January 2024 - 15

the army and studied at an agricultural college
where he worked extensively with horses. As
a boy, he was fascinated with James Fenimore
Cooper's, " The Leather Stocking Tales, " and
dreamed of seeing the American wilderness.
Nelson's wildlife protection career
began in July of 1895 when he
joined forces with a wildlife law
enforcement posse. The group was
tasked with going after individuals
killing elk for their hides in Idaho.
In 1883, Nelson landed in New York and
rode an empty freight car to Nebraska where
he was discovered and kicked off. He briefly
worked in the hay fields before heading to
Rock Springs when he was almost 24 years
old. His knowledge of horses served him well,
and he soon became a cowboy roaming from
Brown's Hole to South Pass. During this time,
he became a proficient marksman and hunter
with chuckwagon cooks relying on him for
game meat.
In the late 1880s, Nelson partnered with
Billy Bierer and the two hunted, trapped and
prospected along the Wind River Mountains.
The two decided to homestead along the East
Fork of the Green River in 1888. They endured
a rugged winter the following year and lost a
majority of their livestock and supplies. They
soon found themselves snowshoeing 70 miles
back to Rock Springs.
According to Jay Lawson's, " Men to Match
Our Mountains, " Nelson sought every opportunity
to make a living through the outdoors.
He homesteaded in the Jackson Hole area
in 1894 and became an accomplished outdoorsman.
He taught himself taxidermy and
guided hunting trips. His reputation for quality
excursions and trophy mounts brought him
acclaimed clients such as John D. Rockefeller,
Jr. and the Harrimans.
Nelson's wildlife protection career began
in July of 1895 when he joined forces with a
wildlife law enforcement posse. The group was
tasked with going after individuals killing elk
for their hides in Idaho. The group successfully
apprehended the individuals on the upper
Green River and seized 211 hides. Several of
the apprehended individuals were taken to
Albert Nelson was an early pioneer in wildlife protection in Wyoming as the state's first game warden. (J.E. Stimson
Collection, Wyoming State Archives)
Evanston for trial but were acquitted due to
the vagueness of early game laws.
Nelson was appointed as the state's first game
warden four years later at a salary of $1,200 a
year. He patrolled the state and was an early
pioneer in wildlife protection, making many
arrests for newly enacted wildlife crimes. He
rode horseback across the state to Cheyenne
for trials. Those holding on to the frontier
traditions frequently challenged Wyoming's
new game laws, and Nelson did not achieve a
single conviction. After three years, he resigned
due to frustration.
Nelson lived on to see wildlife populations
recover. In 1921, the Legislature created the
Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and
in 1929 granted the Commission authority
to establish hunting and fishing seasons to
restore populations. Over time, the Wyoming
Game and Fish Department worked to develop
effective hunting and fishing seasons. By the
time World War II arrived, wildlife populations
had rebounded.
Nelson remained in the Jackson Hole area,
working as a taxidermist until his mid-80s. He
died at the age of 95.
Nelson was inducted into the Wyoming
Outdoor Hall of Fame in November 2023.
- Breanna Ball is the Game and Fish public information
officer. Historical information for this article was provided
by the book, " Men To Match Our Mountains, " by former
Game and Fish Chief Game Warden Jay Lawson.
Wyoming Wildlife | 15

January 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2024