Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 17, 2025 |
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission held a meeting in Lander last week, September 9 and 10, where members approved recommended changes to several regulations.
The Commission approved a revised regulation for commercially guided fishing boats, which includes key changes to registration fees and a more flexible decal system. The new regulation, which takes effect January 1, 2026, is the result of a public, collaborative process and is aimed at balancing the needs of the outfitting community with the state’s need for better data collection on its waterbody usage.
The Commission also voted to approve all 10 sections of the Sublette Antelope Migration Corridor, including areas east of Farson and the Red Desert. The decision came after initial recommendations from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, followed by public comment and discussion.
Game and Fish worked to officially designate the corridors through the process outlined in the Governor’s Migration Corridor Executive Order.
The goal of the plan is to identify and mitigate threats such as off-road vehicle use, fencing, invasive plants and habitat fragmentation from development.
A formal designation of the corridors ensures that the crucial landscape features continue to function for generations, which Game and Fish biologists report is vital for herd survival. Threats that are evaluated for all corridors include off-road vehicle use, impermeable fencing, invasive annual grasses and poor habitat quality. This careful delineation of seasonal use aids in the long-term management of the herd.
Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce said the final decision is a win for wildlife, and the decision helped balance the scientific data with stakeholder input that will make the designation a long-lasting success.
The Sublette Antelope Migration Corridor is a designated path for one of Wyoming’s largest antelope populations. It spans up to 165 miles across Fremont, Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, and Teton counties. The corridor was formally identified in March 2024 to protect antelope as they migrate between summer and winter ranges.
Game and Fish used data from more than two decades of research, including GPS collar data from more than 500 antelope, to understand and track the movements.
Governor Mark Gordon signed Executive Order 2020-1 in February of 2020. It establishes a state framework for identifying and protecting migration corridors for pronghorn and mule deer. It was the first public policy in the United States to formally protect ungulate migration corridors in the United States.
It designated three specific mule deer migration corridors: the Sublette, Baggs, and Platte Valley corridors.
