Bighorn Wilderness area, Wyoming?

[Toby]

We are looking at hunting in one of the units in the Bighorns at some point. I was wondering if there are Grizzlies in the Bighorn Wilderness area. If not, what is the reason non-residents can't hunt it without a guide?

[Pop-r]

Non residents not being able to hunt the wilderness has NOTHING to do with grizzlies sir!!

[Toby]

So, are Grizzlies found in the Bighorns?

If not.

Why can't non- residents hunt the Bighorn Wilderness area.

Seems like a reasonable question.

[Ghost]

A non resident needs a guide or needs to be hunting with a resident to hunt any wilderness in WY. From what I gather the entire banning nonresidents from hunting wilderness deal is a back handed deal to put money in the outfitters pockets, thats it.

[Toby]

Ghost,

Thanks for the reply. I kind of understand needing a "guide" in Grizzly country, Doesn't make much sense for wilderness areas. But, I guess Wyoming has the right to make whatever rules they deem appropriate like all other states.

Toby

[zpd307]

when I checked, no grizz in the big horns

[Indian Summer]

Politics! And just so you know there is a lot of country in Wyoming that does have grizzlies that you are allowed to hunt without a guide. Just as there is in Montana and Alaska.

Also.... you are allowed to hike there, fish there, camp and take pictures there. Just no hunting. Repeat after me : wtf?

[Ben Nicholson]

Also.... you are allowed to hike there, fish there, camp and take pictures there. Just no hunting. Repeat after me : wtf?

Not to mention they are federally owned! Even though we all own that land we can't hunt there. So wtf indeed! I'll get off my soapbox now...

[Toby]

WTF

Perfect!!!

[EVD]

Does anyone know what is the penalty/ fine for hunting in a wilderness area as a NR? I DO NOT plan to do it, just curious as to how it is dealt with...

[Indian Summer]

There is no penalty...... unless you get caught.

To be honest I don't even care about wilderness areas. I have a friend in Jackson so I could hunt it with him if I wanted but we never bother. Plenty of top notch elk hunting in non wilderness areas.

[elknturkey]

Because people only get lost in wilderness areas but not national forest areas . It's to fatten the pockets of guides and a rip off

[Indian Summer]

This subject has been hacked out for years and years. Some people will say that the residents of Wyoming have the right to manage their state however they want. Those people need slapped.... in my humble opinion. Like was mentioned above it is NATIONAL forest, not state forest. So like many I feel it belongs to all of us. ALSO... the residents of Wyoming don't necessarily agree with the policy or even care. There is no question it is an outfitter thing.

I can't believe that the issue hasn't been dealt with on a federal level. It is so blatant.

The other thing worth mentioning is that there are many people like myself who are as capable or even more so of handing themselves in the back country than some of the residents there. My friend in Jackson moved there from Georgia. Until then an ant hill was the biggest hill he ever saw. He worked for me in Montana for 4 years and will be the first to tell you I taught him everything he knows about elk hunting and mountain life.

This is a pretty deep subject with me. I've hunted Wyoming since I was 19.

All together now: wtf!

Sorry for the f bombs elknut... but you've always known I'm a little rougher around the edges than you. Please don't ban me.

[jmez]

It's complete BS and indefensible. It is the equivalent of not allowing WY residents to drive on the Interstate outside of their borders without a "resident guide" in the car. I think SD should pass that law and if I were a politician I'd push it just to be and a$$.

They take the law seriously. They will fine you if caught.

[Toby]

IS

Don't blame you for venting. I would bet that most of us that visit this site could take care of ourselves in the wilderness at least as well as the average Wyoming resident. And I agree, this is A National issue. I Live in Wisconsin near a large National Forest, can't imagine preventing any NR from roaming It at will. Strange laws that govern us.

Toby

[Indian Summer]

In Alaska you are required to have a guide for to hunt 3 species, mountain goats, all's sheep, and grizzlies. I don't personally know the actual reasons why but I have no problem with that and Ill tell you why: First of all those three species in my opinion aren't that difficult to find and kill. (for those with some kahunas) Grizzlies/brown bear will kill you. You can kill yourself hunting goats and sheep. AND... those three are in high demand. Which means that if tomorrow they said we didn't need a guide for them thousands of DIY hunters would make the license draws a mess and if by chance the licenses were unlimited we would surely decimate the populations. You can hunt every other species of big game in Alaska anywhere you please.

To me the punch line that makes the Wyoming law blatant is that you can do anything there except hunt. Not even chipmunks. So there's no questioning whether it is for reasons of safety or anything else. It is a law geared toward monopolizing hunting and in this country monopolies are not legal so... (here we go again) wtf!

Since I can hunt wilderness there I have always had the urge to. The Gros Ventre has some monstrous bulls. (but also monstrous grizzlies) One of these years I probably will venture into there before they eliminate the resident guide loophole and it is no longer an option.

[jmez]

The AK law is stupid as well in my opinion, same intent as the WY law. They justify it because of safety as well. If it were really about safety people would not be allowed to freely traipse about sheep and goat country if they wished. The only difference between the two is AK has the law statewide and not just exclusive to certain areas.

I'm not in favor of the State "protecting people" from themselves. I'm also not in favor of the State using that as a guise to protect and preferentially treat a few small businesses. If NR were allowed to hunt sheep, goats and bears in AK then there would no longer be unlimited tags. The Game and Fish would need to come up with a system that worked, that is their job.

[Wyo67]

As a Wyoming resident, I also disagree with the Wilderness law. Whenever I have family/friends come out to hunt elk, I'm their resident guide.

Also, I hate the fact that there are several hundred square miles of the national forest I can't hunt because it is landlocked by private landowners.

[Indian Summer]

As a Wyoming resident, Whenever I have family/friends come out to hunt elk, I'm their resident guide.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe you can only be guiding or accompanying one non-resident hunter at a time???

Jmez... agreed. It really is the same thing. Outfitter biased.

[jmez]

WY resident can guide two hunters. Guide is specifically defined as with the hunter at all times. They take that serious as well.

I would have no problem with these laws if they were on State owned and controlled lands. On Federal land it is BS.

[Wyo67]

Indian Summer and jmez are correct. A resident guide must have a big game or trophy license as well and they may only guide 2 non-resident hunters in a calendar year.

Don't think I've ever found that regulation on the Wyoming G&F website. It can be found here: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/statutes/titles/Title23/T23CH2AR4.htm

[Indian Summer]

What if I decided to just go for a pleasure hike in the Gors Ventre with a gun for grizzly protection and happened to have a hunting license in my pocket?

[redtop]

Another Wyoming resident who thinks that law is BS too. It's true there are plenty of elk outside the wilderness areas but there is something special about hunting wilderness areas that should be available to all who can make effort. It's the Outfitters association that has kept that law in place not the rest of us locals.

[Z Barebow]

Not being an @ss. Just like others have mentioned. Law is blatant outfitter subsidy.

I can hunt the Bob Marshall, River of No Return, and other "scary" places, but "Thank you" to WYO law so I don't hurt myself! Like others have said, I can hike, run, fish and even shoot a grouse in wilderness. But God forbid I have a big game license in my pocket. I will become an instant idiot and fall off a cliff in a wilderness area. As soon as I am in a non wilderness area, I am no longer incompetent!

But as Joe has mentioned, there are plenty of other places to hunt in Wyoming. Big game cannot read wilderness border signs.