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25LSO-0058
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0058
ENGROSSED
3.0
SENATE FILE NO. SF0002
Hunting licenses-weighted bonus points system.
Sponsored by: Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Interim Committee
A BILL
for
AN ACT relating to game and fish; establishing a weighted bonus points program for ram bighorn sheep and antlered moose hunting license random draws; removing the preference point drawing for ram bighorn sheep and antlered moose; providing for the calculation of weighted bonus points; making conforming amendments; repealing a provision; specifying applicability; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1.
W.S. 23-1-107(a), (b)(intro), (ii), (h)(intro), (iii) and (j), 23
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302(p), 23
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703(c), (g), (h) and by creating a new subsection (j), 23
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705(a) and (k), 23
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101(g), (k) and (m) and 23
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109 are amended to read:
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107.
Residency for obtaining game and fish licenses.
(a)
Except as otherwise provided in this section, to qualify for any resident game and fish license,
bonus point,
preference point, permit or tag issued under this act, a person shall be domiciled in Wyoming for not less than one (1) full year immediately preceding the date the person applies for the license,
bonus point,
preference point, permit or tag and shall not have claimed residency in any other state, territory or country for any purpose during that one (1) year period.
(b)
Each person applying for a license,
bonus point,
preference point, permit or tag under this act shall establish his own residency status independently or as provided in this subsection or subsection (g) of this section.
A minor dependent shall qualify as a resident if:
(ii)
His noncustodial parent qualifies as a resident under this act and the minor is or will be residing in this state with the noncustodial parent during any portion of the calendar year in which the license, permit or stamp is to be used or in the case of a
bonus point or
preference point the calendar year in which the
bonus point or
preference point is to be
assigned or
accumulated.
(h)
An applicant shall provide proof of residency and swear to an oath of residency when making application for, or attempting to purchase, a resident license,
bonus point,
preference point, permit or tag under this act. License selling agents and the department shall consider as documentary evidence of residency any of the following:
(iii)
A proof of residency statement on a form provided by the department that has been completed and signed by the applicant. Any active duty member of the armed forces, his spouse or minor dependent of the active duty member making application for or purchasing a resident license,
bonus point,
preference point, permit or tag shall be required to complete and submit the proof of residency statement; or
(j)
The commission may promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act to ensure that only bona fide Wyoming residents as defined in this act are issued resident game and fish licenses,
bonus points,
preference points, permits and tags.
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302.
Powers and duties.
(p)
The commission may, by rule and regulation, establish a process by which big game licenses, trophy 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 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
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703(b) or
and
the lifetime restriction imposed on the receipt of a grizzly bear, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, wild bison or moose license by W.S. 23
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703(c), and any restriction imposed on the receipt of a wild bison license by W.S. 23
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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.
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703.
Limitation of number of certain licenses; reservation of certain licenses; reservation of certain unused licenses.
(c)
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.
Except as provided in this subsection and subsection (f) of this section or by rule of the commission, no person who is issued a hunting license on and after July 1, 2022 for a grizzly bear, or for a mountain goat, any moose or antlered moose, any ram bighorn sheep, any bighorn sheep and any wild bison, and no person who, on July 1, 2022, is subject to the five (5) year restriction under subsection (b) of this section for a moose or bighorn sheep license, shall be eligible to apply for or receive a hunting license for that particular species in any future year. The commission may issue hunting licenses to any person in future years when necessary for wildlife management purposes to harvest grizzly bear, mountain goat, ewe or lamb bighorn sheep or cow or calf moose. The commission may issue hunting licenses to any person to harvest cow or calf wild bison pursuant to W.S. 23
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107(f).
(g)
In addition to the authority granted under subsection (b) of this section,
T
he commission may through rule and regulation develop and implement a preference point program for nonresident antelope, nonresident deer and nonresident elk licenses which are limited in quota and would otherwise be issued through a random drawing. A program established pursuant to this subsection may be implemented for all or selected hunt areas and may be applied to all or portions of licenses for
any particular species
antelope, deer and elk
. The commission may charge nonresident license applicants a nonrefundable fee to accumulate preference points under the program as provided in W.S. 23
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101(m).
(h)
Rules and regulations shall be promulgated by the game and fish commission to carry out subsections (a) through (f)
and (j)
of this section and may be promulgated as provided in subsection (g) of this section.
(j)
Licenses issued under this subsection for antlered moose and ram bighorn sheep shall be issued partially through a weighted bonus point random drawing and partially through a preference point drawing. Beginning with the 2026 license year and for each license year thereafter, the department shall convert the points of all applicants who have not more than nineteen (19) preference points to weighted bonus points, and those applicants shall participate in the weighted bonus point drawing. All first-year applicants shall participate in the weighted bonus point drawing. Each applicant with twenty (20) or more existing preference points shall participate in a preference point drawing. The department shall assign bonus points to each applicant for an antlered moose or ram bighorn sheep license by multiplying the number of years the applicant has unsuccessfully applied for an antlered moose or ram bighorn sheep license times one (1). The department shall then square an applicant's assigned bonus points to determine the applicant's total entry for the weighted bonus point random drawing. An applicant's total number of weighted bonus points shall not accumulate year to year and shall be recalculated each year based on the applicant's assigned bonus points. The calculation used to assign bonus points to an applicant for an antlered moose or ram bighorn sheep under this subsection shall include any year the applicant does not apply for an antlered moose or ram bighorn sheep license, provided in the case of a resident the applicant pays the fee specified in W.S. 23
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101(k), and in the case of a nonresident, the applicant pays the appropriate fee established by the commission under W.S. 23
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101(m). For purposes of assigning any future preference or bonus points under this subsection, any unsuccessful applicant failing to apply for a license or pay the applicable fee in lieu of applying for two (2) consecutive years shall forfeit the applicant's points and shall be considered a first-year applicant for any subsequent calendar year in which the applicant submits a license application for an antlered moose or ram bighorn sheep. Twenty-five percent (25%) of available licenses issued under this subsection for an antlered moose or ram bighorn sheep within any hunt area shall be randomly selected through the weighted bonus point drawing where each applicant has a number of entries equal to the applicant's number of weighted bonus points. Seventy-five percent (75%) of available licenses issued under this subsection for an antlered moose or ram bighorn sheep within any hunt area shall be selected through the preference point draw where the applicant with the highest number of preference points shall be given an advantage in the drawing. Any unsubscribed licenses after the preference point drawing shall be issued in the weighted bonus point drawing. Beginning on January 1, 2032 and for each calendar year thereafter, all applicants with preference points shall have their preference points converted to weighted bonus points. Beginning on January 1, 2032, one hundred percent (100%) of available licenses issued under this subsection for an antlered moose or ram bighorn sheep within any hunt area shall be randomly selected through a weighted bonus point drawing where each applicant has a number of entries equal to the applicant's number of weighted bonus points.
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705.
Complimentary licenses; pioneer licenses; antelope hunt licenses; gunpowder and buckskin hunt licenses; gratuitous licenses; donated licenses.
(a)
At the request of the governor, the commission shall annually issue up to twenty
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five (25) complimentary hunting and twenty
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five (25) complimentary fishing licenses. Not more than five (5) bighorn sheep, five (5) moose and five (5) wild bison licenses shall be issued under this subsection. The five (5) year restriction imposed on the receipt of a
cow or calf
moose
,
or ewe or lamb
bighorn sheep
or wild bison
license by W.S.
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703(b) and (c)
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703(c)
, and any restriction imposed on taking of wild bison under commission rule and regulation shall not be applicable in any manner to a license issued pursuant to this subsection.
Except as provided under subsection (g) of this section, no complimentary licenses may be issued at the request of the appointed commissioners. Immediately upon issuance of any of these licenses, the commission shall submit to the secretary of state for maintenance as a public record, the name and address of each licensee and the type of license issued.
(k)
The holder of any valid big game animal license, trophy 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
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101 or 23
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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
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703(b),
and
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
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703(c) or the restrictions imposed on a wild bison under W.S. 23
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107(f) shall not be applicable in any manner to a license issued pursuant to this subsection.
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101.
Fees; restrictions; nonresident application fee; nonresident licenses; verification of residency required; donation of refunded application fees.
(g)
In promulgating rules and regulations for the taking of bighorn sheep and moose, the commission shall not discriminate between residents and nonresidents regarding the maturity and horn size of the animals which may be taken. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as prohibiting the commission from issuing a different number of licenses for residents and nonresidents, from requiring a
bonus point or
preference point fee from nonresidents only pursuant to subsection (m) of this section or from issuing reduced price ewe and lamb bighorn sheep licenses as provided in subsection (d) of this section.
(k)
Any resident qualified to purchase a moose or ram bighorn sheep hunting license under subsection (j) of this section may pay a fee of seven dollars ($7.00) in lieu of applying for a moose or ram bighorn sheep hunting license.
Payment of the fee for a particular species under this subsection shall authorize the person to
accumulate
be assigned bonus
points
for the purposes of the weighted bonus point drawing
under W.S.
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703(b)
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703(j)
for that year in the same manner as if he had unsuccessfully applied for a hunting license for that species. Payment of the fee shall be made in compliance with application dates.
(m)
Subject to the provisions of this subsection, as part of
any bonus point program for nonresident ram bighorn sheep or nonresident antlered moose and
any preference point program for nonresident antelope,
nonresident ram bighorn sheep, nonresident moose,
nonresident deer or nonresident elk, the commission may establish a nonrefundable fee to be either withheld from the license fee remitted or submitted separately when application for a license
, bonus point
or preference point is made through electronic licensing, and may also establish a fee to be paid in lieu of applying for licenses that are limited in quota. Retention of the established fee or payment of the fee in lieu of applying shall authorize the person to
accumulate
be assigned a bonus point or to accumulate
a preference point for future drawings for licenses that are limited in quota for the applicable species in accordance with rules of the commission. The rules may provide for the loss of all
assigned bonus points or
accumulated
preference
points for persons failing to apply or to pay the in lieu fee in two (2) consecutive calendar years. The fee for any
preference points
program under this subsection for antelope, deer or elk shall be established by rule and shall not exceed seventy
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five dollars ($75.00) per species. Payment of the fee shall be made in compliance with application dates. Nothing in this subsection authorizes the commission to establish or retain a fee for resident moose or resident ram bighorn sheep
license preference
bonus
points in addition to the fee established by subsection (k) of this section or to establish rules for ram bighorn sheep or moose
preference
weighted bonus
point
random
drawings in conflict with the provisions of W.S.
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703(b)
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703(j)
. For nonresident ram bighorn sheep and nonresident moose licenses, the commission may establish by rule a nonrefundable
preference
bonus
point fee to be withheld from either the license fee remitted or submitted separately when application for a license or
preference
bonus
point is made through electronic licensing and may establish a fee in lieu of making application in an amount greater than that established under subsection (k) of this section, but neither fee shall exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00). Fees established under this subsection may be set at lower amounts for youth license applicants.
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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 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
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202(a)(ii), by the loss of all points then assigned to the person pursuant to W.S.
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703(b) or (g)
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703(g) or (j)
, and disqualification in the year of submission for any license for the species for which the multiple applications were submitted.
Section 2.
W.S. 23
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703(b) is repealed.
Section 3
.
This act shall apply to all antlered moose and ram bighorn sheep licenses issued through the preference point draw for hunting seasons commencing on or after January 1, 2032.
Section 4.
The game and fish commission shall promulgate all rules necessary to implement the provisions of this act for transitioning preference points to bonus points and establishing a weighted bonus point random drawing for antlered moose and ram bighorn sheep hunting seasons not later than January 1, 2032.
Section 5
.
(a)
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective January 1, 2032
.
(b)
Sections 3, 4 and 5 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)
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SF0002