2012 Wyoming Statutes
TITLE 23 - GAME AND FISH
CHAPTER 1 - ADMINISTRATION
23-1-101. Definitions of wildlife.

(a) As used in this act:

(i) "Big game animal" means antelope, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, moose or mountain goat;

(ii) "Exotic species" means any wild animals, including amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, crustaceans or birds not found in a wild, free or unconfined status in Wyoming;

(iii) "Furbearing animal" means badger, beaver, bobcat, marten, mink, muskrat or weasel;

(iv) "Game bird" means grouse, partridge, pheasant, ptarmigan, quail, wild turkey and migratory game birds;

(v) "Game fish" means bass, catfish, crappie, grayling, ling, northern pike, perch, salmon, sauger, sunfish, trout, walleye or whitefish;

(vi) "Migratory game bird" means all migratory game birds defined and protected under federal law;

(vii) "Predacious bird" means English sparrow and starling;

(viii) "Predatory animal" means:

(A) Coyote, jackrabbit, porcupine, raccoon, red fox, skunk or stray cat; and

(B) Until the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23-1-108, "predatory animal" includes wolves. After that date, "predatory animal" shall include any gray wolf not within an area of the state in which the gray wolf is:

(I) Designated as a trophy game animal under subdivision (xii)(B)(I) of this subsection;

(II) Classified as a trophy game animal by the commission pursuant to W.S. 23-1-304(a).

(ix) "Protected animal" means black-footed ferret, fisher, lynx, otter, pika or wolverine;

(x) "Protected bird" means migratory birds as defined and protected under federal law;

(xi) "Small game animal" means cottontail rabbit or snowshoe hare, and fox, grey and red squirrels;

(xii) "Trophy game animal" means:

(A) Black bear, grizzly bear or mountain lion; and

(B) From and after the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23-1-108:

(I) "Trophy game animal" shall include any gray wolf within those tracts of land within the following described area, subject to modification as authorized in this subdivision: northwest Wyoming beginning at the east boundary of the Shoshone National Forest and the Wyoming-Montana state line; southerly along said forest boundary to the common boundary between the Shoshone National Forest and the Wind River Indian Reservation; westerly and then southeasterly along the Shoshone National Forest boundary to the Union Pass Road (USFS Road 263); southerly along said road until it intersects the north boundary of the Upper Green River Cattle Association's grazing allotment on forest service lands; following the eastern boundary of said allotment southerly and westerly to the point it intersects the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; westerly along said forest boundary to U.S. Highway 189-191; northwesterly along said highway to U.S. Highway 26-89-191 at Hoback Junction; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 22; westerly along said highway to the Wyoming-Idaho state line; north along said state line to the Wyoming-Montana state line; north and then east along said state line to the east boundary of the Shoshone National Forest. This described area may be diminished by rule of the commission if the commission determines the diminution does not impede the delisting of gray wolves and will facilitate Wyoming's management of wolves; and

(II) "Trophy game animal" shall include any gray wolf within any area of the state where gray wolves are classified as trophy game animals by the commission pursuant to W.S. 23-1-304(a).

(xiii) "Wildlife" means all wild mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans and mollusks, and wild bison designated by the Wyoming game and fish commission and the Wyoming livestock board within Wyoming.

(b) To the extent necessary to achieve federal government delisting of the gray wolf, the governor may direct the game and fish commission to adopt a boundary between the area in which the wolf is treated as a trophy game animal and the area where it is treated as a predator at any place between the area described in subdivision (a)(xii)(B)(I) of this section and the following described area: northwest Wyoming beginning at the junction of Wyoming Highway 120 and the Wyoming-Montana state line; southerly along Wyoming Highway 120 to the Greybull River; southwesterly up said river to the Wood River; southwesterly up said river to the Shoshone National Forest boundary; southerly along said boundary to the Wind River Indian Reservation boundary; westerly, then southerly along said boundary to the Continental Divide; southeasterly along said divide to the Middle Fork of Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to Boulder Creek; westerly down said creek to the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; northwesterly along said boundary to its intersection with U.S. Highway 189-191; northwesterly along said highway to the intersection with U.S. Highway 26-89-191; northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 22 in the town of Jackson; westerly along said highway to the Wyoming-Idaho state line; north along said state line to the Wyoming-Montana state line; north, then east along said state line to Wyoming Highway 120. Any boundary change adopted pursuant to this subsection shall be certified and effective as provided in W.S. 23-1-109(f).