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Hunting Technology

Where do you draw the line?

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Hunting technology �Where do you draw the line?

  • Hunting related technological advancements accelerated in late ‘90s and early 2000s
  • 2008 WGFD internal committee report:

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Hunting technology �Where do you draw the line?

  • Continued interest combined with rapid technological advancements led to the creation of another internal WGFD team that was given the task of evaluating modern technology

  • The work of the team was summarized in this 2017 report

  • Great read…excellent work…!

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Hunting technology �Where do you draw the line?

  • Ethical issues – highlight the need for public involvement
    • When and where should we draw the line in law?
  • 2018 Hunting Technology Survey
  • Conducted by WYSAC at the University of Wyoming
  • Scientifically valid survey
  • Another great read…!

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Hunting technology �Where do you draw the line?

  • Internal committee report and hunting technology survey results presented to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission in 2018

  • WGFC directed the Department to approach the Wyoming Legislature to seek statutory authority to regulate certain technologies

    • Public input helped identify the line

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Hunting technology �Where do you draw the line?

  • 2019 Wyoming Legislative Session

  • Travel, Recreation, and Wildlife Committee brought forth House Bill 002: Regulation of hunting methods

  • Passed with effective date of July 1, 2019

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Hunting technology �Where do you draw the line?

  • Wyoming Game and Fish Department proposed rules for the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission to consider

  • Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Regulations
    • Chapter 2
    • Approved April 2020
    • Remain in effect today

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Hunting technology �Where do you draw the line?

  • What is next?

  • Technology continues to rapidly evolve

  • The Department desires to continue to stay engaged and informed
    • Re-assess public attitudes?
    • Continue to utilize a collaborative approach as we all work together to address tough issues…

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Hunting Opportunity�Managing People

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Hunting opportunity – Managing People

  • Hunter satisfaction remains high for most big game species in most hunt areas
  • Hunter satisfaction is highly correlated with hunter success…
  • Other factors contribute to hunter satisfaction
    • Season structure
    • Crowding or perception of crowding generally reduces hunter satisfaction

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Hunting opportunity – Managing People

  • Season structures can be adjusted to achieve harvest goals while striving to maintain a quality experience
  • The “levers”
    • Hunt Areas
    • License types
    • Season dates
    • Non-resident regions
    • Quotas
    • Number of licenses (Ch.44)
    • Species overlap or not
    • Other limitations
  • Result – complex seasons, but lots of flexibility to manage people

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Hunting Opportunity – Managing People

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Hunting Opportunity – Managing People

  • Methods to allocate opportunity using the flexibility in our system
  • Examples:
  • Reduce opening date crowding
  • Pronghorn area 42 type 1 and type 2
    • Type 1 – Sept. 25
    • Type 2 – Oct. 5

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Hunting Opportunity – Managing People

  • Combine LQ and General license opportunity
  • Example:
  • Elk Area 97 and 98
    • Type 1 – Sept. 20
    • General – Oct. 1

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Hunting Opportunity – Managing People

  • Other examples:
  • Elk hunt area 11
    • Type 9 – Sept. 1
    • Type 1 – Sept. 15

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Hunting Opportunity – Managing People

  • Other examples of utilizing flexible system
  • Elk area 19 Type 2
    • Split season dates

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Hunting Opportunity – Managing People

  • Flexibility in the system (“levers”) allows managers to address the quality of the hunting experience while striving to achieve harvest objectives.

  • Important to start with clearly identifying the issue to address, then look at solutions

  • Discussion…