CHEYENNE, Wyo. — It’s springtime, and shed and horn hunting has officially kicked off for antler enthusiasts. Before venturing out, though, people should be sure to know which lands are open. Many sections of public lands, state lands and wildlife habitat management areas in western and southern Wyoming remain closed to shed antler and horn hunting.
Collection Area 1 closure
A Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulation prohibits anyone from collecting shed antlers or horns in Collection Area 1 on public land, such as U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands, state lands and Wyoming Game and Fish Commission–owned or –administered lands west of the Continental Divide, including the Great Divide Basin and some land west of Laramie, from Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. May 1 each year for residents and Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. May 8 for nonresidents.
Additionally, a conservation stamp is required for all nonresidents 15 years of age and older to collect shed antlers or horns in Collection Area 1. A map of the closure area is available online, and the boundaries are detailed within the regulation.
WHMA closures
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has 44 wildlife habitat management areas that provide crucial habitat for big game winter ranges. The areas listed below remain closed until their listed opening date to minimize disturbance to wintering big game animals and other wildlife and to protect the habitat from resource damage. Several WHMAs open May 1. The closures are for any human presence unless otherwise noted.
HABITAT AREA NEAREST TOWN DATES AREA CLOSED RESTRICTIONS Forbes/Sheep Mountain Albany Jan. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Greys River Alpine Dec. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Wick/Beumee Arlington Dec. 1–May 15 Only lands south of Interstate 80 are closed. Vehicles restricted to FS-111 for access to the U.S. Forest Service boundary, otherwise closed to human presence. Bud Love Buffalo Jan.1–May 14 Closed to human presence. Sunlight Cody Dec. 16–April 30 Fishing along Sunlight Creek is open year-round. Inberg/Roy (East Fork) Dubois Dec. 16–May 15 Closed to human presence. Spence & Moriarity Dubois Dec. 16–May 15 East Fork County Road and that portion east of the road is open year-round. The rest of the WMA is closed to human presence. Whiskey Basin Dubois Dec. 1–May 15 Closed to vehicles only. Open to foot/horse traffic. Medicine Lodge Hyattville Jan. 1–May 31 Lower campground portion is open year-round. Turkey hunting is allowed in the lower portion during the seasonal closure. Renner Hyattville Jan. 1–May 31 Upper portion closed to human presence. Lower portion remains open year-round. Camp Creek Jackson Dec. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Horse Creek Jackson Dec. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. South Park Jackson Jan. 1–April 30 Closed to vehicle traffic Dec. 1–April 30. Signed area open to foot traffic Dec. 1–31. Closed to all human presence Jan. 1–April 30. Ed O. Taylor Kaycee Jan. 1–May 14 Closed to human presence. Ellis Kaycee Jan. 1–May 14 Closed to vehicles Sept. 1–May 14. Closed to human presence Jan. 1–May 14. Red Canyon Lander Dec. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Pilot Hill Laramie Feb. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Sunshine Meeteetse Jan. 1–May 31 Closed to human presence after cow elk hunting seasons ends. Half Moon Pinedale Dec. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Soda Lake Pinedale Dec. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Fall Creek Pinedale Dec. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Luke Lynch Pinedale Dec. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Black Butte Pinedale Dec. 1–April 30 Closed to human presence. Morgan Creek Rawlins Nov. 1–April 30 Closed to vehicles only. Open to foot/horse traffic. Pennock Mountain Saratoga Nov. 15–April 30 Closed to vehicles only. Open to foot/horse traffic. Amsden Creek Sheridan Nov. 1–May 14 Closed to vehicles. Open to foot/horse traffic Nov. 1–15. Amsden Creek Sheridan Nov. 16–May 14 Closed to human presence. Kerns Sheridan Nov. 1–May 31 Closed to vehicles. Open to foot/horse traffic Nov. 1–15. Kerns Sheridan Nov. 16–May 31 Closed to human presence. Laramie Peak Wheatland Feb. 1–April 30 Laramie Peak is open all year except the Hay Canyon, Tony Ridge and Duck Creek Canyon areas, which are closed to human presence Feb. 1–April 30 each year. WHMAs open year-round: HABITAT AREA NEAREST TOWN DATES AREA CLOSED RESTRICTIONS Ocean Lake Riverton Sand Mesa Shoshoni Chain Lakes Wamsutter Cottonwood Draw/Grayrocks Wheatland ORV access prohibited. North Glendo Glendo Jelm Laramie Vehicular access is restricted to parking areas. ORV access prohibited. Rawhide Lingle Vehicular access is restricted to parking areas. ORV access prohibited. Springer/Bump Sullivan Yoder Closed to motorized vehicles Oct. 1–May 15. ORV access prohibited. Table Mountain Torrington Closed to motorized vehicles Oct. 1–May 15. ORV access prohibited. Tom Thorne/Beth Williams Wheatland Closed to motorized vehicles beyond the reservoir Feb. 1–May 31. Yellowtail Lovell Red Rim/Daley Rawlins Drifting snow closes most trails in early winter. Red Rim/Grizzly Rawlins Drifting snow closes most trails in early winter. Sand Creek Sundance Public Access Areas with seasonal closures: HABITAT AREA NEAREST TOWN DATES AREA CLOSED RESTRICTIONS Mexican Creek Lander Jan. 1–Aug. 31 County access road closed Nov. 22. Mud Springs Lander Open during big game hunting seasons. Non-motorized access through adjacent public lands. Hunting for pronghorn, white-tailed deer, mule deer and elk only. Killebrew Pavillion Jan. 1–Aug. 31 Mule Creek Ranch Laramie Feb. 1–Oct 14 HMA permission slip required. VonGontard Landing Jackson Dec. 1–March 1 Weather may affect closing and opening dates. Pitcher/ Brokaw Arlington Jan. 1–July 31 ORV prohibited. Carter/Billy Miles Ten Sleep Jan. 1–Aug. 31 Coco Belle VanMeerendonk Jackson Dec. 1–April 14 Closed to wheeled motorized vehicles.
It is illegal to enter any person’s private property to collect antlers or horns without the permission of the property owner or the person in charge of the property, regardless of the time of year.
The head or skull with antlers and horns attached to a big game animal cannot be removed without prior approval from a Game and Fish law enforcement officer. If approval is granted, the purchase of a Wyoming Interstate Game Tag is required for any antlers or horns attached to a head or skull plate of a big game animal.
“Collect” means to search for, locate, stockpile or possess shed antlers and horns of big game animals on public land during the closed season. A violation of this regulation carries the same penalties as many other Game and Fish violations. To report shed antler or horn collection violations, call the STOP Poaching Hotline at 1-877-943-3847 (1-877-WGFD-TIP) or text the keyword WGFD to TIP411 (847-411). Violations may also be reported online at the Game and Fish website.
People with questions can contact the Lander, Laramie, Green River, Pinedale and Jackson regional offices. More details on antler collection regulations and maps are available on the Game and Fish website.
