Director Angi Bruce with the Wyoming Game & Fish Department called into the Weekday Wake-Up on SVI Radio for her monthly report. Director Bruce discussed the decision by the U.S. Forest Service to continue working with G&F on Elk Feed Grounds, drought impacts on fish and the Migratory Big Game Initiative.

(0:00) Pouring a little wake up in your weekday. This is Duke Dallin Dan and the weekday wake up (0:07) 835 this morning live on SVI radio Swift 98 and the spur heading into this hour’s guest interview segment this morning and director Angie Bruce (0:15) With the Wyoming game and fish department on the air for her monthly report from the game and fish director Bruce. Good morning (0:20) How are you today? (0:22) Good morning, Duke.

I am doing well (0:24) Appreciate your time as always and a couple of things we can talk about including the elk feed grounds (0:31) We’ve talked about the ongoing (0:33) Studies and planning process in place with the game and fish on the future of elk feed grounds (0:38) Kind of through that whole process though kind of hiding in the background is was the Forest Service going to let us continue to do (0:45) This anyway, and it was announced by the Forest Service that they will in fact continue to work with the game and fish on this (0:52) Absolutely Duke (0:53) Thanks for addressing this issue out of the 21 feed grounds that we have for feeding elk (0:59) seven of them are on US (1:02) Forest Service land and so to they issue sort of permission or a permit to us to (1:09) Feed elk and for the benefit of elk management on these properties these seven different parcels are scattered around the Forest Service (1:18) But two of them were up for permit renewal we call it a special-use permit (1:23) And that’s what they recently issued for the Dell Creek in the Forest Park one for another three years (1:29) Three years is important because then it lines up with the other five (1:34) Feed grounds that will be expiring those permits in three years (1:39) And so the idea from the Forest Service’s perspective is that all the permits then will line up in the future (1:45) To do all at once rather than piecemeal. Yeah, but the the fact that this one was extended (1:51) I mean, it’s got to be a good sign to think that they’re they’re likely to continue to extend (1:57) on the next round then I mean (1:59) I’m not not to put words in their mouth, but it’s it’s certainly better than the alternative as far as the feed grounds go (2:05) Absolutely, we’re already having those conversations with the state with that (2:09) Excuse me with the district forester about what it looks like for all of them together (2:14) So yes, I I believe that’s their their intent and it would be definitely our wishes to have them all extended in (2:22) 2028 as well director Angie Bruce with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department on the weekday wake up director (2:27) one thing we’ve talked about a couple of times the dry winter and (2:30) The potential impacts that will have to big game and and wildlife and and potential for forest fires (2:36) We really haven’t talked much about the fish and we’re starting to see now this time of year though the water levels in (2:42) Reservoirs and lakes not what they usually are at this time of year with with the spring runoff (2:48) And so let’s talk with the fisheries and what type of impact we might be seeing here over the next couple of months. Oh (2:55) Yes, we are very concerned, you know, we have been talking about this drought (2:59) But now it’s sort of like facing us even stronger.

We’re starting to see the effects (3:04) So I will anticipate that our fisheries biologist will be looking really hard at areas and maybe some (3:12) Restrictions and some catch-and-release restrictions as we enter into that into the summer more (3:17) Flaming gorge is on our mind with the drawdown that’s been in the papers (3:22) And I don’t know if people understand. This is a Bureau of Reclamation (3:27) that manages that we work closely with them and (3:31) We will really start to see the effects of that drawdown and people having access to the lake in the spring of (3:38) 2027 you’ll start to see it this summer, but you’ll really see the effect (3:42) Next spring and having you know, maybe only one boat access on the Wyoming side (3:48) We are going to take this opportunity (3:51) You know, we try to find good in the bad here and looking at ways in engineering our boat ramps (3:58) To widen and go as this shoreline needs to be expanded (4:02) And so we’re looking at that to see how we can accommodate during during this low reservoir time (4:09) may be predicting that this you know, this isn’t the first the first was in 2022 23 and (4:16) We’d like to think this is the last time we’ll do such a drawdown, but we’re anticipating more in the future (4:22) So if we can get those access points adapted, I think everybody will be happy with that (4:27) director Bruce another topic this morning the (4:31) Expansion of the USDA partnership to the migratory big game initiative (4:36) Tell us what this initiative is and what this (4:39) recent expansion with USDA means (4:42) Yeah, this you know, it’s moving to other states. We were the pilot here in Wyoming (4:46) It was a pleasure for me to be a part of it (4:48) It’s been on four years now and in that four years what it’s really meant for private landowners in the state (4:57) It’s been an extra over 50 million dollars of voluntary conservation programs that they have had available to them (5:04) Anywhere from doing work through a program (5:07) With NRCS called equip for invasive species wildlife friendly fencing lots of different conservation practices (5:15) to actually signing up for what we call grassland CRP, which is (5:21) A payment you it’s a CRP program conservation reserve program (5:26) Gives landowners a payment to keep doing what they’re doing on their property (5:31) Ranching at last 15 years with that annual payment (5:35) So lots of opportunities for landowners that actual leasing program is open right now (5:42) And if landowners stop in their local NRCS office natural resource conservation service (5:48) They can talk to them about the specifics and if they’re interested in signing up (5:54) and yes, the program is so successful in Wyoming other Western states are (6:00) Expanding into it and are excited about this possibility as well is really focusing on (6:06) big game in the state (6:08) Maintaining that quality habitat on private lands into the future (6:11) That’s director Angie Bruce with the Wyoming game and fish department on the weekday wake up this morning (6:15) Director anything else you’d like to mention while we have you today? (6:20) Well at all the spring weather coming.

We just got some nice moisture in Cheyenne the last few days (6:26) Very very much needed (6:28) But it looks like the 10-day forecast looks at least warm for people to start getting outside and enjoying the resource (6:34) So I encourage folks to do so absolutely that’s director Angie Bruce while in the game and fish department (6:40) It’s all part of the weekday wake up this morning on the SBI radio network