Public Access Area

Access Yes Reports

Below are reports and summaries related to the Game and Fish public access areas and department-owned lands. 

Hunters and anglers in Wyoming have voiced their concerns and frustrations over declining access to private and landlocked public lands. During the 1990s, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission created a pilot program to explore ways to increase public access onto these lands. The Private Lands Public Wildlife Access Initiative was developed with three sub-programs: 

  1. Hunter management
  2. Walk-in hunting
  3. Walk-in fishing

 

In 1998 the Walk-in Hunting Area Program started with a modest 27,000 private acres. By 2000, all three sub-programs were growing quickly and included more than 657,500 acres for hunting as well as 222 lake acres and 71 stream miles for fishing. Beyond providing public access, the program has also increased cooperation among landowners, hunters, anglers and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

 

By increasing access to privately owned, irrigated fields and riparian lands, which compose the majority of productive wildlife habitat in the state, Game and Fish can be more effective at managing wildlife populations and mitigating agricultural damage.  

 

PLPW landowner survey

Executive Summary of PLPW landowner survey
PLPW landowner survey presentation

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The Wyoming Game and Fish Department's Access Yes logo that says "Access Yes!" and has a graphical scene of a pronghorn, windmill, cow, fish, mountain and habitat.
2023 Access Yes annual report

Download the year-end report outlining the Access Yes Program.

2022 Access Yes annual report

Download the year-end report outlining the Access Yes Program.

2021 Access Yes annual report

Download the year-end report outlining the Access Yes Program.

2020 Access Yes annual report

Download the year-end report outlining the Access Yes Program.

2019 Access Yes annual report

Download the year-end report outlining the Access Yes Program.

2018 Access Yes annual report

Download the year-end report outlining the Access Yes Program.