In the Press Release 09/07/10 issue:

WYOMING OUTDOOR HALL OF FAME WELCOMES NEW INDUCTEES
WALK-IN HUNTING ATLAS NOW AVAILABLE
EXPO TO FEATURE OLYMPIC SHOOTER, DUCK CALLING CONTEST, LIVE BLACK-FOOTED FERRETS
BOATERS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES PROGRAM
MEETINGS TO DISCUS LATE MIGRATORY REGS; SCIENTIFIC PERMITS; WILDLIFE IMPORTATION, POSSESSION
HUNTERS URGED TO HELP WITH BRUCELLOSIS RESEARCH
G&F Calendar
ASK THE GAME & FISH

WYOMING OUTDOOR HALL OF FAME WELCOMES NEW INDUCTEES

CHEYENNE - This year's inductees to Wyoming's Outdoor Hall of Fame include a rancher/conservationist, renowned sage grouse authority, long time outfitter and avid turkey hunter.  Volunteerism and exemplary activity with wildlife conservation groups is a common theme for this year's Hall of Fame class.

Robert Model, Cody - "Bob" Model is a rancher, outfitter and businessman as well as a hunter, conservationist and founder of several wildlife conservation organizations.

Over the years he has been a champion of the importance of private lands in sustaining public wildlife resources and of the need to improve sportsmen/landowner relations.  On his Mooncrest Ranch near Cody, he has worked with the Forest Service to improve grazing systems and utilize prescribed burns to enhance wildlife habitat.

His work with conservation organizations include: past president and chairman of the Boone and Crockett Club, founder and past chairman of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners and founder of the National Conservation Leadership Institute.  During the Bush Administration, he was member and chairman of the Sporting Conservation Council and has been appointed by the current administration to the newly formed Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council.  He has stepped up as a key facilitator and host of meetings to address some of the most important conservation issues of our time.

Robert L. Patterson (posthumously) - Robert Patterson was born in Virginia in 1918 and later attended the University of Michigan, where he received a bachelor's degree in wildlife conservation and forestry. After graduation he joined the Navy, where he served as a first lieutenant on the USS Selfridge in defense of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

Upon release from the service he resumed his wildlife studies which eventually led him to Wyoming, where he completed PhD research for his book, "The Sage Grouse in Wyoming," which was released in 1952.  While conducting this research he was employed as a wildlife biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.  "The Sage Grouse in Wyoming" is widely recognized as the sage grouse bible by wildlife managers.  Management recommendations in his book continue to be used to formulate state and federal policy for management of sage grouse in Wyoming and other western states.

He passed away at the early age of 37 in 1956.

Jake Clark, Powell - Jake Clark began his outfitting business in 1979 and has outfitted mostly in northwest Wyoming in the Cody and Dubois areas.

In 1985 he became a member of the then relatively new Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and since that time his name has become synonymous with volunteer efforts to assist RMEF with important conservation projects and wildlife issues.  Over the years he has volunteered thousands of hours on behalf of elk conservation projects. His Wyoming Wilderness Outfitters, as a member of the RMEF Business Partners in Conservation, has raised nearly $500,000 in donations for RMEF conservation efforts.  He has received RMEF's Outfitter Advisory Service Award and in 2004 was honored as recipient of RMEF's Wallace Fennel Pate Award, the highest award bestowed to a volunteer.

In 1998 he began Jake Clark's Mule Days, an event consisting of seminars, shooting activities, an all mule rodeo and a select saddle mule auction.  Donations during that event have been used to support endowments to Wyoming's 4-H Foundation as well as Wyoming and Arkansas FFA foundations and the American Cancer Society.

Hugh Vogel, Casper - Hugh Vogel's passion for wild turkeys, has paid remarkable dividends for wild turkey conservation efforts in Wyoming.  His volunteer work with the Wyoming Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) has spanned many years.  He has served as the First Wyoming State Vice President and the State Treasurer for the NWTF and organized the Bighorn Chapter of the NWTF in Casper.  He was the second person in NWTF history to receive the Wild Turkey Rare Breed Award.  This award is presented to an outstanding conservationist who puts service and duty to the resource ahead of personal gain.  He regularly assists between 7,000-10,000 youth who participate in the JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Ethics and Sportsmanship) Field Days sponsored by the NWTF.  In addition, he provides a hands-on learning experience at the NWTF booth at the Wyoming Hunting and Fishing Heritage Expo.  In the oilfield business for more than 50 years, he finds time to go hunting and has harvested all five major of subspecies of wild turkey throughout the U.S. and Mexico, completing his "Royal Slam" by bagging an oscillated turkey in the Yucatan on his 80^th birthday.

The Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant, lasting lifetime contributions towards conserving Wyoming's outdoor heritage through volunteer service, environmental restoration, educational activities, visual and written media, the arts and political and individual leadership.

The dinner and ceremony to honor the inductees is open to the public and will be held Sept. 10 at the Parkway Plaza in Casper in conjunction with the annual Wyoming Hunting & Fishing Heritage Expo. Individuals who volunteer for one day at the Expo will receive a complimentary ticket for the dinner. Tickets can also be purchased for $30 by calling the Foundation at (307) 777-4529. 

This is the sixth year of the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame.  The inaugural class of 2004 featured Curt Gowdy, Calvin King, Frank and Lois Layton, Olaus and Mardy Murie, D.C. Nowlin and President Theodore Roosevelt. The Outdoor Hall of Fame now has 29 inductees.

-WGFD-

WALK-IN HUNTING ATLAS NOW AVAILABLE

CHEYENNE - The 2010 walk-in hunting atlas is now available, featuring hundreds of walk-in areas and thousands of acres where hunters can access private lands for a variety of species.   

Hunters can obtain a copy of the walk-in atlas at Game and Fish offices and license agents throughout the state. The atlas is also available online at http://gf.state.wy.us.

 Game and Fish public land access coordinator Matt Buhler said that more than 1.6 million acres of public access is provided through the walk-in and hunter management programs.  Walk-in areas are available in 21 of Wyoming's 23 counties.  The walk-in areas differ from the hunter management areas, another Game and Fish public access program, in that no permit is required to hunt.  To use one of the 49 hunter management areas, hunters must obtain a physical permission slip online or at Game and Fish offices.  Details on obtaining hunter management permits and accessing the nearly 900,000 acres available through that program can be obtained online or by calling (307) 777-4600.  Maps and rules for each hunter management area can also be found on the Game and Fish website.

Walk-in areas are available for elk, deer and antelope as well as a variety of upland bird species, waterfowl, small game and predators.  The walk-in atlas lists the species that can be hunted within the area and the dates when the walk-in area can be accessed.

The walk-in area acquisition is funded to a large extent through the Game and Fish AccessYes program from contributions of anglers and hunters usually at the time of license purchase and application.
(Contact: Al Langston (307) 777-4540)

-WGFD-

EXPO TO FEATURE OLYMPIC SHOOTER, DUCK CALLING CONTEST, LIVE BLACK-FOOTED FERRETS

CHEYENNE - This year's Wyoming Hunting and Fishing Heritage Expo will feature two activities that should be of special interest to shotgunners and waterfowl hunters.

On Sept 9-11 at the Casper Trap and Skeet Club, 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Corey Codgell will give a shotgun shooting demonstration. Her performances are free and will be at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on all three days.

Wyoming duck callers will also have a chance to show their skills at the Ducks Unlimited World Class Duck calling Contest to be held at the Casper Events Center.  The contest will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday Sept. 11.  First place will be a paid trip to the World Duck Calling Contest at Stuttgart, Ark.  Prizes will also be given for  second and third place winners.  Entry fee to participate is $40.  There is no charge for spectators.

          Also new this year will be a display of live black-footed ferrets.  Black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) are the only ferret species endemic to North America.  The species was thought to be extinct until a small colony of ferrets was discovered near Meeteetse, Wyoming, in 1981.  Outbreaks of canine distemper, and possibly, sylvatic plague, reduced the population to about 18 individuals.  Those remaining ferrets were captured to begin a captive breeding program to save the species.  Beginning in Wyoming, reintroduction efforts have since expanded to sites in Montana, South Dakota, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Kansas, Canada and Mexico.  Today, biologists estimate there are a minimum of 800 to 1,000 individual ferrets living in the wild.  All of these are descended from the 18 individual ferrets captured in Wyoming.

          More than 143,000 people have attended the Expo in the last 11 years.  Expo hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit the Game and Fish website http://gf.state.wy.us or call (888) EXPO-WYO.
(Contact: Wendy Hayes (307) 777-4542)

-WGFD-

BOATERS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES PROGRAM

CHEYENNE - With the final major boating weekend of the year now over, boaters have strongly supported Wyoming's program to prevent introduction of Aquatic Invasive Species in Wyoming waters. To date, more than 80 percent of the registered boats in Wyoming have AIS decals and as the summer progressed, almost every boater contacted had some awareness of the AIS program.

Since the program started last spring, more than 35,500 boats have been inspected.  In a typical week, AIS crews inspect 2,000-2,500 boats.

Of the boats inspected to date, 20 have been determined to be high risk and were decontaminated. But no invasive mussels have been found.  According to AIS coordinator Beth Bear, three boats were found in Jackson this summer that had wintered at Nevada's Lake Mead, a water known to harbor invasive mussels.  All three had encrusted mussels, however all three had been out of the water for more than 30 days prior to inspection and the mussels were dried out and dead.  The boats were decontaminated as a precaution and allowed to launch after all mussels were removed.

Also this summer, several waters have been monitored for larval mussels (veligers) but none have been found.  More waters will be monitored for veligers this fall.

 " As boaters are becoming more aware of the AIS program and inspections, increasing numbers of boaters are following the Drain, Clean and Dry process before they get to the lake," said Bear.  "In addition, the vast majority of boaters already have the decal which helps speed up the inspection process."

  Information on AIS including the self-check form and AIS decal program can be found on the WGFD website http://gf.state.wy.us.
(Contact: Beth Bear (307) 745-4046)

-WGFD-

MEETINGS TO DISCUS LATE MIGRATORY REGS; SCIENTIFIC PERMITS; WILDLIFE IMPORTATION, POSSESSION

CASPER - The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will be holding a series of public information gathering meetings to discuss changes in Late Migratory Game Bird Hunting regulations and new regulations on Scientific Permits and Wildlife Importation and Possession.

The meetings will be held at the following locations at 7 p.m.

October 5            Laramie                Laramie Regional WGFD Office

October 5            Jackson                Jackson Regional WGFD Office

October 7            Casper                  Casper Regional WGFD Office

        Written comments will be accepted through 5 p.m. Oct. 18 by mailing WGFD, Attn: Regulations, 3030 Energy Lane, Casper, WY 82604.  Copies of the proposed regulations are available by contacting the same address. 

All comments will be presented to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission prior to their Nov. 17-18, public hearing in Lander.

-WGFD-

HUNTERS URGED TO HELP WITH BRUCELLOSIS RESEARCH

LARAMIE - Not only is there a call out to give blood these days, there's also a request for hunters to take blood.

          Nearly 6,000 antlerless elk license holders in the Cody, Lander and Cokeville areas will be receiving kits to take a blood sample from their quarry. The sample will be tested to check the range and prevalence of brucellosis in elk. Brucellosis is a bacterial disease, which can induce abortions in elk, bison and cattle.

          Wyoming Game and Fish Department Disease Specialist Hank Edwards said the blood sampling done by hunters is a very important part of the state's long-running brucellosis monitoring program.

          Edwards said instructions are included with each kit and hunters should follow the guidelines carefully to ensure the samples are usable. "Timely collection of the blood and then getting the sample in the mail to the laboratory as quickly as possible is very important," he said. "Hunters should also try to keep the sample from freezing."

          Only about half of the hunters receiving kits harvest an elk and send the samples back to the lab, and of those, only half are usable. "The more viable samples we get, the better information we have on the status of the disease," Edwards said.

                Since 1991, over 7,300 elk blood samples have been analyzed in Wyoming for brucellosis. To date, the disease has only been documented in western Wyoming, with prevalence levels of 1 to 3 percent in the southern herd units surrounding feedgrounds, and from 9 to 10 percent in the corresponding northern herd units, around Dubois, Meeteetse and Cody.  

"The northern units have been of great interest over the past several years, where the historical prevalence was similar to the southern herd units, but for unknown reasons the incidence of this disease has dramatically increased," Edwards said.

-WGFD-

G&F Calendar

Sept. 8-9 - Wyoming Game and Fish Commission meeting, Casper WGFD office
Sept. 9-11 - Wyoming Hunting and Fishing Heritage Expo, Casper Events Center
Sept. 15 - Application deadline for Springer and Glendo pheasant permits
Sept. 18 - Sage grouse season opens
Sept. 18 - Sharp-tailed grouse season opens
Sept. 25 - National Hunting and Fishing Day; go to www.nhfday.org for more information
Sept. 30 - Deadline to purchase big game preference points
Oct. 5 - Public meeting on Ch. 10, 14, 33 of Commission regulations, Jackson WGFD office, 7 p.m.
Oct. 5 - Public meeting on Ch. 10, 14, 33 of Commission regulations, Laramie WGFD office, 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 - Public meeting on Ch. 10, 14, 33 of Commission regulations, Casper WGFD office, 7 p.m.

-WGFD-

ASK THE GAME & FISH

Q.  Is nontoxic shot required for hunting doves and sandhill cranes?

A.  No for doves and yes for sandhill cranes.  Nontoxic shot is also required when hunting any game, including doves and rabbits, with a shotgun on all lands in the Springer and Table Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Areas and on all national wildlife refuges open for hunting.

-WGFD-