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OVER $150,000 DONATED TO ACCESS YES LAST YEAR
Contact: Matt Buhler (307) 473-3400
For Immediate Release
WGFD
2/21/03
CASPER – Hunters and anglers contributed over $150,000 for access to their pastimes through Wyoming’s Access Yes program from July 2001 through June 2002.
Hunters made the donations to this facet of the Game and Fish Commission’s Private Lands/Public Wildlife Access Program, when applying for licenses, buying licenses over-the-counter and from direct donations. When applying for licenses, nonresidents checked the Access Yes donation box and contributed $71,200 and residents $34,800. Residents and nonresidents teamed up for an additional $31,831 when buying over-the-counter licenses. Direct donations, which came primarily from conservation organizations, totaled over $12,000.
In the previous fiscal year of July 2000 through June 2001 Access Yes donations were just short of $140,000. Hunters and anglers actually contributed more in over-the-counter donations that fiscal year. Direct and application donations both increased in the latest reporting period.
Access Yes donations go directly to enrolling private lands in walk-in hunting or fishing areas and hunter management areas. These areas provide free access onto private lands and land-locked public lands.
Donations to Access Yes can only be used for enrolling private lands. Other costs such as atlases, signs, law enforcement and other administrative costs must come from other sources.
“It is not clear why nonresident’s donated $2 for every $1 residents paid considering residents benefit more,” said Matt Buhler, state access coordinator. “Residents have an opportunity to hunt from August through May and fish the entire calendar year while the majority of nonresidents only use a HMA or WIA for a short period of time, often less than a week.”
In 2002, 558,630 private acres were enrolled in 16 HMAs, which provided access to approximately 735,000 additional public for a total of around 1,294,000 acres. Nearly 400 WIAs provided access to 417,691 private acres with an additional estimate of 543,000 public acres for a total of 960,700 acres on almost 400 areas. WIAs also provided an additional 30 stream miles and 80 lake acres specifically for waterfowl. Walk-in fishing provided access to 195 lake acres and 68 stream miles on 58 areas not to mention access to countless water bodies on adjacent public lands.
The PLPW Access Program provides extensive hunting and fishing opportunities onto private lands as well as land-locked or hard to access public lands through Access Yes, Buhler said.
“One thing to keep in mind is the department provides fishing and hunting opportunity and it may vary from area to area due to previous public use, drought and other habitat conditions,” he added.
Donations can be made when applying for licenses through the draw or purchasing licenses from any license-selling agent. For more information, contact Buhler at (307) 473-3428 or check the G&F Web site at http://gf.state.wy.us and look for the PLPW Access Program.
Contact: Matt Buhler (307) 473-3400
For Immediate Release
WGFD
2/21/03
CASPER – Hunters and anglers contributed over $150,000 for access to their pastimes through Wyoming’s Access Yes program from July 2001 through June 2002.
Hunters made the donations to this facet of the Game and Fish Commission’s Private Lands/Public Wildlife Access Program, when applying for licenses, buying licenses over-the-counter and from direct donations. When applying for licenses, nonresidents checked the Access Yes donation box and contributed $71,200 and residents $34,800. Residents and nonresidents teamed up for an additional $31,831 when buying over-the-counter licenses. Direct donations, which came primarily from conservation organizations, totaled over $12,000.
In the previous fiscal year of July 2000 through June 2001 Access Yes donations were just short of $140,000. Hunters and anglers actually contributed more in over-the-counter donations that fiscal year. Direct and application donations both increased in the latest reporting period.
Access Yes donations go directly to enrolling private lands in walk-in hunting or fishing areas and hunter management areas. These areas provide free access onto private lands and land-locked public lands.
Donations to Access Yes can only be used for enrolling private lands. Other costs such as atlases, signs, law enforcement and other administrative costs must come from other sources.
“It is not clear why nonresident’s donated $2 for every $1 residents paid considering residents benefit more,” said Matt Buhler, state access coordinator. “Residents have an opportunity to hunt from August through May and fish the entire calendar year while the majority of nonresidents only use a HMA or WIA for a short period of time, often less than a week.”
In 2002, 558,630 private acres were enrolled in 16 HMAs, which provided access to approximately 735,000 additional public for a total of around 1,294,000 acres. Nearly 400 WIAs provided access to 417,691 private acres with an additional estimate of 543,000 public acres for a total of 960,700 acres on almost 400 areas. WIAs also provided an additional 30 stream miles and 80 lake acres specifically for waterfowl. Walk-in fishing provided access to 195 lake acres and 68 stream miles on 58 areas not to mention access to countless water bodies on adjacent public lands.
The PLPW Access Program provides extensive hunting and fishing opportunities onto private lands as well as land-locked or hard to access public lands through Access Yes, Buhler said.
“One thing to keep in mind is the department provides fishing and hunting opportunity and it may vary from area to area due to previous public use, drought and other habitat conditions,” he added.
Donations can be made when applying for licenses through the draw or purchasing licenses from any license-selling agent. For more information, contact Buhler at (307) 473-3428 or check the G&F Web site at http://gf.state.wy.us and look for the PLPW Access Program.
