WYOGA News & Updates - August 2020

UPCOMING MEETINGS:

Meeting#12 - July 7, 2022 in Casper at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Meeting#13 - August 8-9, 2022 in Casper at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Meeting#14 - September 16, 2022 in Casper at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Meeting#15 - November 17-18, 2022 in Casper at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Meeting#16 - December 14, 2022 in Casper at the Hilton Garden Inn.

The July 7th meeting agenda will be available around the 1st of July for your review. If you would like to comment to the task force members on any of the topics discussed at the June 8-9 meeting, please do so. We encourage you to attend the task force meetings if you are able too.

 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:

We are now in the interim committee process for the Legislature as well as ongoing activity with the wildlife taskforce. Campaign season for 62 seats in the Wyoming House of Representatives and 16 Senate seats are up for grabs.

 

KEY INTERIM ACTIVITES:

Taskforce Recommendations: I remain concerned about the Joint TRW Committee’s ability to advance recommendations from the Taskforce. The debate over splitting deer into two licenses is a prelude to the tenor and type of discussions that will occur after the primary election.

Trespassing: Joint Judiciary Committee will advance a trespass to hunt bill. As soon as draft language is available, I will circulate it to the board.

Sales Tax Provisions: Discussions are ongoing.

Legislative Races: Filing closed on May 27th.  

Legislative Races to Watch:

House Majority Floor Leader Albert Sommers has two primary opponents.
Albert Sommers for House District 20
PO Box 1608
Pinedale, WY 82914

County Commissioner and Wildlife Taskforce Cochairman Rusty Bell has one opponent for an open House seat.
Rusty Bell for State House
347 Cook Road South
Gillette, WY 82716

House TRW Vice Chair Sandy Newsome has a rematch with her 2020 primary opponent.
Newsome for State House
PO Box 575
Cody, WY 82414

Representative Barry Crago has a rematch with his 2020 primary opponent, the son of former WYOGA President Leo Tass.
Crago for House District 40
443 S. Lobban
Buffalo, WY 82834

Representative Cyrus Western has a primary opponent.
Western for House District 51
PO Box 175
Big Horn, WY 82833

House TRW member Representative Pat Sweeny has a primary opponent.
Sweeny for House District 58
PO Box 1325
Casper, WY 82602

Senate Majority Floor Leader Ogden Driskill has two primary opponents.
Driskill for Senate District 1
PO Box 155
Devils Tower, WY 82714

Anti-outfitter Senator Tom James has one primary opponent.
Stacy Jones for Senate District 13
927 Whitewater Drive
Rock Springs, WY 82901

State Representative Bob Wharff is primarying Senate TRW Committee Member Wendy Schuler.
Shuler for Senate District 15
200 Liberty Avenue
Evanston, WY 82930

Senator R.J. Kost is being primaried by two opponents.
Kost for Senate District 19
680 Road 11
Powell, WY 82435

Senator Drew Perkins has one primary opponent.
Perkins for Senate District 29
1133 Granada Avenue
Casper, WY 82601

Please support candidates and legislators who support our industry. If you do not want to support these candidates directly but would like to support a PAC that will be supporting them, send contributions to the address below with WYOGA in the memo line:

Future 307 PAC
P.O. Box 364
Buffalo, WY 82834

 

Upcoming Key Legislative Dates:

• Joint Travel Recreation and Wildlife, August 30th and 31st in Thermopolis.

• Joint Judiciary, September 12th and 13th in Casper.

• Joint Revenue, September 14th and 15th in Casper.

• Joint Travel Recreation and Wildlife, October 24th and 25th in Cheyenne.

• Joint Judiciary, November 10th and 11th in Cheyenne.

• Joint Revenue, November 21st and 22nd in Cheyenne.

 

Thank you!
Bill Novotny, Lobbyist

The WYOGA 2022 Annual Winter Retreat is presently scheduled for Friday, December 9th at the Holiday Inn in Riverton. Invitations with a complete agenda will be mailed to you on November 1st. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend this one-day event.

Safari Club International Foundation is excited to announce significant progress with our conservation strategies on grizzly bears with the hiring of our newest Large Carnivore Program Manager, Maria Davidson. This action is another step in the conservation work undertaken by SCIF to engage in predator management and conflict mitigation in the GYE and surrounding areas. SCIF has partnered with Western Bear Foundation and WY G&F for bear spray giveaways to promote hunting safely in bear country and more recently is partnering with the U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association in providing bearproof food storage boxes for backcountry campsites. SCI and SCIF continue to support state agencies’ authority to manage wildlife based on sound science. Supporting state agency human/bear conflict efforts and research efforts with the addition of a Large Carnivore Program Manager located in Pinedale, WY is reflective of the commitment SCIF has made to this important conservation and management issue.

 

The next Board of Directors meeting will be held in Casper:

Wednesday, July 6th
5:00pm-8:00pm
Rib and Chop House (256 S. Center Street, formerly the “Wonder Bar”)

This meeting is in conjunction with the Wyoming Wildlife Task Force meeting July 7th at the Hilton Garden Inn.  

Sleeping rooms have been reserved at the Ramkota under WYOGA from July 6-7.  Please contact the Ramkota at 307.266.6000 to make your reservation.



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Contact us for more information:
Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association
P.O. Box 2650, Casper, WY 82602
307.265.2376
gro.agoyw@agoyw
www.wyoga.org

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