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Shed antler hunting opens May 1 in Collection Area 1 for residents, May 8 for nonresidents (posted 4/30/2026)
JACKSON/PINEDALE, WYOMING – Wyoming residents can begin collecting shed antlers in Collection Area 1 on May 1 at 6 a.m. While nonresidents can access the area on this date, they are not permitted to collect antlers until May 8 at 6 a.m. Additionally, nonresidents 15 years and older must have a conservation stamp to collect shed antlers or horns in Collection Area 1.
Before venturing out, be sure to know which lands are open. Lands outside of Collection Area 1 may still be closed. The status of Commission-owned lands can be found on the Game and Fish public access webpage. It is illegal to enter any person's private property to collect antlers or horns without the permission of the property owner or the person in charge of the property, regardless of the time of year. The collection of antlers is prohibited year-round in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.
The head or skull of a big game animal with antlers and horns attached cannot be removed without prior approval from a Game and Fish law enforcement officer. If approved, the antlers or horns attached to a head or skull plate of a big game animal will require the purchase of a Wyoming Interstate Game Tag.
The collection of shed antlers means to search for, locate, stockpile or possess shed antlers and horns of big game animals on public land. To report shed antler or horn collection violations, call the STOP Poaching Hotline at 1-877-943-3847 (1-877-WGFD-TIP) or text the keyword WGFD to TIP411 (847-411).
Spring weather also means bears are becoming more active. When recreating in bear country, be aware of potential bear encounters. Hike in groups, make noise to prevent surprising bears, and familiarize yourself with signs of bear activity. These signs include tracks, scat, diggings, and flocks of magpies or ravens, which can indicate a nearby food source. Always carry EPA-approved bear spray and keep it easily accessible. For more information on bear safety, please visit the Bear Wise Wyoming webpage.
For antler collection regulations and additional information, visit the Game and Fish website, or call the Jackson Regional Office at (307) 733-2321 or the Pinedale Regional Office at (307) 367-4352 for area-specific questions.
Governor Gordon urges Property Tax Refund Program applications (posted 4/30/2026)
Governor Mark Gordon
CHEYENNE, WYOMING - Governor Gordon (R-WY) encourages eligible property owners to apply for the Wyoming Property Tax Refund Program by the June 1st deadline. This program provides refunds on a qualified basis to Wyoming homeowners who paid taxes for the 2025 tax year. If homeowners applied last year, the Wyoming Department of Revenue (DOR) recently sent out hardcopy applications.
In the 2026 Budget Session, the Wyoming Legislature accepted the Governor’s recommendation of $12 million for property tax relief targeted to lower-income homeowners. Generally, this includes Wyoming residents who make 145% or less of the median household income in their county or the statewide median household income, whichever is greater. DOR estimates that the average statewide refund amount for the 2025 tax year will be $771.35. However, this amount will vary by county and specific amounts for each county can be found on DOR's website.
"The refund program is a strong example of targeted and responsible property tax relief," said Governor Gordon. "We are putting money back on the kitchen table for folks who need it. If you are eligible, I encourage you to sign up."
"Thanks to strong support from Governor Gordon and funding from the legislature, the Property Tax Refund Program is now in full swing," Director of the Department of Revenue Bret Fanning said.
While the income thresholds vary by county, an annual household income under $114,043 generally qualifies in most areas. Please contact your local county treasurer or the Department of Revenue for more information about the other eligibility requirements with this program. Eligible applicants can receive hundreds of dollars back in meaningful property tax relief.
Property taxes in Wyoming are primarily used at the local level, supporting critical services that residents rely on every day. These include K-12 public schools, local law enforcement and emergency services, road and bridge maintenance, hospitals and public health services, community colleges and local government operations.
Unlike many other states, Wyoming does not collect a personal income tax, making property taxes one of the primary ways communities fund essential services.
However, having robust residential property tax relief programs that help veterans, the elderly and families in need is an important tool for strengthening our families and communities. The Governor recommends families in need take full advantage of these other programs as well. Home owners can reach out to their county assessor’s office.
To find more information on the Property Tax Refund Program and to submit an application, residents can fill out the hardcopy application sent to them, go to their local county treasurer’s office, or visit the Wyoming Department of Revenue website: https://revenue.wyo.gov/.
Wyoming 4-H Foundation awards more than $74,000 in scholarships for higher education (posted 4/30/2026)
LARAMIE, WYOMING — The Wyoming State 4-H Foundation awarded more than $74,000 in scholarships to Wyoming 4-H’ers attending the University of Wyoming or a Wyoming community college in the 2026-2027 academic year.
The scholarship committee awarded approximately $41,500 to first-time winners, says Steve Mack, Wyoming State 4-H Foundation director.
Nineteen Ella Schloredt continuing scholarships, ranging from $1,700 to $2,400, were awarded this year. Past winners of the Ella Schloredt scholarship are eligible to continue receiving this scholarship for up to four years, providing they maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 and meet academic progress requirements.
See below for a complete list of the 2026-2027 scholarship awardees by scholarship and home county.
Ella E. Schloredt first-year awards, $1,700
Albany - Wyatt Strain, Trenton Rogers
Carbon - Maeve Lally
Crook - Madeline Fleenor
Goshen - Liam Haas
Natrona - Phebe Zeller
Niobrara - Kort Bannan
Ella E. Schloredt continuing awards
Big Horn - Reaghan Foss, Maycee McKim
Campbell - Jayden Haugen, Samantha Marshall
Fremont - Emma Hill, Jackson Hill, Cora Remacle
Goshen - Amelia Beck
Hot Springs - Lexi Overfield
Johnson - Lily Crago, Hannah Qualm
Lincoln - Bryli Groll, Eli Linford
Natrona - Sara Loghry, Tavia Ossa
Platte - Hadley Paisley
Sheridan - Grace Hinton
Sublette - Dustin Larsen
Uinta - Aubrey Reger
Marian M. Henderson Memorial, $1,500
Goshen - Klacie Groene, Rori Haskins-Masterson
Edna Mae & Wallace McClaflin, $1,000
Campbell - Zachary McMillin
Farmhouse Foundation, $1,000
Albany - James Vasek
J.M. Nichols, $300
Campbell - Rylee Hudson
Lynette Wallace (Big Horn or Park), $750
Big Horn - Caiden Sorenson
Lael Harrison, $500
Uinta - Shaylee Brown
Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply, $1,250
Albany - Ashlyn Asay
Laramie - Regan Allen
Sublette - Alyce Hayward, Garrett Saunders
Linnabur (Big Horn or Park), $750
Big Horn - Elyssa Croft
Underwood Scholarship, $1,000
Fremont - Logan Milek
Wilbur Brettell (Laramie County), $500
Laramie - Alexandria Brady
Wyoming 4-H Foundation, $1,250
Sublette - Bryn Arne
Washakie - Kyston Rollema
Bonnie Ellenwood (Johnson), $750
Johnson - Tera Boden
Peterson (Crook), $500
Crook - Liberty Cook
Brown Kohl 4-H Appreciation, $500
Natrona - Alayna Mellin
Hjalma Williams (Albany or Laramie), $1,250
Albany - Riley Lake
Laramie - Alexandria Brady
Charles & Eileen Oakley (Fremont or Lincoln), $1,250
Fremont - Payton Helton
Nolan "Tim" Bixby, $500
Converse – Anna Grant
W.D. Whitmire Leadership, $1,000
Albany - Wyatt Strain
Big Horn - Makayla Workman
Carbon - Maeve Lally
Park - Presley Bray, Curtis Muecke
Sublette - Alyce Hayward, Colt Walker
About Wyoming 4-H
Wyoming 4-H is a positive youth development program administered by the University of Wyoming Extension. Through hands-on learning, mentorship and meaningful service, Wyoming 4-H empowers young people to become thoughtful community leaders and engaged citizens. With the support of extension educators and local volunteers, 4-H members develop life skills through project-based learning in areas ranging from livestock showing, woodworking and cake decoration to public speaking, robotics and photography. Wyoming 4-H is available to youth ages 5 to 18 in the state’s 23 counties and on the Wind River Indian Reservation. To learn more, visit www.uwyo.edu/4-h or call (307) 766-5170.
BLM plans to conduct spring prescribed burns (posted 4/30/2026)
Deadline Ridge Prescribed Burn Project in May or June northwest of LaBarge
Bureau of Land Management
PINEDALE, WYOMING— The Bureau of Land Management High Desert District, in coordination with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, may conduct prescribed burns this spring on public lands managed by the Pinedale Field Office, contingent on appropriate fuel moisture and weather conditions.
If conditions meet required parameters, the BLM plans to implement broadcast burns as part of the Deadline Ridge Prescribed Burn Project. The project is anticipated to occur in May or June and would treat approximately 210 acres of vegetation using stand-replacing fire. The treatment area is located about 13 miles northwest of LaBarge.
The prescribed burn is part of the Wyoming Range Mule Deer Habitat Project, which supports the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Wyoming Range Mule Deer Initiative. The project is designed to reduce hazardous fuels in the wildland-urban interface and improve habitat conditions for mule deer, including crucial winter, transition and fawning ranges.
The BLM works in coordination with partners to support habitat improvement efforts across the Wyoming Range. Contributing partners have included the Wyoming Game and Fish Wyoming, Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, Muley Fanatics Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, and ExxonMobil.
Prescribed burns are conducted under strict planning and authorization requirements. Each project undergoes environmental review and includes design features and mitigation measures to minimize impacts to other resources. Firefighter and public safety remain the highest priority throughout all operations.
Smoke may be visible from long distances during operations but is expected to dissipate relatively quickly based on seasonal conditions and weather patterns. Light smoke in the immediate area of the burn could last for multiple weeks following ignitions. Hunters, recreationists and other public land users are encouraged to remain aware of active project areas and prescribed fire activity.
WYG&F Commissioners vote to increase non-resident preference point prices (posted 4/21/2026)
For elk, deer, and antelope effective January 1, 2027
Wyoming Game & Fish
CHEYENNE. WY - The Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioners voted on April 21, 2026 to increase non-resident preference points effective January 1, 2027, a motion that was passed unanimously after some discussion.
The Commission voted to increase non-resident preference point prices for elk, deer, and antelope to the maximum amount permitted by the Wyoming State Legislature, which allowed limited increase in preference points and license increases per Wyoming Statute Section 23-2-101 in 2018.
"We need to be prepared to do more for our Game and Fish employees," Commissioner Bill Mai said. "Costs have increased across the board - we have to be ready to cover that."
The increases will include the following:
Antelope preference points: $31 to $75, a $44 increase.
Deer preference points: $41 to $75, a $34 increase.
Elk preference points: $52 to $75, a $23 increase.
Moose and sheep preference points had previously been increased to the maximum allowed on January 1, 2018.
Game and Fish Chief Fiscal Officer Meredith Wood said that the revenue increase, based on current preference point sales, will provide the Department with an annual revenue increase of an estimated $14,654,829.
This is the first increase for non-resident preference points since 2018. During her presentation, Wood noted that since 2008, there has been a cumulative inflation of 68.3%, with a 35.7% inflation increase since 2020.
Commissioner John Masterson said that the increase in preference points is a necessary step in managing the increased cost of wildlife management for the Department, and will ultimately benefit residents and visitors alike.
"This increase is a way of preserving a way of life that we love," Masterson said. "I’m very confident that the agency does a great job of administering the agency dollars, and I think everybody who looks at the department budget would say that they are responsible, transparent stewards of that money."
Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce said after the meeting that the decision to increase non-resident preference points is an important step forward in matching revenue with more than a decade of cost increases to the agency.
"An overall hunting license increase has not occurred since 2008," Bruce said. "It is good to see the support from the Commissioners in looking out for the future of wildlife management, however, the costs to our mission continue to grow exponentially. This is a move in the right direction, and we will continue to work to find creative opportunities to generate additional funds that will benefit wildlife in our state."
New automatic Selective Service registration for men begins December 2026 (posted 4/13/2026)
No active military draft is in effect
Pinedale Online!
Starting December 18, 2026, a new system will begin regarding how Selective Service registration is done for men. A new law signed in December 2025 shifts the registration from the individual to the Selective Service System (SSS). Instead of men registering manually, the SSS will use federal data (such as driver's license systems) to register them automatically within 30 days of their 18th birthday. Individuals will receive written notice of their registration and information on how to contest it if exempt.
Almost all male citizens and male immigrants between the ages of 18 and 25 are required by federal law to register with the SSS within 30 days of either marking their18th birthday or entering the United States. Most states and territories already have laws in place allowing their male residents to register during the process of getting a driver’s license, learner’s permit or state ID card.
This is not an active military draft in effect. There has not been an active military draft since 1973, during the Vietnam War. The US has maintained an all-volunteer force since 1973.
Once you turn 26, you are no longer required to register for Selective Service, meaning you will not be drafted, unless Congress makes changes to drafting legislation.
The old and new draft law only requires registration for men. Women cannot be drafted according to the current laws. Although they can enlist to serve in the military, they would not be considered in a draft.
• Who is Affected: Male US citizens, green card holders, refugees, and undocumented men living in the United States. (ages 18–25).
• Penalties: Neglecting to be registered remains a felony with potential penalties including up to 5 years in prison and $250,000 fine. Men who fail to register can become ineligible for state financial aid, state and federal employment, and—in the case of male immigrants—US citizenship. Proponents say this new system will streamline the process, save agency money, and improve compliance without changing who is required to register.
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NWS seeks Citizen Weather Observers across Wyoming (posted 4/13/2026)
Join CoCoRaHS
National Weather Service
The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, & Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is a nationwide volunteer reporting network that provides precipitation measurements for natural resource, education and research applications. The National Weather Service (NWS) uses CoCoRaHS precipitation data daily in river forecast models, flood and drought forecasts, and precipitation and snowfall maps and tables.
CoCoRaHS (pronounced co-co-raws) allows observers to share their precipitation measurements via the Internet, which can be used by agencies who need accurate, real-time precipitation data for various purposes. The only equipment needed to join CoCoRaHS is a standard 4" diameter plastic rain gauge and access to the Internet to enter reports. Observers can report precipitation daily or only on days when they are able to take measurements. CoCoRaHS observers can also send real-time severe weather reports to the National Weather Service (NWS); including hail size, flooding, storm damage, and excessive rainfall, which greatly assist meteorologists in determining the impact of storms on local communities.
Due to Wyoming's expansiveness, the CoCoRaHS network is an invaluable tool for the NWS and other state and federal agencies to help fill-in the gaps due to a lack of available observation sites. This shortfall is mitigated by volunteers from across the state. Precipitation, in both winter and summer, can have wide ranging values. The more people reporting these data can greatly assist the NWS in providing better forecasts and warnings. Volunteers are welcome from across the state, and we always need more people to join.
This is a community project. Everyone can help: young, old and in-between! Click on this link to sign up as a CoCoRaHS Volunteer Observer:
https://www.cocorahs.org/application.aspx
For additional information on the CoCoRaHS program, to view CoCoRaHS data, or to join the CoCoRaHS team, visit the CoCoRaHS web site at http://www.cocorahs.org/
For videos, visit the CoCoRaHS YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/cocorahs. You may also contact the CoCoRaHS Regional Coordinator for central and western Wyoming, Geri Swanson at 307-857-3898 or geri.swanson@noaa.gov.
Source: https://www.weather.gov/riw/cocorahs_spotter_new2026
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