Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association

Guiding America since 1959

photo by Mark Gocke

Sy Gilliland

Greetings from the president of WYOGA!

Dear fellow hunters and outdoor enthusiasts:

Wyoming’s outfitters and guides are currently wrapping up their 2022 hunting seasons. As we put the tack and gear away, pull our horses shoes and put our livestock out on winter pasture, it’s time to reflect on 2022 and plan our 2023 season.

Wyoming is a favorite hunting destination for traveling sportsmen. We continue to see demand to draw a nonresident license outstrip license availability. It’s no wonder why. Our state’s wildlife populations are second to none across the Mountain West states. Wyoming’s diverse and open habitat provides plenty of room for big game animals to promulgate and flourish.

Our large number of free ranging wildlife provides plenty of opportunity for hunters and tourists who flock to the cowboy state each year. Wyoming’s tourism industry is huge and touches every corner of our state. Hunting provides more than $340,000,000 of economic contribution to our economy annually.

The members of WYOGA are active on several fronts. We continue to fight to keep our 22 state feed grounds and the National Elk Refuge Check out the 2022 WYOGA Big Game Awardsopen and feeding wintering populations of elk to prevent starvation. After two years of multiple meetings, the Wyoming Game & Fish is in the final stages of writing a plan to manage feed grounds into the future. In addition to the feed grounds, we are constantly fighting to de-list grizzly bears and influence wolf hunting seasons, mountain lion and black bear management.

The Wyoming Wildlife Task Force will conclude its work which started in the summer of 2021. The final meeting was held December 14th at the Wyoming Game & Fish headquarters office in Cheyenne. Many of you have been following the work of the task force and have commented to the task force. This was a monumental effort spearheaded by the Wyoming Game & Fish Commission, the governor of Wyoming and the legislative branch of our state. The recommendations put forth by the task force are currently being considered by the commission or the legislature. The members of WYOGA were in attendance at every meeting and their efforts played a huge role in shaping task force recommendations. Our goal going into the task force was to keep big game licenses available at a reasonable level for nonresidents. As the recommendations put forth by the task force work their way through the commission and legislature you can rest assured WYOGA will be there every step of the way.

The members of WYOGA are some of the finest hunting professionals in the West. When you’re considering your next hunting trip or outdoor excursion, always look towards the industry leaders and book with a member of the Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association.

Good luck and happy hunting,

Sy Gilliland, President of Wyoga
Sy Gilliland, President
Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association

Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association is proud to announce the release of Hunting Safely in Grizzly Country.

You may make a donation to the efforts to save the Wyoming feedgrounds here.

WYOGA Featured Outfitter

Wyoga
Big Game Awards

Click here to view the 2022 Big Game Awards results for the 2021 hunt season

Our sponsors of the Big Game Awards: Dallas Safari Club Wild Sheep Foundation

Get a copy of
Wyoming Outdoors

Wyoming Outdoors, the official publication of the Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association

Click to get Wyoming Outdoors — the official publication of the Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association.

($5 postage and handling)

You can also view the latest issue online here!

Wyoming License Application Deadlines

Elk: Non-residents: Feb. 1
Elk: Residents: May 31
Deer: May 31
Antelope: May 31
Moose: April 17
Bighorn Sheep: April 17
Mountain Goat: April 17
Spring Wild Turkey: Feb. 1
Wild Bison: April 17

Wyoming Game & Fish Department helpful links

Outfitter-Client Yearly Statistics

Wyoming State Board of Outfitters & Professional Guides

Year End Statistics: 2022        Outfitters: 305

Species# of ClientsSuccessful %
Deer2317182079%
Antelope2467232194%
Elk3558251770%
Black Bear1868847%
Moose434195%
Sheep917987%
Mountain Goat191474%
Mountain Lion1249375%
Wolf1800%
Total:8823697380%
*The actual number of individuals utilizing the services of licensed outfitters may be slightly less than the totals reflected above due to some clients hunting more than one species.

Preference Points explained

Unraveling the Preference Points Mystery

by Jim Schell, Rough Country Outfitters & Guides

"WHAT THE HECK DO YOU MEAN, I didn't draw my dang Wyoming elk license again!!!" I'm sure most of us have either said, or at least heard this very statement, quickly followed by a few other choice words of disappointment! So, if you are like many non-resident sportsmen, you have at least a few questions surrounding Wyoming's big game preference points system.

In an effort to help folks better understand how the preference points system works, a few facts, figures, opinions and application strategies will be presented. Understanding the dynamics of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's big game license drawing may be of real benefit to you in successfully drawing that coveted antelope, deer, elk, bighorn sheep or Shiras moose license, when, where and how you wish to hunt them in future years!

2021 Southwick Economic Impact Study cover

The economic impact of big game hunting in Wyoming

  • Wyoming hosted more than 120,000 big game hunters in 2020, of which 60 percent were residents and 40 percent were nonresidents.
  • Those hunters, that same year, spent $250 million on gear, travel, guides and other goods and services in Wyoming, which in turn generated economic benefits that extended to all state residents.
  • These same dollars went on to support 3,500 jobs…
These results are contained in a study commissioned by the Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association and its partners, and produced by Southwick Associates. You can download the 2021 summary report here.

Elk is the most targeted species by resident and guided nonresident hunters.

Antelope and mule deer are the most targeted species by unguided nonresident hunters.

Our Supporters

Outfitter Gear List
Outfitter Gear List
Outfitter Gear List
Outfitter Gear List