A donation from the Cheyenne Field Archers to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department will provide public hunting and fishing access to about 2,170 acres of land in the state.
That $700 donation was made as part of Game and Fish’s Access Yes program.
That program “facilitates the partnership between private landowners, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and hunters and anglers to create free public hunting and fishing access on private land and inaccessible public land,” the department said on Monday, Jan. 13.
Donations made to the program help create walk-in fishing and hunting areas as well as hunter management and other public access areas.
“’The $700 from the Cheyenne Field Archers is a generous donation that will provide nearly 2,170 acres of access which has tremendous positive impacts for hunters and anglers in Wyoming,’ said Brian Nesvik, director of Game and Fish. ‘This organization cares deeply about wildlife and we are grateful for their efforts to go the extra mile to ensure today’s resources are available for future generations.’”
Donations made to the Access Yes program pay only for access easements and do not go toward operating expenses.
“Walk-in areas and hunter management areas funded by Access Yes provide hunting opportunities for big game, small game, wild turkey, upland game and migratory game birds,” Game and Fish says. “They also provide fishing opportunities throughout the state.”
$1 in donations supports about 3.1 acres of public access.
“Funds donated to Access Yes can only be utilized to provide landowner payments in exchange for sportsperson access,” Game and Fish adds. “The public can support Access Yes through donations when purchasing a license, either online or from a license selling agent. For more information please visit the Game and Fish public access page.“
“This year, Access Yes is celebrating 20 years of partnering with landowners to provide public access opportunities. Currently there are 58 walk-in fishing areas, 331 walk-in hunting areas and 59 hunter management areas throughout Wyoming. In 2019, donations provided more than 2.8 million acres of hunting access on otherwise inaccessible private, state and landlocked public lands and 4,007 lake acres and 89 stream miles were provided for fishing.”