LARAMIE – Thanks to a cooperative agreement among private landowners, the Wyoming State Land Board and the Game and Fish Department, a walk-in area has been established providing hunting access to Battle Mountain in the southwest corner of the Sierra Madres east of Baggs.

           Bart Morris, the Game and Fish regional access coordinator for southern Wyoming, says the new 620-acre walk-in area is not listed in the 2005 atlas because it was just recently established.

The area provides foot and horseback access to hunt all legal species in the area, including elk and deer. All rules for the area are posted in the parking area along Wyoming Highway 70 and include:

         -- Access is restricted to foot and horseback traffic only.
 

-- Access is limited to individual hunters only and does not include access for any commercial activity, including outfitting for hunters.
 

 -- Do not hunt on adjoining private lands not enrolled in the Walk-in Area Program

-- Do not litter. Please pack your trash out.

-- Only landowners owning the private lands within the walk-in area may allow other activities, such as trapping, antler hunting, photography, etc.

-- Please deposit landowner coupons for big game animals harvested on deeded land in the drop boxes provided.

-- Please obey all Game and Fish laws and regulations. Report any violations to the Stop Poaching Hotline at (800) 442-4331.

“The Battle Mountain Walk-in Area is a combination of Wyoming State Lands and private lands owned by Salisbury Livestock Co., Todd Kaisler and C Lazy J Ranch,” Morris said. “These private landowners and the State Land Board have entered into walk-in area agreements with the Game and Fish to allow hunting by foot and horseback on the lands. “

           He adds a developed parking lot is planned for the area in 2006.

(contact: Bart Morris (307) 745-5180 or Lucy Wold (307) 875-3223)