Wyoming Hunting Seasons

Black Bears are a popular Wyoming big game.

Chapter 2, Section 3 of the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission states that you may apply for one license per calender year, which enables you to kill one of each of the following: elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, antelope, deer, black bears and mountain lions.

Types of Seasons

Regular hunting seasons mark specific areas and dates to hunt big game with legal weapons according to license type, as stated in Chapter 2, section 2, (dd) of the Wyoming Game and Fish Regulations.

Special archery seasons mark specific areas and dates in addition to the regular season for certain big game animals. To qualify to participate in the archery season, hunters must possess a standard hunting license as well as an archery license.

Big Game Hunting

Big game hunting licenses need to be applied for based on the animal you want to hunt. There is a specific license for each big game animal and you cannot use one license to kill multiple types of animals. Therefore if you have a black bear license, but would also like to hunt elk, you would also need to apply for an elk license. Hunting limitations are placed on the amount of kills you can have each season; this number varies based on animal and location, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Big Game FAQs.

Small Game and Birds

Small game hunting has different regulations than big game hunting. Hunters do not need a special archery license to hunt small game with a bow and arrow. The seasons tend to be longer, and also have a larger 'bagging' quota, which means that you can kill a higher quantity of that particular animal, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department FAQs.

Bird hunting is a different class of hunting which carries its own rules and regulations. It is similar to small game hunting and you are not required to have an archery license to use a bow and arrow to hunt birds.

Seasons and Quotas

Each big game animal has its own designated hunting season to which hunters must abide. The time frame is made more specific based on the area in Wyoming where you want to hunt, and if you would like to hunt traditionally or with archery.

Generally there is both a Spring and Fall hunt period for each animal that lasts between one to two months. Archery periods last for approximately 15 days, for each season.

Hunting seasons and quotas are determined by population of the game in question. Hunting is used as a ecological management system for the state of Wyoming.

Warning

There is a limit placed on the number of licenses that can be sold for each game.

Licenses need to be applied for and cannot be traded with other individuals.

It is against the law to poach, and Wyoming has a Stop Poaching program in place. The program works through tips by citizens, who can be rewarded if there is a citation or arrest.

References

• Wyoming Game and Fish Commission: Chapter 2 General Hunting Regulation
• Wyoming Game and Fish Commission: Chapter 3 Bear Hunting
• Wyoming Game and Fish Department: FAQs
• Wyoming Game and Fish Department: Big Game FAQs

Resources

• Wyoming Game and Fish Department: Hunting Information