SF0139 • 2025

Trapping requirements-licenses, seasons and setbacks.

AN ACT relating to game and fish; authorizing the Wyoming game and fish commission to promulgate rules to establish trap setback specifications; repealing an obsolete provision; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Senator Dockstader
Last action: 2025-02-28
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass in the session.

Trapping Rules in Wyoming

This act allows the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to create rules about trap placement on public or state lands, removes an outdated part of existing laws, requires new rulemaking by the commission, and sets when these changes will take effect.

What This Bill Does

Gives the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission permission to make rules about trap placement on public or state lands.
Removes a specific outdated provision from existing law.
Requires the commission to create new rules based on this act.
Sets when these changes will start.

Who It Names or Affects

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission
People who trap animals in Wyoming

Terms To Know

setbacks: Rules about how far traps must be from certain areas or objects.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass in the session.
It does not specify exactly what new rules will be made by the commission.
Some parts of the law are being removed but it's unclear which specific sections those are.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0139SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural R

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes references to consultation with affected entities and adds a condition that trap setback specifications apply only on public or state lands.

Removes the requirement for consultation with affected entities when establishing trap setback specifications.
Adds a new clause specifying that trap setback rules will be applicable only on public or state lands.

The amendment does not specify what 'affected entities' are, so it's unclear who was previously consulted and would no longer be involved in the process.

Bill History

2025-02-28 House
H Did not Consider for Introduction
2025-02-06 House
H Received for Introduction
2025-02-05 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 16-11-4-0-0
2025-02-04 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2025-02-03 Senate
S COW:Passed
2025-01-30 Senate
S Placed on General File
2025-01-30 Senate
S06 - Travel:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2025-01-23 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S06 - Travel
2025-01-20 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2025-01-17 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

25LSO-0230
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0230
ENGROSSED
3.0

SENATE FILE NO. SF0139

Trapping requirements-licenses, seasons and setbacks.

Sponsored by: Senator(s) Dockstader and Representative(s) Erickson

A BILL

for

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

Section 1.

W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
303(d) is amended to read:

23
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2
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303.

Trapping licenses; tagging; traps and snares; penalty; confiscation; inspection; interference with trapping.

(d)

The commission
, following consultation with other affected entities,
may promulgate rules and regulations establishing specifications for
setbacks on public or state lands,
snares, breakaway weights, location of breakaway devices, loop size and anchors for trapping and snaring of furbearing and predatory animals. All traps and snares used for furbearing or predatory animals shall be permanently marked or tagged with the name and address of the owner or the identification number assigned to the owner by the department. Any identification number attached to a trap or snare pursuant to this subsection is solely for the use of the department or appropriate law enforcement officers and is not a public record for purposes of W.S. 16
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4
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201 through 16
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4
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205. No trap or snare shall be set for furbearing or predatory animals within thirty (30) feet of any exposed bait or carcass over five (5) pounds in weight. As used in this subsection, "exposed bait or carcass" means the meat or viscera of any part of a mammal, bird or fish, excluding dried bones. All snares used for taking furbearing or predatory animals shall be equipped with a break
‑
away device. Unless otherwise specified in this subsection, all steel
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jawed leghold traps shall be checked by the owner at least once during each seventy
‑
two (72) hour period unless extensions are granted by the department. All snares and quick kill body grip traps shall be checked by the owner not less than once each week unless extensions are granted by the department. All wildlife caught in any trap or snare shall upon discovery, be removed immediately by the owner. Violation of this subsection constitutes a low misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23
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6
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202(a)(v).

Section 2.

W.S. 23
‑
2
‑
303(b) is repealed.

Section 3.

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

Section 4
.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective January 1, 2026.

(b)

Sections 3 and 4 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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SF0139