(a) General statewide rules. This section governs use of all lands and waters acquired or administered by the Commission, including lands and waters enrolled in the Department's Access Yes Program. Department publications or signs shall designate any exceptions to this regulation. - (i) Public hunting, fishing and trapping shall be allowed on areas as designated by Commission regulation, Department publication or sign.
- (ii) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on lands acquired or administered by the Commission, except on designated or established roads and as designated by Commission regulation, Department publication or sign.
- (iii) Camping shall only be allowed in areas designated by Department publication or sign. No person shall camp in excess of the posted camping limit, and in no case more than fourteen (14) consecutive days, or leave a camp unattended for more than forty-eight (48) hours. Once a person has camped for the camping limit, such person shall not camp on the same lands acquired or administered by the Commission without vacating such lands for at least seventy-two (72) hours.
- (iv) Recreational livestock shall not be allowed to consume existing natural forage. While not in use, recreational livestock shall be high-lined or contained in corrals, if such corrals are provided by the Department.
- (v) No person shall possess hay, straw, grain, seed or mulch that does not have weed free certification.
- (vi) No person shall discharge fireworks or other pyrotechnic devices.
- (vii) No person shall engage in wood cutting. The cutting or gathering of naturally fallen trees or dead shrubs is allowed for open fire use on site.
- (viii) No person shall vandalize, deface, destroy or remove signs, fences, structures or facilities.
- (ix) No person shall litter.
- (x) Limited range weapons shall be required to take wildlife or for recreational shooting in areas designated by Commission regulation, Department publication or sign.
- (xi) No person shall light, maintain, use or attend an open fire or use smoking materials when prohibited or in a manner that threatens, causes damage to, or results in the burning of property, resources or creates a public safety hazard. No open fires or smoking materials shall be left unattended. All open fires and smoking materials shall be completely extinguished upon termination of use.
- (xii) No person shall engage in any use that interferes with public safety or authorized uses including:
- (A) Uses authorized by Commission regulation(s);
- (B) Uses authorized by written agreements approved by the Department;
- (C) Uses for which the lands or waters were acquired or administered; or,
- (D) Uses allowed by Commission regulation, Department publication or sign.
- (xiii) No person shall engage in a commercial or business use on lands and waters acquired or administered by the Commission unless authorized by a written agreement authorized by the Department.
Outfitting for hunting, angling or other wildlife related activities is permitted on the Commission's Wildlife Habitat Management Areas and Public Access Areas when that use does not conflict with public use or the purpose for which the lands or waters were acquired, except that there shall be no commercial or business use or outfitting of hunters or anglers on the Spence and Moriarity Wildlife Management Area or Osage Pond Public Access Area.
- (xiv) No person shall place or construct a hunting blind, tree stand or similar structure on lands administered by the Commission unless otherwise allowed by Commission regulation, Department publication or sign. Any hunting blind, tree stand or similar structure permitted shall not be placed more than seven (7) days prior to the opening date or removed more than seven (7) days following the close of the hunting season for the species of wildlife for which the structure was placed. For Wildlife Habitat Management Areas, portable blinds that are placed and removed on the same day are allowed. All hunting blinds, tree stands or similar structures placed or constructed on Commission administered lands shall be marked with the name and address of the person who placed or constructed the structure. Hunting blinds, tree stands or similar structures that are placed and not removed in accordance with this subsection shall be considered litter. Placing or constructing a hunting blind, tree stand or similar structure does not reserve or guarantee exclusive use of that structure or location for hunting or any other purpose for the person(s) placing said structure.
(b) Additional restrictions on lands enrolled in the Department's Access Yes Program. Persons shall only hunt or fish for the species of wildlife and within the time period designated in the written agreement between the Commission and the individual landowner. Only the landowner or representative thereof may grant permission for any uses not expressly allowed by the written agreement. In addition, no person shall conduct the following activities or uses on lands enrolled in the Department's Access Yes Program, unless such activities or uses have been approved by the landowner or person in charge of the property: - (i) Open fires or lighted smoking materials;
- (ii) Recreational livestock use;
- (iii) Recreational shooting;
- (v) Use of blinds, pits, tree stands or similar structures;
- (vi) Other activities not directly related to the taking of the specified species of wildlife;
- (vii) Travel by motor vehicle except as designated by Department publication or sign;
- (ix) Commercial outfitting of hunters or anglers.
(c) Where and when additional restrictions or authorized uses apply, including emergency restrictions, the public shall be advised of such uses or restrictions by explanatory signs placed at designated parking areas or points of access to said lands and waters. Signs shall specifically explain restrictions or authorized uses, shall be approved by the Director of the Department or his designee, and shall serve as an official regulation of the Commission.
(d) Failure to abide by restrictions indicated by Commission regulation, Department publication or sign is a violation of this regulation.
040-23 Wyo. Code R. § 23-5
Amended, Eff. 10/25/2016.