April 2023 - 5

MAILBAG
GOLDEN QUESTION
In the December 2022 issue, the article on golden
trout mentions nine lakes stocked in 2022 on the Wind
River Indian Reservation. In pursuing the Wyoming
Game and Fish Department's stocking report there is
no mention of any lakes on the reservation. There are
nine lakes on the eastern side of the Continental Divide
mentioned, but none of them are on the reservation.
Was this a typo or does Game and Fish not report the
lakes they stock on the reservation?
Bob Shettel
Carbondale, Colorado
Bob,
The Eastern Shoshone, Northern Arapaho tribes and
Lander office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service collaborates
with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department on
helicopter stocking in the Wind River Mountains. As part
of that collaboration, Game and Fish provides golden trout
to the tribes for stocking in reservation wilderness waters.
Other species stocked on the reservation are provided by
USFWS hatcheries. Game and Fish doesn't maintain
records for stocking on the Wind River Reservation. For
information on tribal water stocking go to: https://www.
fws.gov/office/lander-fish-and-wildlife-conservation. -
Mark Smith, Game and Fish assistant fisheries management
coordinator.
GET KIDS INVOLVED
I really enjoyed the article about fish sampling in
January's magazine, especially seeing the darters. I've
used all these methods as a fish biologist in Washington
helping tribal efforts to protect juvenile salmonid
habitats, including the protection of non-natal estuaries
where juvenile chinooks seek refuge on out migration.
My greatest joy was working with kids using a
12-foot hand-pole seine to help them understand
HUNTING HARVEST
Readers help us celebrate their favorite hunting
harvest photos from around the Cowboy State every
Friday at facebook.com/wyomingwildlifemagazine.
Visit our Facebook page to contribute.
CURE FOR WINTER BLUES
Answering Robert Gagliardi's question: " Why does
winter go by slowly yet summer and fall go by so fast? "
from the January 2023 issue, I suspect his body doesn't
like the effects of the circadian rhythm that winter has
on it. It doesn't like all the darkness of winter. So his
challenge is to get used to it, everyone does.
Lisa Ballard offers good remedies to his cabin fever
in the same issue. I offer a few more. Take up your
friend's ice fishing offer, and take plenty of food and
adult beverages. Catching fish is just a bonus, and
getting skunked is moderated by what you bring along.
Buy some camera equipment that allows you to do
nighttime photography. Lots of animals are active in
the dark. Take day trips in your vehicle. Put on the
chains or studded tires and brave the icy roads like a
true chariot racer.
If you get snowed in, have a party! Enjoy the companionship
of people in the same boat as you. Summer
and fall go by so fast because you are having fun in all
that daylight. Sleep less and enjoy your favorite activities
while you can because winter is always lurking.
Relish the fact you live in Wyoming.
Mike Pierce
Hendersonville, North Carolina
juvenile fish habitat. I've had the pleasure to seine with
kids from Wilson School when we seined the Snake
River and netted/released tiny cutthroat.
I encourage the Wyoming Game and Fish Department
crews to invite teachers and kids to help with such
projects. In my case, one young person who joined us
helped raise nearly $1 million to set aside an estuary
named in his honor.
Ron Hirschi
Poulsbo, Washington
GET IN TOUCH
Address letters to wyomingwildlife@
wyo.gov or Wyoming Wildlife, 5400
Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82006.
Please include your name, city and
state. Letters may be edited for grammar,
typographical errors and length.
Letters selected for publication
represent the volume received on any
given topic and their relevance to
recent issues of the magazine.
You can also send us a
message through our Facebook
page at facebook.com/
wyomingwildlifemagazine.
E-EDITION
Visit wgfd.wyo.gov/magazine and
click on " manage your account "
to access the Wyoming Wildlife
e-edition.
Submitted by Travis Osmond
Submitted by DeeJay Merritt
Submitted by Stephenie Binns
Wyoming Wildlife | 5
http://www.facebook.com/ http://wgfd.wyo.gov/magazine https://www http://www.fws.gov/office/lander-fish-and-wildlife-conservation http://www.facebook.com/wyomingwildlifemagazine
April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2023
