Wyoming Legislature 2023: TRW Committee Looks At Hunting Priority Points

AARP Wyoming Photo

2023 Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources
Committee Chairs (click to meet the committee):
Senate - Wendy Schuler
House - Sandy Newsome

Senate committee members - Mike Gierau, Stacy Jones, Fred Baldwin, Affie Ellis
House committee members- John Winter, Abby Angelos,  Don Burkhart, Andrew Byron, JT Larson, Liz Storer, Cyrus Western, Daniel Singh

The concept of bonus points for ram big horn sheep and moose hunting draws will highlight the work of the Legislature’s Committee on Travel, Recreation,  Wildlife, and Cultural Resources this session. 

The TRW committee, as it is commonly known, will be chaired by Senator Wendy Schuler (pictured above) and House Rep. Sandy Newsome. While Schuler is a first-time chair, she was vice chair of the committee previously and was a part of the effort to consider the bonus point system, which has resulted in a draft bill for the 2023 session. The bill calls for establishing a weighted bonus point system for bighorn sheep and moose hunting licenses. The Legislation requires the Game and Fish Department to multiply the number of years the applicant has unsuccessfully applied  for a license times one, then square the sum of the assigned bonus points for the weighted bonus point random drawing for those big game tags. Bonus points are given for residency and military background.

The bonus point system itself was recommended by the Wildlife Task Force, which used surveys sent to Wyoming hunters (in-state and out-of-state) as part of its decision making process. Schuler reports many of those surveyed were in favor of the proposed changes. She says there will also be a delay of implementation to provide long-term applicants with the highest numbers of preference points during a transition period.

“If you have someone who has been putting in for all those years and not getting a moose or ram tag, I think they get a little frustrated,” Schuler says. “We have folks who have been putting in and putting in and I’ll never get a moose permit or get a Big Five.”

In addition, SF60 would increase non-resident hunting license fees to $1,258 for elk; $826 for deer; and $874 for antelope. Those are all substantial jumps from years past.  

SF48 proposes $40 million into a trust fund with 90% of that cash going to the Wyoming Department of Transportation to provide grants for community pathways/greenways; safe pedestrian bike routes to schools; bike paths; sidewalks or crosswalks; or other projects to develop a walkable main street corridor. Hiking trails, or projects that encourage increased hiking, biking, or horseback riding would also be funded through the grant program. 

Schuler says the committee will also continue to consider ways to make sure invasive aquatic species are kept at-bay;  as well as consideration for a film incentive program. Over the past year it was disclosed that one of the popular “Yellowstone,” television franchises was interested in filming in Wyoming, but chose not to when it became clear there weren’t tax breaks or film incentive programs for the production company. Wildlife crossings will also get some discussion in TRW.

“I think this committee is made up of great people,” Schuler says about her Senate colleagues. “ It will be a really good group to get things done and we work well with Sandy on the House side - she will be great.”