation which will not exceed ten (10) days;

(h)

Within forty
‑
eight (48) hours of receiving notification from a landowner or his designee that any gray wolf in those areas of the state where gray wolves are designated as
trophy
large carnivore
game animals has harassed, injured, maimed or killed livestock or any domesticated animal, the department shall respond and initiate appropriate management actions.

The department may use the management techniques authorized under subsection (g) of this section or any other management methods necessary, to minimize the harassing, injuring, maiming or killing of livestock and other domesticated animals in those areas of the state where gray wolves are designated as
trophy
large carnivore
game animals.

23
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1
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703.

Limitation of number of certain licenses; reservation of certain licenses; reservation of certain unused licenses.

(a)

The commission may limit the number of resident or nonresident big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal licenses or wild bison licenses to be sold in any calendar year and may designate dates after which one (1) or more classes of licenses will not be sold except as authorized by the commission.

(b)

Subject to subsection (c) of this section, no person may apply for and receive more than one (1) cow or calf moose or one (1) ewe or lamb bighorn sheep license in any consecutive five (5) year period. Licenses issued under this subsection shall be issued partially through a preference point drawing and partially through a random drawing of all remaining unsuccessful applicants for that year.

The department shall assign points to each license applicant for a specific species by multiplying the number of years the applicant has unsuccessfully applied for a license times one (1). The calculation used to assign points to an applicant for a particular species under this subsection shall include any year the applicant does not apply for a big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal hunting license for that species, provided in the case of a resident the applicant pays the fee specified in W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
101(k), and in the case of a nonresident, the applicant pays the appropriate fee established by the commission under W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
101(m). License applicants within each hunt area for a species shall be grouped according to the number of assigned points for that species. Not less than seventy
‑
five percent (75%) of available licenses within any hunt area shall be randomly selected through a preference point drawing from among the group of applicants with the largest number of assigned points and shall continue until all applicants within that group have been exhausted or until all available licenses have been issued, whichever first occurs. If any applicant grouping has been exhausted and licenses remain available within that hunt area, selection shall continue from among the group of applicants with the next largest number of assigned points. After the selections through the preference point drawing have been completed within a hunt area, the remaining licenses available from that drawing and the licenses available for the random drawing for that hunt area will be issued through a random selection from among all applicants in the hunt area who were not selected for issuance of a license for the species through the preference point drawing in that hunt area. For purposes of assigning points under this subsection, any unsuccessful license applicant failing to apply for a license, or pay the applicable fee in lieu of applying, during the second calendar year shall be considered to be a first year applicant for any subsequent calendar year in which the applicant submits license application for that particular species.

(f)

Notwithstanding W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
704, 23
‑
2
‑
101(j) and 23
‑
2
‑
107(e), any person who is issued and purchases a license listed in paragraph (i) of this subsection, but who does not use the license, may reserve a license for the particular species and sex of animal designated on the unused license for use during the immediately succeeding hunting season by applying to the commission in accordance with commission rules as provided in this subsection. Upon receipt of an application that establishes the conditions listed in paragraphs (i) through (iv) of this subsection, the commission shall cancel the initial license and prior to the subsequent season opening date for the designated species and sex of animal, issue to the applicant at an administrative cost of ten dollars ($10.00), a license for the designated animal valid for that season. A person may apply for and reserve a license under this subsection only if all the following conditions exist:

(i)

The license is one (1) of the following:

(B)

A
trophy
large carnivore
game animal license;

23
‑
1
‑
705.

Complimentary licenses; pioneer licenses; antelope hunt licenses; gunpowder and buckskin hunt licenses; gratuitous licenses; donated licenses.

(k)

The holder of any valid big game animal license,
trophy
large carnivore
game animal license, any wild bison license or a female or calf wild bison license may surrender said license to the department for reissuance to a veteran with disabilities or a person with a permanent disability who uses a wheelchair as established by commission rule and regulation selected and sponsored by a nonprofit charitable organization providing hunting opportunities to a veteran with disabilities or a person with a permanent disability who uses a wheelchair.

Any license reissued in accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall be for the same species, area and license type as the license donated.

The license shall be reissued by the department to a qualifying person at no fee.

Any license donated and reissued under the provisions of this subsection shall not be sold, traded, auctioned or offered for any monetary value and shall not be issued to, or used by, any person other than a qualifying person under the provision of this section and in compliance with commission rule and regulation.

Licenses reissued to persons pursuant to this subsection shall not be subject to residency, drawing or fee requirements under W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
101 or 23
‑
2
‑
107. The five (5) year restriction imposed on the receipt of a cow or calf moose or a ewe or lamb bighorn sheep license by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
703(b), the lifetime restriction imposed on the receipt of a grizzly bear, mountain goat, ram or any bighorn sheep, any wild bison or any moose or antlered moose license by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
703(c) or the restrictions imposed on a wild bison under W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
107(f) shall not be applicable in any manner to a license issued pursuant to this subsection.

23
‑
1
‑
901.

Owner of damaged property to report damage; claims for damages; time for filing; determination; appeal; arbitration.

(a)

Any landowner, lessee or agent whose property is being damaged by any of the big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals or game birds of this state shall, not later than fifteen (15) days after the damage is discovered by the owner of the property or the representative of the owner, report the damage to the nearest game warden, damage control warden, supervisor or commission member.

(b)

Any landowner, lessee or agent claiming damages from the state for injury or destruction of property by big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals or game birds of this state shall present a verified claim for the damages to the Wyoming game and fish department not later than sixty (60) days after the damage or last item of damage is discovered.

The claim shall specify the damage and amount claimed.

As used in this subsection, "verified claim" means a claim which the claimant has signed and sworn to be accurate before a person authorized to administer oaths.

(c)

The department shall consider the claims based upon a description of the livestock or bees damaged or killed by a
trophy
large carnivore
game animal, the damaged land, growing cultivated crops, stored crops including honey and hives, seed crops, improvements and extraordinary damage to grass. The commission is authorized to establish by rule, methods, factors and formulas to be used for determining the amount to compensate any landowner, lessee or agent for livestock damaged as a result of, missing as a result of, or killed by
trophy
large carnivore
game animals. Claims shall be investigated by the department and rejected or allowed within ninety (90) days after submission, and paid in the amount determined to be due. In the event the department fails to act within ninety (90) days, the claim, including interest based on local bank preferred rates, shall be deemed to have been allowed.

No award shall be allowed to any landowner who has not permitted hunting on his property during authorized hunting seasons. Any person failing to comply with any provision of this section is barred from making any claim against the department for damages. Any claimant aggrieved by the decision of the department may appeal to the commission within thirty (30) days after receipt of the decision of the department as provided by rules of practice and procedure promulgated by the commission. The commission shall review the department decision at its next meeting following receipt of notice of request for review. The commission shall review the investigative report of the department, and it may approve, modify or reverse the decision of the department.

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.

(d)

The commission may issue big or
trophy
large carnivore
game licenses in areas in which all licenses initially authorized were not purchased or in which additional harvest is desired, allowing a licensee to take a big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal of such sex or age as designated by the commission.

The fee for the license may be reduced by the commission to the level necessary to achieve the desired management objectives, but in no case shall a resident or nonresident license fee be less than the landowner's coupon fee.

(e)

Resident and nonresident license applicants shall pay an application fee in an amount specified by this subsection upon submission of an application for purchase of any limited quota drawing for big or
trophy
large carnivore
game license or wild bison license.

The resident application fee shall be five dollars ($5.00) and the nonresident application fee shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00).

The application fee is in addition to the fees prescribed by subsections (f) and (j) of this section and by W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
107 and shall be payable to the department either directly or through an authorized selling agent of the department. At the beginning of each month, the commission shall set aside all of the fees collected during calendar year 1980 and not to exceed twenty
‑
five percent (25%) of the fees collected thereafter pursuant to this subsection to establish and maintain a working balance of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00), to compensate owners or lessees of property damaged by game animals and game birds.

(q)

In addition to other fees under this section, persons applying for a license or tag under this section may pay a voluntary fee of two dollars ($2.00) or any greater amount to fund predator control activities in the state. The department shall provide information on the license or tag application form that the applicant may pay the fee under this subsection. Any voluntary fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited in a separate account within the game and fish fund and shall only be expended as determined by the commission for management and control of predator populations and depredating animals. The commission may consider projects that mitigate damage caused to livestock, wildlife and crops by predatory animals, predacious birds and depredating animals or for the protection of human health and safety and may also use these funds for the purposes specified in W.S. 11
‑
6
‑
307 and 23
‑
1
‑
901. As used in this subsection, "depredating animal" means any
trophy
large carnivore
game animal or furbearing animal that causes damage.

23
‑
2
‑
102.

Age restrictions; game animals; game birds.

(a)

The minimum age to take any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal is twelve (12) years, except that any person may take a big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal at eleven (11) years of age if the person will attain twelve (12) years of age by the end of that calendar year. Any person authorized by this subsection under the age of fourteen (14) years shall at all times when hunting be accompanied by a person over the age of majority who possesses and can exhibit a certificate of competency and safety as specified in W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
106 or who currently holds, or has been issued a Wyoming big game hunting license within the last five (5) years. If the person accompanying the hunter under the age of fourteen (14) years is not the parent or guardian of the hunter, the hunter shall have in his possession a permission slip signed by his parent or guardian allowing him to hunt under supervision. Each accompanying adult shall supervise not more than one (1) hunter under the age of fourteen (14) years.

Any person under the age of fourteen (14) years applying for a license to hunt big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals under this subsection shall have the application for the license co
‑
signed by his parent or legal guardian.

23
‑
2
‑
104.

Archery licenses; special seasons; prohibition against firearms; equipment.

(b)

The commission may establish special hunting seasons for the taking of big game or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals by bow and arrow or crossbow in such areas as it may establish by order.

(c)

No person shall hunt big game or
trophy
large carnivore
game with bow and arrow or crossbow during a special archery hunting season without first obtaining an archery license and the appropriate hunting license.

(d)

No person holding an archery license shall take big game or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals during a special archery hunting season or during a limited quota archery only hunting season by the use of any type of firearm.

Any person who takes a big game or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal by the use of a firearm during a special archery hunting season or during a limited quota archery only hunting season is guilty of a high misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23
‑
6
‑
202(a)(ii).

Upon request by a game warden or other Wyoming law enforcement officer, a person who has taken a big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal during a special archery hunting season or during a limited quota archery only hunting season shall allow testing of the animal's tissue for confirmation of compliance with this section.

(e)

The commission shall establish by rule and regulation specifications for crossbows, longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, arrows and broadheads for taking of big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals.

The rules and regulations promulgated under the provisions of this subsection relating to the hunting of big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals shall also apply to the hunting of the gray wolf as a
trophy
large carnivore
game animal from and after the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
108.

23
‑
2
‑
109.

Multiple applications for limited licenses prohibited; penalty.

Except as otherwise authorized by law or rule of the commission, no person shall submit more than one (1) application for a license for the same big or
trophy
large carnivore
game species or for wild turkey, if the issuance of the license has been limited by the commission. A violation of this subsection shall be punishable as a high misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23
‑
6
‑
202(a)(ii), by the loss of all points then assigned to the person pursuant to W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
703(b) or (g), and disqualification in the year of submission for any license for the species for which the multiple applications were submitted.

23
‑
2
‑
307.

Special management permit.

(a)

The commission may by rule and regulation define those special management programs which require additional expenditures for the propagation, stocking or feeding of wildlife, for designated
trophy
large carnivore
management areas and for hunting and fishing field development. Any person participating in a special management program shall be required to purchase a special management permit for the program.

23
‑
2
‑
401.

Guides required; exceptions; issuance of resident guide license.

(a)

No nonresident shall hunt big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals on any designated wilderness area, as defined by federal or state law, in this state unless accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide. There shall be at least one (1) licensed professional guide or resident guide accompanying each two (2) nonresident hunters. The commission may also specify other areas of the state, or specific big or
trophy
large carnivore
game species, for which a licensed professional or resident guide is required for nonresidents, for purposes of proper game management, protection of hunter welfare and safety
,
or better enforcement of game and fish laws. The commission may allow licensed guides to accompany more than two (2) hunters but no more than six (6) hunters in specific areas.

(b)

Any resident possessing a valid resident big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal license may apply for and receive a resident guide license. The resident guide license shall be issued without charge or bond by the commission, any district supervisor or resident game warden upon receipt of an affidavit from the resident stating the names and addresses of the nonresident hunters to be guided, the game to be hunted, the area to be hunted, and that the resident has not received nor will accept directly or indirectly any compensation for his services as a guide. A resident guide shall not guide more than two (2) nonresident hunters in any calendar year on any national forest, wilderness area, national game refuge
,
or national park, except as provided in W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
401, nor shall he accept any compensation or gratuity for his services. An exchange of guide services shall not be considered compensation for the purposes of this section. The name and license number of the nonresident hunter shall be placed on the back of the resident guide license and stamped or signed by the issuer.

23
‑
2
‑
406.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this act:

(iii)

"Guide services" means for hire or remuneration, accompanying and providing assistance to a hunter in the field relating to the taking of any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal except as provided in W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
401(b) and (c);

(iv)

"Outfitter" means a person including a hunting club, who advertises or holds himself out to the public for hire for the purpose of financial gain in order to provide guide or packing services for the purpose of taking any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal, excluding any person who furnishes pack or riding animals and other equipment only to a hunter for his personal temporary use and any landowner providing outfitter services on private lands owned or leased by him.

As used in this paragraph:

(A)

"Hunting club" means any person requiring dues or remuneration for providing personal services in the field for the taking of any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal;

(vii)

"Packing services" means transporting for hire or remuneration, hunters, game animals or equipment in the field for the purpose of taking any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal;

(viii)

"Take" means hunt, catch, capture, shoot, trap, kill or possess or attempt to hunt, catch, capture, shoot, trap, kill or possess any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal;

23
‑
2
‑
407.

License required for outfitters and professional guides.

(a)

No person shall hold himself out as, engage in the business of or act in the capacity of an outfitter or shall provide guide services or packing services for the purpose of taking any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal unless he is licensed as an outfitter or professional guide pursuant to this act.

23
‑
3
‑
102.

Taking certain game animals without license or during a closed season prohibited.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, any person who takes any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal or gray wolf where classified as a
trophy
large carnivore
game animal without the proper license or authority is guilty of a high misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23
‑
6
‑
202(a)(ii). The taking of each animal is a separate offense.

23
‑
3
‑
103.

Taking predatory animals, predacious birds and large carnivore animals; taking furbearing animals and game birds without license prohibited.

(b)

In areas designated by the commission under W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
302(a)(ii), specified
trophy
large carnivore
game animals may be taken in the same manner as predatory animals without a license.

23
‑
3
‑
104.

Coupons.

When any big game animal,
trophy
large carnivore
game animal or turkey is killed under a license, the licensee shall detach, sign and date the proper coupon and attach the coupon to the carcass before leaving the site of the kill. The coupon shall remain on the game animal or turkey carcass at all times until the meat undergoes processing, or on the
trophy
large carnivore
game animal hide until it reaches the hunter's home or a taxidermist, except that during transportation of the carcass or hide the coupon may be removed to prevent its loss. If the coupon is removed for transportation of the carcass or hide it must be in the possession of the person accompanying the carcass or hide at all times.

23
‑
3
‑
106.

Wyoming game and Wyoming interstate game tags; when required.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section and W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
302(e), no person shall ship, transport, or receive for shipment or transportation within Wyoming, any game animal, game bird
,
or any part thereof, unless tagged with a Wyoming game tag or Wyoming interstate game tag, or unless:

(i)

The transportation is by a person accompanying the carcass of a big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal who is in possession of a proper coupon;

(b)

Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section and W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
302(e), no big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal, or any part thereof, shall be shipped or transported from the state unless accompanied by the licensee who harvested the animal, in possession of a proper coupon, or unless:

(i)

The amount does not exceed twenty
‑
five (25) pounds and is properly tagged with a Wyoming interstate game tag. Only twenty
‑
five (25) pounds from any one (1) big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal may be exported from the state except as otherwise provided;

(iii)

The big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal was legally harvested by a nonresident and is tagged with a Wyoming interstate tag.

23
‑
3
‑
107.

Wanton destruction of big game animal; reward.

(a)

No person shall wantonly take or destroy any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal.

(c)

The purpose and intent of this section is to protect big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals from wanton, ruthless or needless destruction.

23
‑
3
‑
109.

Use of dogs; dogs injuring big or large carnivore game animals may be killed; citation of owners of dogs harassing game animals; penalties; leashed dogs for tracking.

(a)

No person shall use any dog to hunt, run or harass any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal, protected animal or furbearing animal except as otherwise provided by this act. The commission shall regulate the use of dogs to take mountain lions and bobcats by residents and nonresidents during hunting or trapping seasons.

23
‑
3
‑
111.

Firearms; size of guns to be used in hunting big or large carnivore game animals.

(a)

The commission shall establish by rule and regulation firearm and ammunition specifications for taking big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animals.

23
‑
3
‑
112.

Firearms; automatic weapon prohibited; use of silencer or suppressor to take big or large carnivore game restricted; penalties.

(c)

No person shall use a device designed to silence or muffle the report of any firearm in the commission of:

(iii)

A violation of W.S. 23
‑
3
‑
305(b) which results in the taking of a big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal; or

(iv)

Taking of a big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal out of season.

23
‑
3
‑
113.

Hunters required to wear colored clothing.

(a)

No person other than archers and crossbow hunters hunting during a special archery season shall hunt any big or
trophy
large carnivore
game animal in Wyoming without wearing in a visible manner one (1) or more exterior garments which shall include a hat, shirt, jacket, coat, vest
,
or sweater of a fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink color.

23
‑
3
‑
115.

Taking black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf, bobcat, weasel, badger, squirrels or muskrat for damaging property.

(c)

The provisions of subsection (a) of this section relating to the taking of animals doing damage to private property shall apply to gray wolves from and after the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
108.

For purposes of this section as it applies to gray wolves, "doing damage to private property" means actual biting, wounding, grasping or killing of livestock or a dog, or chasing, molesting or harassing of livestock or a dog by a wolf that would indicate to a reasonable person that actual biting, wounding, grasping or killing of the livestock or dog is likely to occur at any moment.

The owner, employee or lessee acting under authority of this section shall notify the department of the killing of a gray wolf within an area of the state in which the gray wolf is designated as a
trophy
large carnivore
game animal.

The notification shall be made within seventy
‑
two (72) hours of the kill.

23
‑
3
‑
303.

Waste of edible portion of game bird, fish or animal, except large carnivore game animal, prohibited; abandonment of meat at meat processing plant.

(a)

No person shall take and leave, abandon or allow any game bird, game fish
,
or game animal except
trophy
large carnivore
game animal, or edible portion, to intentionally or needlessly go to waste.

No person shall knowingly possess any parts of a big game animal wasted as provided in this subsection.

23
‑
3
‑
310.

Possession of road killed wildlife.

(b)

None of the provisions of this section shall apply to bighorn sheep, gray wolves within any area of the state where gray wolves are classified as
trophy
large carnivore
game animals, grizzly bears, mountain goats, wildlife species covered under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, federal threatened or endangered species or those species whose possession is prohibited by federal or state statute or regulation.

Section 2.

The game and fish commission shall promulgate all rules necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

Section 3.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective January 1, 2024
.

(b)

Sections 2 and 3 of this act are effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

1
HB0217