March 2023 - 13

PROJECT PROFILES
On a mission for you
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department works throughout the year to fulfill the mission
of " conserving wildlife, serving people. " A variety of projects, surveys and efforts are
underway across Wyoming to meet this charge. Some highlights of recent work include:
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Pronghorn captures: Thirty-five doe pronghorn were
captured and fitted with GPS collars in November 2022 as
part of a new research project north of Gillette. The goal
is to better understand movement patterns of pronghorn
in the North Black Hills pronghorn herd. The three-year
project will gather information regarding potential important
winter habitats, survival rates and roadway impacts.
Bolton Creek sheet piling: Game and Fish and the
Bureau of Land Management partnered on a project that
was completed in fall 2022 to increase floodplain connectivity
on Bolton Creek in the Casper Region. The project
also reduces sediment entering the North Platte River,
promotes riparian vegetation growth and decreases stream
erosion. Four structures were placed in Bolton Creek and
two more in draws that lead into the creek.
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Land acquisition: The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission
recently acquired 120 acres of land inside the
Commission's Spence and Moriarity Wildlife Management
Area near Dubois. The property was landlocked on all
sides prior to the acquisition. It provides important
wintering habitat for mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep,
pronghorn and many others. The land also allows for
recreational access onto this parcel.
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Sagebrush mowing: In cooperation with the BLM Kemmerer
Field Office, Game and Fish's habitat and access
statewide development crew completed sagebrush mowing
treatment of 3,488 acres of crucial mule deer winter range
at five locations in the southern Wyoming Range last fall.
A follow-up aerial application of herbicide was applied to
the entire project area and adjacent locations to reduce
cheatgrass establishment and maintain native herbaceous
vegetation. Immediate benefits include increased grass/
forb species diversity and productivity in mowed areas
for mule deer during the spring migration. Associated
insect populations in mowed areas are expected to enhance
habitat for sage grouse and contribute to chick survival.
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North Laramie River: Work was completed in December
2022 on the North Laramie River in the Laramie Region to
improve a fish barrier upstream from Interstate 25 that
prevents smallmouth bass from moving upstream to feed
on horneyhead chub, common shiners and rainbow trout.
Workers also reconstructed two other barriers upstream
to allow fish passage and reduce diversion maintenance.
That work opened up about 10 miles of stream habitat.
CWD management: In January Game and Fish placed 40
GPS telemetry collars on mule deer throughout Hunt Area
157 in the Lander Region to gather data on habitat use,
movements and deer density related to chronic wasting
disease in the area. Collars were placed on 20 bucks and 20
does. Game and Fish has worked with the U.S. Geological
Service, Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes,
Tribal Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
on this project. Hunt areas 157 and nearby 171 have the
highest prevalence known in Wyoming.
Mule deer capture and collar: More than 400 mule deer
in the Absaroka and Bighorn mountains were captured
and collared earlier this year as part of Game and Fish's
statewide Mule Deer Monitoring Project. More than 200
deer were captured from the Upper Shoshone River herd
unit on winter ranges in the North Fork and South Fork of
the Shoshone River drainage west of Cody, and another 200
were captured on the east and west slopes of the Bighorn
Mountains in the North Bighorn herd unit.
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Flaming Gorge creel survey: Game and Fish began
a creel survey in January at Flaming Gorge Reservoir in
the Green River Region. The survey will last until August,
and Game and Fish will have check stations along the
highway this winter and at boat ramps during the summer.
Creel surveys allow Game and Fish to interact with the
public to get a pulse on what people like and how they
use the resources while recreating. Personnel will collect
information about what anglers are catching, how long
anglers fish, levels of satisfaction and how often people
recreate at the reservoir.
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March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2023