October 2023 - 4

A COUPLE PENNIES
WYOMING
WILDLIFE
VOLUME 87, NUMBER 10 * OCTOBER 2023
State of Wyoming
Wyoming Game and Fish Commission
Governor
President
About four miles of walking, fighting willows and swampy creek bottoms and a couple of falls over deadfall trees
resulted in this nice brown trout. (Photo by Robert Gagliardi/WGFD)
Doing it
the hard way
By Robert Gagliardi, associate editor
The path of least resistance. The road
less traveled. The easy way out.
You've heard these phrases before,
especially if you're a hunter, angler or
outdoor enthusiast. Why make things
harder on yourself if you don't have to
in the quest of harvesting game, catching
fish or enjoying a hike?
I think a little differently when it comes
to fishing.
Mentors like my dad, grandfather and
uncle instilled in me at a young age the
best chance to have success on a creek
or lake in Wyoming is to go where no
one goes. Sure, knowing a landowner
who grants you access is a bonus. But in
terms of public land, I'm talking about
places that take work and effort to get in
and out. Ideally it's great to pull up in a
vehicle to a fishing spot and within a few
steps you are catching fish. Those places
are usually packed with people.
My mindset is the farther I get away
from people and the tougher the terrain,
the better chance for success. It's worked
more often than not, but there are no
guarantees. That's why it's called fishing,
not catching. I'm sure hunters can relate.
Over the years I've driven over old,
washed-out roads where the difference
between staying on that road and tumbling
into a steep ravine was mere inches.
4 | October 2023
I've twisted ankles numerous times walking
over rock formations that would make
mountain goats nervous. I've slid down
banks on my butt to fish certain parts
of creeks, hoping to eventually find a
way to climb out. I've crawled through
willows and brush, gone over my chest
waders crossing streams to be on the best
side to fish and sunk up to my waist in
mud. I can't forget - although I wish I
could - the number of times I've fallen
from stepping in beaver holes, unseen
deadfall trees and stumps, slick rocks or
just my own clumsiness.
Doesn't sound like a lot of fun, does it?
But it is fun, and the sense of satisfaction
and pride remains when I work my
tail off to get to and from a tough-toreach
fishing spot, especially when the
fishing is good. My body doesn't always
feel good, but it's still mind over matter
for me. If anything, it's a good workout
and a much better alternative than going
to the gym. Conversely, it's a little deflating
when all that work goes for naught
and my bad knees and shoulders feel more
stiff and sore when that occurs.
Still, it's an adventure and something
I hope I can continue to do for as long
as possible. I'm thankful for that lesson,
and the many others my mentors taught
me. No matter the outcome, a long day
spent in Wyoming's open spaces is better
than a day spent in the office.
Vice President
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Ralph Brokaw, Arlington
Richard Ladwig, Manville
John Masterson, Casper
Rusty Bell, Gillette
Kenneth Roberts, Kemmerer
Ashlee Lundvall, Powell
Mark Jolovich, Torrington
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
Brian Nesvik
John Kennedy
Angela Bruce
Greg Phipps
Richard King
Alan Osterland
Eric Wiltanger
Nish Goicolea
Magazine Staff
Editor
Associate Editor
Creative Director
Contributing Designer
Mark Gordon
Tracie Binkerd
Robert Gagliardi
Patrick Owen
Emalee Roth
Wyoming Wildlife (ISSN 0043-9819) is published monthly (including the November
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CONSERVING WILDLIFE
SERVING PEOPLE
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October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2023