DON’T FORGET ACCESS YES WHEN PURCHASING 2006 HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES
– ‘Tis the season to start thinking about getting your 2006 hunting and fishing licenses and conservation stamps.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Private Lands/Public Wildlife (PLPW) Access Program reminds all hunters and anglers that Access Yes donations go directly to providing access to private and landlocked public lands. 2006 licenses go on sale at license agents and Game and Fish Offices Dec. 19.
In 2005, the PLPW Access Program provided walk-in fishing access to 274 lake acres and 89 stream miles of access on private lands. Additionally, hunting access through the Walk-in Hunting and Hunter Management Area programs provided access to 1,179,807 private acres. Combined with adjoining public land, hunters enjoyed around 2.6 million acres of access.
Access Yes donations, made when sportspersons either purchase or apply for licenses, go directly to providing access. “State statute mandates that all Access Yes donations go directly to providing access,” says Matt Buhler, Game and Fish state access coordinator. “So for every dollar donated to Access Yes, $1 goes to providing access for the hunter or angler who provided the donation.”
In fiscal year 2005, donations to Access Yes from hunters and anglers totaled around $114,000 – an unfortunate continued decline from previous years. “There are many factors for this decline including $3 per gallon gas,” he said. “The problem is: we rely on Access Yes donations to provide hunting and fishing access and as donations decrease, so does the potential for the number of acres and stream miles of access.”
All lands in the PLPW Access program are open to free use for hunters and anglers and provide a private-land type hunt for public-land type cost, according to Buhler. “As a result, people are hunting and fishing more because they have more places to go, but they are choosing not to donate to Access Yes when they purchase or apply for their licenses,” he said.
In 2005, approximately 587,000 licenses were sold for fishing, big game, small game and game birds. If all hunters and anglers contributed just $1 per license, that would provide $587,000 for access. “This program still needs help from hunters and anglers,” Buhler said. “If you’re using these lands, and if you donate just $1, that will go a long way toward keeping access available to you.”
(contact: Matt Buhler (307) 473-3400)
-WGFD-
Click Here To Return To The Previous Page
