G & F Responds to Wildfire License Inquiries - Wyoming Game and Fish Department
09/05/03
With the Boulder Basin 2 fire spreading southwest of Cody and other wildland fires in Wyoming generating inquiries about potential hunting license refunds, the Game and Fish Department is alerting hunters about the G&F regulation which covers such situations.
If the G&F determines a majority of the hunting opportunity for limited quota big game hunt area has been lost because of government administrative action, which closes access to the hunt area, the license holder may a request a 50 percent license refund. If 100 percent of the access is closed, hunters can request a 100 percent license refund. Bighorn sheep and moose hunters who request a refund would also have all their preference points restored.
Moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat hunters whose areas meet the closure criteria can also opt to turn in their licenses and reserve the same license for the next hunting season.
If an area qualifies for a refund, the request must be received by the G&F by 5 p.m. on the fifth day following opening day for the regular hunting season in that area.
General license elk and deer license holders are not eligible for refunds because of numerous general license hunt areas open throughout the state.
As of the afternoon of Aug. 22, no hunt areas were close to qualifying for refunds. The access to bighorn sheep area 5 is estimated to be 15 percent closed.
“We hope the weather breaks, and we get some rain to make this situation moot,” said John Emmerich, G&F assistant Wildlife Division chief. “But it is very possible this situation could grow worse, so we wanted to alert hunters to the regulation governing license refunds if fire closes access.”
