ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is calling on hunters, anglers, and all outdoor recreationists to be on the lookout and promptly report vandalism in  public access areas.

Game and Fish manages 205 Public Access Areas and 48 Wildlife Habitat Management Areas statewide. These lands, along with those enrolled in the Access Yes program, represent partnerships with private landowners and provide access for hunting, fishing and wildlife-related recreation.

Vandalism commonly occurs on informational signs on Game and Fish property and public access areas. Signs are shot up and often rendered completely illegible.

Vandalism, littering and illegal dumping continue to divert critical resources away from access and habitat improvements. Game and Fish estimates it spends $60,000 to $70,000 annually to repair or replace damaged property across access areas statewide.

These kinds of misuse led private landowners at the Rock Springs Grazing Association to enroll their lands in the Access Yes program in 2022, in an effort to combat the destructive behaviors of users. Despite increased enforcement and the status as a walk-in area, misuse has continued to impact the 25,000-acre access area.

Recently, a local Boy Scout troop came across a 15-foot-diameter fire pit where people had burned pallets, leaving behind a pile of nails and litter. The vandals had also sawed into living cottonwood trees and attempted to burn logs from the dormant trees.

Acts of vandalism similar to these have led to the complete closure of some access areas around the state.

To report vandalism or misuse of an access area or wildlife habitat management area, call your local Game and Fish warden, local law enforcement or the Stop Poaching Hotline at 1-877-WGFD-TIP.