040-21 Wyo. Code R. §§ 21-6 - Lethal Control of Gray Wolves Designated as Trophy Game Animals

(a) Any gray wolf in the act of doing damage to private property may be immediately taken and killed by the owner as provided in W.S. § 23-3-115(c). The carcass of a gray wolf shall not be removed from the site of kill and the area around the carcass shall not be disturbed until investigated by the Department. The owner shall notify a district game warden, district wildlife biologist or Department personnel at a Game and Fish Department Regional Office within seventy-two (72) hours of the kill. The owner shall provide the location of the site of kill (identified by the section, township and range, or UTM coordinates), the name and address of the person taking the gray wolf, and the date of kill.

(b) Upon discovery that a gray wolf or wolves have harassed, injured, maimed or killed livestock or domesticated animals, or are occupying a chronic wolf predation area, the owner may notify the Department. Upon verification by the Department or personnel from other agencies operating under the authority of a signed memorandum of understanding with the Commission and upon request of the owner, the Department:

(i) Shall issue a gray wolf Lethal Take Permit to the owner if the conditions in Section 7(a) are met; and,

(ii) May authorize Department personnel or its agent(s) to remove the offending gray wolf or wolves.

(c) Gray wolves may be lethally removed when the Department determines that gray wolf predation is causing an unacceptable impact on a wild ungulate population or herd or when gray wolf-wild ungulate conflict has occurred at any state operated elk feedground.

(i) A gray wolf-wild ungulate conflict has occurred at a state operated elk feedground when a gray wolf or wolves displace elk from a feedground and it results in one of the following conflicts:

(A) Damage to private stored crops by displaced elk; or,

(B) Elk co-mingling with domestic livestock; or,

(C) Displacement of elk from a feedground onto a highway right of way causing human safety concerns.

(d) The provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this Section shall not apply if the lethal removal of gray wolves may prevent the Department from achieving the management objectives described in Section 4(a)(i).

Notes

040-21 Wyo. Code R. §§ 21-6