Wyoming

Summary: This section of Wyoming laws relates to miscellaneous prohibited hunting acts. Included is the state's hunter harassment law, which provides that no person shall with the intent to prevent or hinder the lawful taking of any wildlife. Violation is a "low misdemeanor." Article 4 also includes a 2009 law that prohibits remote hunting that allows a person not physically present to remotely control a weapon to kill wildlife.

Summary: This Wyoming statute prohibits certain trapping devices, such as pit, pitfall, net, trap, deadfall, poison, etc. It is illegal to take or use a game animal to bait a trap or to poison any wildlife. A violation is a high misdemeanor.

Summary: This set of Wyoming laws sets forth the requirements and costs to obtain trapping and taxidermist licenses. Any trap or snare found in the field not bearing the name and address of the owner of the trap or snare or the identification number assigned by the department to the owner of the trap or snare may be confiscated by any employee of the department. Any landowner or his agent may inspect any trap or snare set on his property, may remove the trap or snare and may release or remove from the trap or snare any wildlife which has not been taken lawfully. However, it is a "low misdemeanor" to tamper with or remove any trap or snare set or maintained in compliance with this act or release a furbearer or predator found in a legal trap.

Summary: This section of Wyoming statutes states that all wildlife in the state is considered the property of the state.  It further provides that there is no private ownership of live animals classified in this act as big or trophy game animals. “Exotic species” means any wild animals, including amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, crustaceans or birds not found in a wild, free or unconfined status in Wyoming. This section also contains the management laws for delisted gray wolves that were repealed in 2012.

Summary: This Wyoming statute requires that, when a grizzly bear is relocated, that the department must notify the sheriff and issue a press release to the media and sheriff.  The press release must provide the date and location of the relocation, and the number of bears to be relocated.

Summary: This Wyoming statute provides that the governing bodies of all cities and towns may regulate or prohibit the running at large within the city limits of any animals, impose a license fee for the keeping or harboring of dogs and establish and provide for the operation of a pound.  They may also abate nuisances (dogs at large are defined as such), establish quarantines, and enact other ordinances for the general health, safety, and welfare of the community.

Summary: This first article of the chapter allows owners of livestock to fill out an application with the board of county commissioners to receive permission to eradicate predatory animals. The second article of the chapter outlines the composition and function of the state predator management advisory board. Article 3 outlines the Wyoming animal damage management program. In that section, "predatory animal” is defined as any coyote, jackrabbit, porcupine, raccoon, red fox, skunk or stray cat; and gray wolves except where they are designated as trophy game animals.

Summary: This Wyoming chapter deals with feral livestock. Under the chapter, "feral” means a domestic animal that is not under the control of nor cared for by a person and which has returned to a wild or semi-wild state. Before livestock can be declared feral, an attempt must be made to locate the owner. If the owner cannot be located, the director of the Wyoming livestock board or state veterinarian can then capture or dispose of any feral livestock damaging public or private property, and destroy any feral livestock thought to be infected with disease. The owner of feral livestock is responsible for costs associated with this chapter for damage or care of the feral livestock.

Summary: This Wyoming statute provides that a board of county commissioners may declare the running at large of any specified animals in unincorporated areas within the county limits a public nuisance.  Dogs or other animals, whose ownership cannot be determined, may be destroyed.  A dog injuring or killing livestock may be killed by the owner of the livestock or his agent or any peace officer.  However, any dog attacking any person in a vicious manner may be impounded by the county sheriff or animal control officer and held in quarantine for at least fifteen (15) days and not more than twenty (20) days after the attack to determine whether the dog has any disease which may be communicated to humans.  A board of county commissioners may enact regulations relative to dogs running at large, vicious dogs, dogs running wild game or livestock or acts by other animals which shall carry out the purposes of this section.  The county may also establish a county license fee and an animal control program/facility.

Summary: This Wyoming statute provides that every person, firm, copartnership, corporation or company owning any dog, which to his knowledge has killed sheep or other livestock, shall exterminate and destroy the dog.