Hunter Management Area

[elks96]

So I am looking at the state interactive map and trying to decide what is open where etc. I see 2 property types and am not sure if there is a difference or if you need a special permit etc. Some areas are labelled walk-in hunting access and others are labelled Hunter Management areas. This is just based on the map, but there is nothing about access dates, or what is open etc.

Anyone know how the management areas differ from the walk in areas?

 

[Bob D.]

Hunter Management Areas you need a permission slip to hunt. Walk in areas you don't.

 

[elks96]

Hunter Management Areas you need a permission slip to hunt. Walk in areas you don't.

On those areas do you get the slip from the State or property owners? Also If there is BLM with in the boundaries within the management area that you can access do you need the slip?

 

[Bookhead]

If the blm is accessable without crossing private land you do not need a slip you get the slips from the game and fish website. And walk in areas and hunter management areas may only be open for certain species you can find all the details for each area on the game and fish website

 

[Bob D.]

You get it from the state. You need to look at the WGFD website, all the information is there. Permission slips you get online and print out at home. Some are unlimited in number and others are limited, and for those you need to apply and be successful in the drawing. I'm not sure about the question of access to public land within an HMA. But I think it's the same as any landlocked public land. If you don't have permission across the private land to get to the public, then you can't legally access the public land. But I'm not certain about if there is legal access to public land within an HMA. I would think that it's probably huntable without a permission slip in that case. But I would verify with a game warden or other WGFD employee first.

 

[travishunter3006]

I obtain HMA permission slips for deer, elk and antelope every year. I have yet to actually hunt one, but that is because I've been blessed with good animals on public ground. The HMA's in my area are not prime country either, so I don't put really any eggs in the HMA basket. The WIA is just that.... you can walk right in. I had some doe tags and used the WIA to fill those a few years ago. Plenty of other hunters pounding the crap out of it at the beginning of the season makes it tough but doable. PM me if you want specific help on specific areas you're looking at.

 

[nfh]

When I use to draw an antelope tag every year I always got a HMA slip. Just be sure to always have the slip. I had a rancher ask to see mine cause I was bowhunting out in his field. He was super nice to not to ruin my stalk. After I pointed it out in my dash of the truck he wished me luck. 3 years later I haven't drawn another antelope tag. That's ok though the area is struggling number wise

 

[ralphie]

Just asked a game warden friend of mine who handles hms and wias. Anything you can get to legally you do not have to have a permission slip. Those lands might sometimes be drawn in the boundaries and they might be hard to id without gps or something but if you can get to it legally and it’s public land no slip required

 

[BigChiefJ]

On those areas do you get the slip from the State or property owners? Also If there is BLM with in the boundaries within the management area that you can access do you need the slip?

I believe any public land that's in the HMA boundary would be subject to the rules for the area. Therefore you would need to read up on that area to see what type of permission is required.

 

[nfh]

In bold letters it says one must obtain
I would go by what is written and not by word of mouth

 

[ralphie]

I would say if hunting anywhere near one it would be a little short sighted not to get one no matter what.


My warden friend ( cody office) explains about public land drawn inside an hma: “we sometimes will show boundaries on public lands included in an hma because it’s easier than marking each piece of private. in the case of one hma it shows grazing allotments.”

Grazing allotments are public land but because on some ranches the land is so intermingled some parts with both public and private become managed as one unit. So a map of grazing allotment X may have private and public lands drawn within its boundaries. And the fences frequently do not follow ownership boundaries.

HMA owners are allowed a fair amount of freedom to set seasons, even what species/sex you can hunt. I didn’t ask him, but I highly doubt an HMA owner could dictate special seasons or species restrictions on public lands. I don’t think public lands are subject to the rules of an hma. I’ll ask him about that tomorrow.

He did emphasize though that as always it is your responsibility to know where you are and how you got there. And that if you shoot an animal on public and it goes onto private your access to that animal is at the mercy of the land owner.

 

[highfastflyer]

The key here is legally accessible public lands. You can hunt them inside an HMA boundary if you don’t trespass to access them. Normally that means a state highway, county, or BLM road touching that or an adjacent parcel. A good example is the Rattlesnake HMA in Natrona County is 90% public but maybe half is accessible so know where you are at. OnX maps is a great tool. The Game and Fish normally in July will put out more information about the Walk in areas as that changes year to year. Many of these HMAs have a drawing so watch the Game and Fish website for those dates. It takes reading but the information is there on the G&F website.

 

[nripepi]

You can hunt the public if accessible and do not have to abide by the HMA rules, but you can NOT cross onto private of the HMA at all at any point unless you have the Slip (game wardens check slips at HMAs often). If you are that close, you might as well get an HMA slip as they are usually simple to print out. Some are subject to draws for the whole season or part of the season, so this definitely could come into play where you actually can't get the slip and there is public land available you want to hunt.

What you can't do, even if you have an HMA slip, is go through the HMA and access the public and not abide by the HMA rules unless you have a different way out of the HMA which is all on public.

This is definitely pushing the spirit of the HMA rules and a game warden may see things differently. For example, the HMA allows antelope hunting, but not deer hunting. If you go through the HMA and shoot a deer on the public adjacent to the HMA, you better have the following:

1. An HMA slip
2. A valid unused Antelope tag for that HMA and that season is open.
3. A way to take your deer, you, whatever you have (probably including your vehicle) out through the public to a public access point.

If you had all of the following, why wouldn't you just go through the public to shoot your deer? I could think of a few reasons why......

 

[desperatehills]

Also, walk in access is just a name and not a description. My first time hunting a "walk-in" area I got there nice and early opening morning and hiked out into the sage brush. As the sun came up 20 plus trucks drove right by me. Roads were open for vehicle travel on that "walk-in" area

 

[Bookhead]

Also, walk in access is just a name and not a description. My first time hunting a "walk-in" area I got there nice and early opening morning and hiked out into the sage brush. As the sun came up 20 plus trucks drove right by me. Roads were open for vehicle travel on that "walk-in" area

Yea on the game and fish website it will also show access roads on both walk in and hunter management also where the parking areas are. It's all on there and most of it is marked pretty well with signage in the field too

 

[nontypical]

Just get the permission slip! It's EASY! No reason to play games here.

 

[Bookhead]

There are several hunter management areas that a permision slip is very difficult to obtain because it's through a draw. There is a reason to still hunt legally accessible public land without a slip