The bill mandates the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to issue bear coupons for elk licenses in specific hunt areas, particularly those outside the greater Yellowstone ecosystem recovery zone, for the years 2026 and 2027. Each resident elk license will include a bear coupon that allows the holder to take one bear (brown, black, or grizzly) in designated areas where elk hunting is permitted. The bear coupon will not incur additional licensing fees and is not considered a hunting license under existing regulations. The bill also requires the commission to provide evidence of grizzly bear population recovery to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before issuing these coupons.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the commission to adopt necessary rules by January 1, 2026, and establishes that the act will take effect immediately upon completion of legislative processes, with specific sections becoming effective based on the certification of grizzly bear recovery. The legislature asserts that grizzly bears have recovered in Wyoming and should be managed by the state, while also clarifying that no grizzly bears can be taken within the greater Yellowstone ecosystem recovery zone.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 23-1-703, 23-2-101, 23-3-105