The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is urging hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts to report vandalism and misuse at its 205 Public Access Areas (PAAs) and 48 Wildlife Habitat Management Areas (WHMAs) to preserve these spaces for public use. These lands, along with those in the Access Yes program, rely on partnerships with private landowners to provide hunting, fishing, and wildlife-related recreation opportunities. Vandalism, such as shooting signs, littering, and illegal dumping, costs Game and Fish $60,000 to $70,000 annually for repairs, diverting funds from habitat and access improvements.
At the Rock Springs Grazing Association’s 25,000-acre Access Yes area, enrolled in 2022 to curb misuse, vandalism persists despite enforcement. Recently, a Boy Scout troop cleaned a 15-foot fire pit with burned pallets, nails, and litter, and found sawed cottonwood trees. Game and Fish also noted shot-up signs and additional debris. Such acts have led to closures of other access areas statewide. To report vandalism or misuse, contact a local Game and Fish warden, law enforcement, or the Stop Poaching Hotline at 1-877-WGFD-TIP. More details are available at wgfd.wyo.gov.
