December 2024 - 2

FROM THE
DIRECTOR
Time for reflection and healing
Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce feels fortunate she was able to hunt with her son this fall. (Photo by Angi Bruce/WGFD)
By Angi Bruce
O
ne of my favorite images
is the sunrise over the
sagebrush landscape.
A scroll through my camera roll
reveals way too many Wyoming
sunrise photos - indicative of my
many attempts to take the perfect
photo that captures the beauty of our
state. The vast and wide openness of
Wyoming and its skies is where I find
peace and solitude.
As we enter this holiday season, filled with
checklists and parties, I often find myself
reflecting on the moments captured in those
photos. Each photo serves as a reminder of the
blessings surrounding us and the memories
we created over the past year. This fall was
bittersweet. I spent time in the sagebrush
2 | December 2024
with my son, scouting for pronghorn and
enjoying the cool, fall mornings. I am trying
to make the most of each season before he
steps into independence, knowing that soon
these memories will only become photos.
However, I know how incredibly lucky I was
to enjoy a peaceful hunting season this year.
For many hunters, their hunting season was
interrupted or put on hold as they watched
their favorite areas in northeast Wyoming
burn. Amid the catastrophe, ranchers were
evacuated and sent their livestock out of state
because their forage was gone. This year's
wildfires were devastating for so many reasons,
and they left their mark on our beautiful state.
Ranchlands and forests will recover with
time. Fire renews the habitat. New spring
vegetation will turn the landscape green. The
forests will flourish with new, nutritional
seedlings - a favorite for big game. The ashes
will fertilize the soil and restore vegetation
for pronghorn. However, the large amount
of lost habitat has us concerned. Will the
sage-grouse return to the same leks? Will
we be able to prevent invasive plants from
dominating ranchlands? Will the elk return
to their habitat? Will the lack of patchy burns
affect the biodiversity of regrowth? There are
many unknowns.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department
is united in our efforts, working closely with
a network of federal, state and local partners
and conservation groups to plan for invasive
species control, reseeding of sagebrush
and rebuilding of fences. Addressing the
infrastructure lost on the Game and Fish's
wildlife habitat management areas is a priority,
and we will continue to monitor wildlife and
evaluate needs.
For many, photos from northeast Wyoming
will be different this year. The vista of the
Bighorn Mountains has changed, and the
wildfires have left their mark. As you enjoy the
holiday season with family and friends, I hope
you have fond memories to share from your
time outside and reflect on the efforts of those
who helped fight to protect our landscape from
the catastrophic fires of this season.

December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2024

December 2024 - 1
December 2024 - 2
December 2024 - 3
December 2024 - 4
December 2024 - 5
December 2024 - 6
December 2024 - 7
December 2024 - 8
December 2024 - 9
December 2024 - 10
December 2024 - 11
December 2024 - 12
December 2024 - 13
December 2024 - 14
December 2024 - 15
December 2024 - 16
December 2024 - 17
December 2024 - 18
December 2024 - 19
December 2024 - 20
December 2024 - 21
December 2024 - 22
December 2024 - 23
December 2024 - 24
December 2024 - 25
December 2024 - 26
December 2024 - 27
December 2024 - 28
December 2024 - 29
December 2024 - 30
December 2024 - 31
December 2024 - 32
December 2024 - 33
December 2024 - 34
December 2024 - 35
December 2024 - 36
December 2024 - 37
December 2024 - 38
December 2024 - 39
December 2024 - 40
December 2024 - 41
December 2024 - 42
December 2024 - 43
December 2024 - 44
December 2024 - 45
December 2024 - 46
December 2024 - 47
December 2024 - 48
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com