Trapping Conservation and Self-Reliance News

Trapping reform, feedgrounds up before lawmakers
Dec 8, 2020 08:30 ET

[Reprinted from original]

Issues of interest to Jackson Hole’s wildlife watchers are on tap for Wyoming lawmakers on Tuesday.

Meeting between legislative sessions, state legislators will be briefed on two Wyoming Game and Fish Department measures: a trapping reform proposal and an elk feedground management plan.

Those agenda items are slated for 2:30 p.m. at the Legislature’s Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee meeting. The remote meeting will be broadcast over Wyoleg.com.

The briefing about elk feedgrounds comes while Game and Fish is starting to examine its 90-year-old practice of feeding elk west of the Continental Divide. The advance of chronic wasting disease toward elk feedgrounds spurred the process, which will culminate in the state’s first management plan for its 22 feedgrounds. Public comments are being accepted at Surveymonkey.com.

The agenda item about trapping reform will bring lawmakers up to speed on regulation changes the Game and Fish Commission found favorable, but which require the Legislature’s approval. Members of the interim committee will discuss draft bills that would allow the state agency to require a trapper education course for license holders born after the year 2000. Draft legislation requested would also give state wildlife managers the authority to prohibit furbearer and predator trapping near high-use recreation areas such as trailheads.

Live public comment will be allowed via Zoom during the virtual meeting. To be eligible to speak, participants must fill out a public comment form that’s posted on the legislature’s website.

Questions can be directed to Legislative Service Office Committee staffers John Brodie or MaryBeth Oatsvall at 307-777-7881.