Dear Friend,
September 30 marks the end of the Wyoming Untrapped (WU) fiscal year. This is a necessary time of reflection for the WU team as this date coincides with the start of Furbearer Trapping Season in Wyoming (October 1) and the end of one of our biggest annual fundraisers, Old Bill’s (September 16). It is a time to celebrate accomplishments and understand how far we need to go to achieve our long-term goals of trapping reform.
We have achieved some much-needed reforms like banning large (330) body-gripping traps on dry land and large power snares on public lands and have restricted beaver trapping in some drainages in Teton County. However, we still have much further to go to ensure safety on public lands. Meaningful regulatory reform takes time, persistence, and partnership. All things that the WU team members understand and excel in. As we work on trapping regulation reform and policy change at the governmental level, we simultaneously work to educate our communities on trap safety and provide landowners with effective alternatives to trapping as a way to remove traps from the landscape at a community level. We believe this multi-pronged approach is the best way to achieve our long-term goals. None of this is possible without you.
We are so grateful to our supporters for speaking up when the opportunity arises and helping us fund our work so we can continue to be a voice when no one else is. Join us in celebrating the work we have achieved this year. Some of our highlights this year include:
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WU is prepared to continue as long as it takes to achieve meaningful reform, provide safety on public lands, and advocate for the humane treatment of our wildlife through science-based wildlife management. But we need your help to keep us at it. Old Bill’s is our largest annual fundraiser, and every dollar raised fuels our mission. Consider donating to WU during Old Bills this week to keep us working for you and Wyoming.
On behalf of the WU team and the wild ones,
Loren Taylor, CWB ®
Executive Director
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WGFD Ch. 28 and 34: Impressive Public Action
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As we continue to work on regulation reform, we want to take a moment to thank YOU, our supporters, for your participation in our most recent 'Take Action' request and speak up for coexistence. In July, The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recommended several changes to Chapter 28 Regulation Governing Big or Trophy Game Animal or Game Bird or Gray Wolf Damage Claims and Chapter 34 Auxiliary Management Hunting Seasons that warranted careful review and public comment.
We were elated by how many individuals raised their voices for wildlife. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department received 26 public comments on the proposed changes to Chapter 28 and 21 public comments on the proposed changes to Chapter 34, for a total of 47 public comments submitted, with the vast majority of these comments being in favor of the recommendations that our team made in our corresponding Take Action.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission will be voting on these regulations at their September meeting, taking place today (13th) and tomorrow (14th), via zoom and in person. Please visit the Game and Fish Commission Meeting webpage for details.
We thank everyone who submitted public comments for stepping up and raising your voices for responsible wildlife management and conservation. Meaningful reform requires public involvement and making governing agencies aware of the changes we want to see. Please continue to speak up when opportunities arise and encourage others to do the same.
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Wyoming Untrapped (WU) is celebrating our incredible supporters during this Old Bill's giving season to show our gratitude for all the work you've helped us complete this year. The WU team has put together a raffle for Old Bill's final week that corresponds with programs and projects you've helped us make possible.
For Fun Run week, WU gave one lucky supporter a SWAG pack. We encourage our friends to spread the word, and no better way to do that than representing WU everywhere you go.
As we close out the last week of Old Bill's Fun Run season, we shift our focus to educating our communities on pet safety during the upcoming fall trapping season, beginning October 1, 2022. This week we will give away an UNtrapped pack to one lucky WU supporter and invite all our friends and community members to attend one of our upcoming Trap Release Workshops.
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Last Week to Give During Old Bill's 2022!
It has been an incredible Old Bill's season and a fantastic time to have our community back together again. After the past few years of virtual engagement, WU is thrilled to be back in person and engaging with the public at our Old Bill's Fun Run booth this past weekend. Our team and volunteers took part in this incredible day by providing information on trapping regulations, human and pet safety on public lands, and wildlife coexistence through outreach, interactive art projects, and informative engagement.
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The Wyoming Untrapped team believes that more people aware of current trapping and snaring regulations in Wyoming will equate to more people advocating for much-needed regulatory change. Simply put, we need to get the word out. Learn more about the projects and important work we do to keep Wyoming wildlife, residents, and pets safe on the public landscape. |
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Believe it or not, trapping is legal on almost all public lands across Wyoming. An adequately set trap or snare is nearly impossible to see and can be baited, unintentionally attracting your pet. In Wyoming, trappers can legally set an unlimited number of traps, including along heavily used hiking trails. Trapped or snared pets may have only minutes to live once caught. More than 85 dogs have been reported trapped, and 11 have been reported killed in Wyoming since 2000. Many more go unreported.
What you learn in this workshop may save your pet's life. With the Wyoming furbearer trapping season starting October 1st, the Wyoming Untrapped (WU) team is happy to announce that our highly requested Trap Release Workshop will be offered again this season in person. WU has worked diligently to provide these workshops so that our communities will be safe, prepared, and educated this trapping season.
This year's workshops will be held in Laramie, Pinedale, and Jackson. This event was made possible by our wonderful sponsors, Friends of Bridger-Teton and PAWS of Jackson Hole, and through the generosity of our supporters, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Wyoming Coalition for Animal Protection (WYCAP), Happy Endings Animal Rescue (H.E.A.R), and caring individual donors nationwide. We are grateful for every single one of you.
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