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STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR AN EMERGENCY RULE WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION CHAPTER 7 ELK HUNTING SEASONS An extended antlerless elk season in the Ferris and Seminoe Mountains requires an Emergency Chapter 7 Elk Hunting Seasons regulation due to acute concerns regarding habitat degradation and extremely limited forage availability to wildlife and livestock as a result of extreme drought and wildfires in 2012. Wyoming experienced severe drought this past summer, and the Seminoe and Ferris Mountain area was perhaps hardest hit. As a result, area cattle ranchers have had to adjust accordingly and ship their livestock several months early due to the lack of available forage throughout the area. Some ranchers have indicated they had never seen it this dry and resulting in so little forage for both livestock and wildlife. Due to current habitat conditions and an over objective elk population, landowners have requested the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (Department) extend the antlerless elk season from closing on November 30, 2012 to closing on January 31, 2013 for elk hunt areas 22 and 111. This additional two (2) month season extension is an attempt to reduce this elk population, while minimizing competition for remaining forage and potential damage to both wildlife habitats and hay meadows. Additionally, both the Seminoe and Ferris Mountains experienced large wildfires this summer. The fires burned over 12,000 acres of summer and winter range habitats in these areas. These fragile post burn recovery areas are very sensitive to overuse, especially where aspen regeneration is occurring. Due to poor overall habitat conditions in the area, there is a high potential to experience severe natural mortality to wildlife wintering in areas not suitable to sustain them. This situation is likely to move wintering elk onto private lands, resulting in damage concerns for landowners. To complement their request for this extended season, many area landowners are enthusiastic about harvesting additional antlerless elk and have assured the Department there would be opportunity and access for the public to do so. One of the major landowners is very interested in working with the Department on an access agreement (ie. walk-in, HMA). Also, with access to private lands and elk redistribution, the Department anticipates an additional benefit of antlerless elk harvest on public lands. Lastly, the Seminoe/Ferris elk herd has an estimated population of between 600-700 elk, which is over the current objective of 350 elk. Extending these hunting seasons will increase antlerless elk harvest, thus enabling the Department to work toward its management goals and population objectives. An over objective elk herd, combined with an extreme lack of available forage, is a concern with area landowners and the Department. Extending the season from December 1, 2012, through January 31, 2013 will support landowner requests to reduce the elk population, address further habitat degradation, minimize any potential damage concerns and allow hunters the opportunity to fill unused licenses valid in these two elk hunt areas. PROPOSED EMERGENCY SEASON TABLE (bold/underlined text is the only proposed change) Hunt Area Type Dates of Seasons Limitations Opens Closes *22 1 Oct. 8 Oct. 21 Limited quota; 50 licenses any elk 4 Oct. 8 Nov. 30 Limited quota; 50 licenses antlerless elk Limited quota; 50 licenses cow or calf valid in that portion of Area 22 in the Muddy Creek 6 Oct. 8 Oct. 31 drainage Unused Area 22 Type 6 licenses cow or calf Nov. 1 Nov. 30 valid in the entire area Unused Area 22 Type 1, Type 4 and Type 6 licenses valid for antlerless elk in the entire Dec. 1 Jan. 31 area 111 1 Oct. 10 Oct. 31 Limited quota; 75 licenses any elk 4 Oct. 10 Nov. 30 Limited quota; 50 licenses antlerless elk Limited quota; 100 licenses cow or calf valid in that portion of Area 111 off the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission’s Morgan Creek 6 Oct. 10 Nov. 30 Wildlife Habitat Management Area Unused Area 111 Type 1, Type 4 and Type 6 licenses valid for antlerless elk in that portion of Area 111 off the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission’s Morgan Creek Dec. 1 Jan. 31 Wildlife Habitat Management Area WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION CHAPTER 7 ELK HUNTING SEASONS EMERGENCY RULE (Emergency rules are no longer in effect 120 days after filing with the Secretary of State.) Section 1. Authority. This regulation is promulgated by authority of W.S. §23-1-302, §23-1-703 and §23-2-104. Section 2. Hunting Seasons Established. There shall be open seasons during 2012 and January, 2013, for the hunting of elk as set forth in this Chapter and in accordance with Chapter 2, General Hunting Regulation. Section 3. Regular Hunting Seasons. (a) Hunt areas, season dates and limitations. Hunt Dates of Seasons Area Type Opens Closes Limitations 1 1 Oct. 15 Nov. 30 Limited quota; 150 licenses any elk 4 Oct. 15 Nov. 30 Limited quota; 100 licenses antlerless elk 2 1 Oct. 21 Oct. 31 Limited quota; 30 licenses any elk 4 Oct. 21 Oct. 31 Limited quota; 50 licenses antlerless elk 3 Sep. 15 Jan. 31 General license; any elk valid in that portion of Area 3 south of U.S. Highway 26 1 Sep. 15 Oct. 14 Limited quota; 75 licenses any elk 4 Sep. 15 Oct. 14 Limited quota; 50 licenses antlerless elk 6 Sep. 15 Oct. 14 Limited quota; 75 licenses cow or calf Nov. 1 Jan. 31 Unused Area 3 Type 1, Type 4 and Type 6 licenses valid for antlerless elk 5 Oct. 1 Nov. 20 General license; any elk Nov. 21 Jan. 31 General license; antlerless elk 6 Aug. 15 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 750 licenses cow or calf 6 Oct. 1 Oct. 31 General license; any elk off national forest Nov. 1 Jan. 31 General license; antlerless elk off national forest 1 Oct. 20 Nov. 15 Limited quota; 100 licenses any elk Nov. 16 Jan. 31 Unused Area 6 Type 1 licenses valid for antlerless elk 4 Aug. 15 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 100 licenses antlerless elk off national forest 6 Oct. 1 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 750 licenses cow or calf off national forest 7-1 Hunt Dates of Seasons Area Type Opens Closes Limitations 7 1 Oct. 15 Nov. 20 Limited quota; 1,500 licenses any elk Nov. 21 Jan. 31 Unused Area 7 Type 1 licenses valid for antlerless elk 4 Oct. 15 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 1,250 licenses antlerless elk 6 Oct. 15 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 1,750 licenses cow or calf 7 Aug. 25 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 75 licenses cow or calf valid in that portion of Area 7 in Platte County 8 Aug. 13 Aug. 31 Limited quota; 50 licenses cow or calf valid off national forest in that portion of Area 7 in Converse County 8 1 Oct. 1 Oct. 31 Limited quota; 150 licenses any elk Nov. 1 Jan. 31 Unused Area 8 Type 1 licenses valid for any elk west of Sand Creek Road (Albany County Road 34) and antlerless elk east of Sand Creek Road (Albany County Road 34) 6 Aug. 15 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 100 licenses cow or calf 9 Oct. 1 Oct. 7 General license; any elk Oct. 8 Oct. 31 General license; antlerless elk 6 Aug. 15 Sep. 30 Limited quota; 100 licenses cow or calf valid on private land Oct. 1 Jan. 31 Unused Area 9 Type 6 licenses valid in the entire area 10 Oct. 1 Oct. 31 General license; any elk 6 Aug. 15 Sep. 30 Limited quota; 800 licenses cow or calf valid on private land Oct 1 Jan. 31 Unused Area 10 Type 6 licenses valid in the entire area 11 1 Oct. 1 Oct. 31 Limited quota; 150 licenses any elk 4 Oct. 1 Oct. 31 Limited quota; 300 licenses antlerless elk 6 Aug. 15 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 25 licenses cow or calf valid on private land 12 Oct. 15 Oct. 31 General license; any elk 12, 13, 6 Aug. 15 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 75 licenses cow or calf valid on private land 15, 110 12, 130 7 Oct. 1 Nov. 14 Limited quota; 200 licenses cow or calf valid in Area 12 Dec. 1 Jan. 31 Unused Area 12, 130 licenses valid on the Savage Meadows Hunter Management Area (HMA permission slip required) 13 Oct. 15 Oct. 31 General license; any elk 7 Oct. 1 Nov. 14 Limited quota; 100 licenses cow or calf 15 Oct. 15 Oct. 31 General license; any elk 7 Oct. 1 Nov. 14 Limited quota; 150 licenses cow or calf 7-2 Hunt Dates of Seasons Area Type Opens Closes Limitations 16 1 Oct. 1 Oct. 31 Limited quota; 200 licenses any elk 2 Nov. 1 Nov. 30 Limited quota; 50 licenses any elk Dec. 1 Dec. 15 Unused Area 16 Type 1 and Type 2 licenses valid on the Beer Mug Hunter Management Area (HMA permission slip required) Jan. 1 Jan. 31 Unused Area 16 Type 1 and Type 2 licenses valid on the Beer Mug Hunter Management Area (HMA permission slip required) 4 Oct. 1 Jan. 31 Limited quota; 300 licenses antlerless elk 6 Aug. 15 Sep. 30 Limited quota; 150 licenses cow or calf valid on private land Oct. 1 Jan. 31 Unused Area 16 Type 6 licenses valid in the entire area 19 1 Oct. 1 Oct. 14 Limited quota; 150 licenses any elk 2 Nov. 1 Nov. 20 Limited quota; 150 licenses any elk 4 Oct. 1 Oct. 14 Limited quota; 125 licenses antlerless elk 5 Nov. 1 Dec. 31 Limited quota; 125 licenses antlerless elk 6 Oct.