December 2024 - 4

A COUPLE PENNIES
WYOMING
WILDLIFE
VOLUME 88, NUMBER 12 * DECEMBER 2024
State of Wyoming
Wyoming Game and Fish Commission
Governor
President
The chance to see trumpeter swans like these is one of the many gifts nature provides in Wyoming.
(Photo by Mark Gocke/WGFD)
The gift of wildlife
By Tracie Binkerd, editor
The holidays are here. I've been trying
to deny it, but there comes a time when
I have to accept the inevitable. And, as
Christmas approaches and Thanksgiving
fades in the rearview mirror, I'm looking
forward to a little more time with friends
and family.
In life, the best gifts of the world are
those given to us by nature. Wyoming
has a rich tapestry of terrain with stunning
landscapes and a rugged beauty. The
views offered by Mother Nature are a gift
themselves. Sharing vivid imagery with
someone else is a gift, too. There's something
special about introducing someone
to a new aspect of the natural world.
Whether seeing their face light up at the
first glimpse of the Snowy Range, the
excitement of seeing their first moose or
the thrill of harvesting their first animal,
sharing these experiences is unforgettable.
Wildlife gives to the economy as well.
Millions of visitors stream to Wyoming
yearly to see the state's natural beauty
and wildlife. People flock to the national
parks hoping to spot a grizzly bear or see
the majestic Tetons, hunters come for the
amazing wildlife resources and diverse
species and anglers enjoy our clean
streams with healthy fish. That means
big dollars to the state's economies with
visitors staying in hotels, shopping in
stores and eating at restaurants.
Wildlife in Wyoming continues to
give. Folks who watch or photograph
wildlife know this all too well. Observing
wildlife can teach us much about the
natural world and help us find ourselves.
For many in Wyoming, wildlife is an
4 | December 2024
integral part of our lives - weaved into
the very fabric of our existence. Whether
you're looking out the window to your
yard, driving one of Wyoming's highways
crossing the great Sagebrush Sea, passing
time with a hike or actively pursuing
animals for hunting or photography,
wildlife will be there - forging a deep
connection to the land and the people
around you.
It's in these connections that wildlife
has given me the most, I think. Wildlife
was a part of my childhood, and it's
stayed with me throughout my life. I
can still remember conversations with
my parents when we were on the boat
trolling for walleye at Boysen Reservoir
- relationships that grew even stronger
as I picked up hunting in adulthood.
My husband and I enjoy anything with
nature - we spent our honeymoon in
Yellowstone watching wildlife and seeing
natural wonders we'd lived close to all
our lives without going to see. We spend
summer evenings at nearby fishing spots
and travel further for weekend trips. I
vividly remember a moose encounter
early in our relationship. The shared fear
of a moose stomping brought us closer.
Truly, Wyoming's wildlife is a gift to us
all. It enriches our lives in ways we may
never fully understand. It's something to
cherish. I'm truly blessed to live in Wyoming
and be close to nature and wildlife.
LOOKING FOR A
HOLIDAY GIFT?
GIVE A WYOMING
WILDLIFE MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIPTION.
Vice President
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Richard Ladwig, Manville
Mark Jolovich, Torrington
John Masterson, Casper
Rusty Bell, Gillette
Kenneth Roberts, Kemmerer
Ashlee Lundvall, Powell
Ralph Brokaw, Arlington
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Director
Deputy Director
Deputy Director
Chief of Fiscal
Chief of Wildlife
Chief of Fisheries
Chief of Services
Chief of Communications
and Education
Angi Bruce
Eric Wiltanger
Doug Brimeyer
Dirk Miller
Richard King
Alan Osterland
Greg Phipps
Nish Goicolea
Magazine Staff
Editor
Associate Editor
Creative Director
Contributing Designer
Mark Gordon
Tracie Binkerd
Robert Gagliardi
Patrick Owen
Emalee Smith
Wyoming Wildlife (ISSN 0043-9819) is published monthly (including the November
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changes of address to Wyoming Wildlife, P.O. Box 469001, Escondido, CA 92046.
Printed in the USA. COPYRIGHT 2020 BY THE WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
CONSERVING WILDLIFE
SERVING PEOPLE
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December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2024