WY Wilderness ???

[Berg]

My question is regarding non-residents in Wyoming Wilderness areas. I know the rules and the particulars regarding this law and I know this has been discussed and written about previously on the site.
However, my question is whether any of this group knows if this law has ever been officially challenged in the court system. To the laymen it would appear that this law is unconstitutional and would not hold up in Federal Court if seriously challenged. I would love to know if a serious threat has ever been made to get this law thrown out and if it is something that could go as high as the Supreme Court? Any knowledge on this would be most appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Founder]

I can't answer any of your questions, but it's sure ridiculous. An outfitter once told me that it was setup the way it is many years ago because another powerful, influential outfitter benefited from it. It's just never been changed. It doesn't effect WY residents and actually benefits them, so they're not going to put a lot of energy into it.
If I were smarter and had more time, I sure like to figure out if it could be changed. It's clearly a rule that is setup to force non-residents to hire a hunting guide in the area.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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[mmwb]

I think most Wyoming residents agree it is bogus. I don't see that it helps or harms me as a resident, though if more non residents could hunt wilderness, it might decrease pressure in other public areas... Purely political. I doubt it would stand scrutiny in court, but don't know how many courts one would have to go through to have it found unconstitutional.

 

[sjhgraysage]

Brian nailed it! You can go into Wyoming wilderness as a non-resident to: hike, fish, mountain climb, sight see, camp, cross country ski, snow shoe, star gaze, anything but hunt big game on your own without a "guide". This law/rule is not about individual safety! I believe that it has been challenged unsuccessfully.

 

[TOPGUN]

The law has been challenged through the courts and the state of Wyoming won in that all hunting rules are up to the individual states to set and enforce within their boundaries. They don't even have to allow nonresident hunters when you come right down to it, so I guess we should be more than happy with what we have available even though the law sucks and is strictly an outfitter subsidy.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

I know guides and they are good people. The Wyoming rule is dumb. How many NR's die in the Frank Church wilderness or in the brooks range hunting moose?

I do think it ridiculous to have to hire a guide for any public hunt, which includes G-Bear, Goat, and Dalls in AK.

I do live in Wyoming and do not see a point to it. There is nothing that makes me more qualified to be in the wilderness than some of the other backcountry hunters in the US. I would not be against an orientation course oh how to best prepare yourself in Grizzly country even for hikers and backcountry fishers.

Maybe a charging bear simulation, how to survive in case you get snowed in, what to do if you break your leg in the backcountry, etc.

The safety concerns could be satisfied with an orientation course, but it shouldn't be limited to just hunting parties.

 

[TOPGUN]

Trust me DudeAbides, the law wasn't made for the safety of anyone! That is very obvious when everyone but big game hunters can enter as they please.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

As a WY resident I would support doing away with that rule. It is ridiculous.

 

[eelgrass]

Originally (many years ago) when I heard about the rule I thought it was a way to support the local guides and the economy of that mostly isolated area and I thought that was kind of cool.

But then I found out that a lot of guides don't even live in Wyoming or the immediate area. So I think the original intent has gone by the wayside.

 

[RELH]

I have hunted in the Wyoming Wilderness area many years ago. I was told by several Wyoming residents the law was enacted at the request of outfitters and guides to ensure non-residents would have to employ them to hunt any wilderness area.
I and my hunting partner was able to get around hiring a guide since we knew two locals in Pinedale that hunted with us on a non paying for guiding us. I believe they had to file a form that they were not being paid since they were not licensed guides. Not 100% sure on the form as it has been over 15 years.

The law should be repealed as it has nothing to really do with hunter safety since you can go into the wilderness areas for everything else without any guide. It only benefits guides and no one else and rips off the out of state hunter.

Those same locals that "guided" us also advised that certain guides seem to think they owned the wilderness area and would give some of the locals a bad time trying to run them off to stop any interference with their hunting clients.

RELH

 

[EVILNR]

It's as stupid as AK's laws requiring NR's to hire a guide to hunt Brown Bear, Dall Sheep and Mtn. Goat. NR's can hike, fish, camp,and ski in the same areas all of these animals reside, but cant hunt them without a guide.
It's all about power, control and money!!