2023 23LSO-0338
STATE OF WYOMING
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
1 AN ACT relating to game and fish; replacing the term trophy
2 game animal with large carnivore game animal; requiring
3 rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.
4
5 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
6
7 Section 1. W.S. 11-6-302(a)(iv), (ix)(B)(I),
8 (x)(intro) and (B)(I), 23-1-101(a)(viii)(B)(I),
9 (xii)(intro), (B)(I) and (II), 23-1-103, 23-1-302(a)(ii),
10 (xxvi), (xxix) and (p), 23-1-304(a), (d)(i), (iv), (v) and
11 (h), 23-1-703(a), (b) and (f)(i)(B), 23-1-705(k),
12 23-1-901(a) through (c), 23-2-101(d), (e) and (q),
13 23-2-102(a), 23-2-104(b) through (e), 23-2-109,
14 23-2-307(a), 23-2-401(a) and (b), 23-2-406(a)(iii),
15 (iv)(intro), (A), (vii) and (viii), 23-2-407(a),
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1 23-3-102(a), 23-3-103(b), 23-3-104, 23-3-106(a)(i),
2 (b)(intro), (i) and (iii), 23-3-107(a) and (c),
3 23-3-109(a), 23-3-111(a), 23-3-112(c)(iii) and (iv),
4 23-3-113(a), 23-3-115(c), 23-3-303(a) and 23-3-310(b) are
5 amended to read:
6
7 11-6-302. Definitions.
8
9 (a) As used in this article:
10
11 (iv) "Depredating animal" means any trophy large
12 carnivore game animal or furbearing animal that causes
13 damage;
14
15 (ix) "Predatory animal" means:
16
17 (B) Until the date gray wolves are removed
18 from the list of experimental nonessential population,
19 endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as
20 provided by W.S. 23-1-108, "predatory animal" includes
21 wolves. After that date, "predatory animal" shall include
22 any gray wolf within areas of the state where the state of
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1 Wyoming has jurisdiction for wildlife management, but not
2 within an area of the state in which the gray wolf is:
3
4 (I) Designated as a trophy large
5 carnivore game animal under W.S. 23-1-101(a)(xii)(B)(I) or
6 (II).
7
8 (x) "Trophy Large carnivore game animal" means:
9
10 (B) From and after the date gray wolves are
11 removed from the list of experimental nonessential
12 population, endangered species or threatened species in
13 Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23-1-108:
14
15 (I) "Trophy Large carnivore game
16 animal" shall include any gray wolf within those areas
17 where gray wolves are designated as trophy large carnivore
18 game animals as provided in W.S. 23-1-101(a)(xii)(B)(I) or
19 (II).
20
21 23-1-101. Definitions of wildlife.
22
23 (a) As used in this act:
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1
2 (viii) "Predatory animal" means:
3
4 (B) Until the date gray wolves are removed
5 from the list of experimental nonessential population,
6 endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as
7 provided by W.S. 23-1-108, "predatory animal" includes
8 wolves. After that date, "predatory animal" shall include
9 any gray wolf within areas of the state where the state of
10 Wyoming has jurisdiction for wildlife management, but not
11 within an area of the state in which the gray wolf is:
12
13 (I) Designated as a trophy large
14 carnivore game animal under subdivision (xii)(B)(I) or (II)
15 of this subsection.
16
17 (xii) "Trophy Large carnivore game animal"
18 means:
19
20 (B) From and after the date gray wolves are
21 removed from the list of experimental nonessential
22 population, endangered species or threatened species in
23 Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23-1-108:
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1
2 (I) "Trophy Large carnivore game
3 animal" shall include any gray wolf within those tracts of
4 land within the following described area: northwest Wyoming
5 beginning at the junction of Wyoming Highway 120 and the
6 Wyoming-Montana state line; southerly along Wyoming Highway
7 120 to the Greybull River; southwesterly up said river to
8 the Wood River; southwesterly up said river to the Shoshone
9 National Forest boundary; southerly along said boundary to
10 the Wind River Indian Reservation boundary; westerly, then
11 southerly along said boundary to the Continental Divide;
12 southeasterly along said divide to the Middle Fork of
13 Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to Boulder Creek;
14 westerly down said creek to the Bridger-Teton National
15 Forest boundary; northwesterly along said boundary to its
16 intersection with U.S. Highway 189-191; northwesterly along
17 said highway to the intersection with U.S. Highway
18 26-89-191; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway
19 22 in the town of Jackson; westerly along said highway to
20 the Wyoming-Idaho state line; north along said state line
21 to the southern boundary of Yellowstone National Park; east
22 and north along said boundary to the Wyoming-Montana state
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1 line; then east along said state line to Wyoming Highway
2 120;
3
4 (II) "Trophy Large carnivore game
5 animal" shall include any gray wolf located, from October
6 15 through the last day of February in the subsequent year,
7 within the following described area: beginning at the
8 boundary described in subdivision (B)(I) of this paragraph,
9 where the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary intersects
10 U.S. Highway 189-191 at Hoback Rim; westerly and then
11 southerly along said forest boundary to its intersection
12 with USFS Road 10125 (McDougal Gap Road); westerly along
13 said road to USFS Road 10138 (Grey's River Road); southerly
14 along said road to Sheep Creek; westerly down said creek to
15 Grey's River; southwesterly up said river to Bear Creek;
16 southwesterly up said creek to the hydrographic divide
17 between Bear Creek and Willow Creek; west from said divide
18 to USFS Road 10080 (Willow Creek Road); northwesterly along
19 said road to Lincoln County Road 123; southerly along said
20 road to USFS Road 10081 (Grover Park Road); southerly then
21 westerly along said road to Lincoln County Road 172;
22 westerly along said road to the junction with Wyoming
23 Highway 237; westerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway
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1 238; southerly along said highway to Lincoln County Road
2 134; westerly along said road to the Wyoming-Idaho state
3 line; north along said state line to Wyoming Highway 22
4 where the boundary described in this subdivision will
5 rejoin the boundary described in subdivision (B)(I) of this
6 paragraph.
7
8 23-1-103. Ownership of wildlife; purpose of
9 provisions.
10
11 For the purpose of this act, all wildlife in Wyoming is the
12 property of the state. It is the purpose of this act and
13 the policy of the state to provide an adequate and flexible
14 system for control, propagation, management, protection and
15 regulation of all Wyoming wildlife. There shall be no
16 private ownership of live animals classified in this act as
17 big or trophy large carnivore game animals or of any wolf
18 or wolf hybrid.
19
20 23-1-302. Powers and duties.
21
22 (a) The commission is directed and empowered:
23
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1 (ii) To establish zones and areas in which
2 trophy large carnivore game animals may be taken as game
3 animals with a license or, with the exception of gray
4 wolves, in the same manner as predatory animals without a
5 license, giving proper regard to the livestock and game
6 industries in those particular areas;
7
8 (xxvi) To regulate or prohibit the importation
9 of exotic species, small game animals, furbearing animals,
10 protected animals, game birds, migratory birds, protected
11 birds, and fish into Wyoming, and to regulate and permit
12 the importation of big or trophy large carnivore game
13 animals into Wyoming only for exhibition purposes or for
14 zoos;
15
16 (xxix) After the date gray wolves are removed
17 from the list of experimental nonessential population,
18 endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as
19 provided by W.S. 23-1-108, to set seasons and bag limits
20 for gray wolves designated as trophy large carnivore game
21 animals pursuant to W.S. 23-1-101(a)(xii)(B)(I) and (II),
22 and to regulate the number of gray wolves which may be
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1 taken under a license issued under this act or as necessary
2 to carry out the commission's duties under this act;
3
4 (p) The commission may, by rule and regulation,
5 establish a process by which big game licenses, trophy
6 large carnivore game licenses and wild bison licenses may
7 be issued by a competitive raffle and prescribe the manner
8 of payment for which raffle chances are sold and the amount
9 of payment for each raffle chance. No more than two (2)
10 licenses for each big game species and trophy large
11 carnivore game species and no more than two (2) wild bison
12 licenses shall be issued under this subsection. Each
13 license issued for bighorn sheep, moose, mountain goat,
14 grizzly bear or wild bison through a competitive raffle
15 shall, when applicable, be counted against any nonresident
16 quota. The five (5) year restriction imposed on the receipt
17 of a moose or bighorn sheep license by W.S. 23-1-703(b) or
18 the lifetime restriction imposed on the receipt of a
19 grizzly bear, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, wild bison or
20 moose license by W.S. 23-1-703(c), and any restriction
21 imposed on the receipt of a wild bison license by W.S.
22 23-2-107 shall not be applicable in any manner to a license
23 issued pursuant to this subsection. The commission shall
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1 issue licenses upon receipt of the proper license fee by
2 the successful competitive raffle winner. Nothing in this
3 subsection shall authorize the issuance of a license to any
4 person whose privilege to procure, purchase or possess a
5 license has been suspended pursuant to this act or by
6 operation of law.
7
8 23-1-304. Classification of gray wolves.
9
10 (a) The commission shall by rule and regulation set
11 seasons and bag limits within those areas where gray wolves
12 are designated as trophy large carnivore game animals
13 pursuant to W.S. 23-1-101(a)(xii)(B)(I) and (II). The
14 seasons and bag limits shall be set annually in a manner
15 the commission determines, through rule and regulation, as
16 necessary to reasonably ensure at least ten (10) breeding
17 pairs of gray wolves and a total of at least one hundred
18 (100) individual gray wolves are located in this state
19 outside of Yellowstone National Park and the Wind River
20 Indian Reservation at the end of the current calendar year.
21
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1 (d) The department shall institute and maintain an
2 active program of population monitoring statewide subject
3 to the following:
4
5 (i) Population monitoring shall include
6 techniques that accurately determine the population and
7 movement of gray wolves in areas of the state where gray
8 wolves are designated as trophy large carnivore game
9 animals;
10
11 (iv) In areas of the state where gray wolves are
12 designated as trophy large carnivore game animals, any
13 person who takes a wolf shall notify the department of the
14 take and where the take occurred within a time period set
15 by rule and regulation, which shall not exceed seventy-two
16 (72) hours;
17
18 (v) In areas of the state where gray wolves are
19 designated as trophy large carnivore game animals, any
20 person who takes a wolf shall submit the wolf or parts
21 thereof, as defined by rule and regulation, to the
22 department for inspection within a time period established
23 by rule and regulation which will not exceed ten (10) days;
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1
2 (h) Within forty-eight (48) hours of receiving
3 notification from a landowner or his designee that any gray
4 wolf in those areas of the state where gray wolves are
5 designated as trophy large carnivore game animals has
6 harassed, injured, maimed or killed livestock or any
7 domesticated animal, the department shall respond and
8 initiate appropriate management actions. The department
9 may use the management techniques authorized under
10 subsection (g) of this section or any other management
11 methods necessary, to minimize the harassing, injuring,
12 maiming or killing of livestock and other domesticated
13 animals in those areas of the state where gray wolves are
14 designated as trophy large carnivore game animals.
15
16 23-1-703. Limitation of number of certain licenses;
17 reservation of certain licenses; reservation of certain
18 unused licenses.
19
20 (a) The commission may limit the number of resident
21 or nonresident big or trophy large carnivore game animal
22 licenses or wild bison licenses to be sold in any calendar
23 year and may designate dates after which one (1) or more
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1 classes of licenses will not be sold except as authorized
2 by the commission.
3
4 (b) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, no
5 person may apply for and receive more than one (1) cow or
6 calf moose or one (1) ewe or lamb bighorn sheep license in
7 any consecutive five (5) year period. Licenses issued under
8 this subsection shall be issued partially through a
9 preference point drawing and partially through a random
10 drawing of all remaining unsuccessful applicants for that
11 year. The department shall assign points to each license
12 applicant for a specific species by multiplying the number
13 of years the applicant has unsuccessfully applied for a
14 license times one (1). The calculation used to assign
15 points to an applicant for a particular species under this
16 subsection shall include any year the applicant does not
17 apply for a big or trophy large carnivore game animal
18 hunting license for that species, provided in the case of a
19 resident the applicant pays the fee specified in W.S.
20 23-2-101(k), and in the case of a nonresident, the
21 applicant pays the appropriate fee established by the
22 commission under W.S. 23-2-101(m). License applicants
23 within each hunt area for a species shall be grouped
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1 accordin