Wyoming Game And Fish Gears Up For 2026 Planning

As January is about to close, so are the final big game hunting seasons around Wyoming. There are also some application periods for nonresident elk hunters and Wyoming spring turkey hunters closing within a few days.

There's still small game, mountain lion, grey wolf, coyote hunting, and bird hunting at bird farms available for those looking to get outdoors during this odd winter we're having in Wyoming.

Now that the big game seasons are closing, the next phase of work for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department begins. If you hunted during the big game season, you've received a harvest survey. These surveys are an important part of the planning for the 2026 hunting seasons.

The harvest surveys are one of the many sources of data used by wildlife managers in the state to determine how many animals were harvested and how to manage that particular animal population by setting the number of licenses distributed, season dates, and future hunting regulations.

WGFD biologists and wildlife managers' jobs don't end because the seasons are over; actually, their jobs never stop, and heat up when they end. They've been collecting and figuring out data to begin the season-setting process.

At this point in the year, the 2026 seasons haven't been officially set yet, but the application period for most of Wyoming's big game is open now. The seasons won't be set until after a series of public meetings in March and the commission season-setting meetings in April. Once the final season dates are set, the application period will remain open until June 1. The draw results will then be announced on June 18.