Pinedale Field Office
| Contacts: | Shelley Gregory | |||
| 307-315-0612 |
Pinedale BLM Winter Land Closures Protect Big Game
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pinedale Field Office (PFO) is notifying the public that BLM-administered big game winter ranges will be closed to all motorized vehicle travel (e.g., snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, pickups, and sport utility vehicles) from Jan. 1 through Apr. 30.
Use of these areas by non-motorized means (i.e., walking, horseback, cross-country skiing, mountain biking) is still allowed. Highways, county, and oil and gas roads are not affected unless posted otherwise. Motorized vehicle use on public land the remainder of the year is limited to existing roads and two-track trails.
This annual closure has been in effect since 2008 and is necessary to protect elk, moose, pronghorn, and mule deer from disruptive human activities which, during the difficult winter months, can increase the mortality rate for these animals. Signs will be posted at key locations going into the closed areas.
The following BLM-administered lands are included in this closure:
- The Ryegrass, Bench Corral, Deer Hills, Calpet and Miller Mountain winter ranges including lands north of Fontenelle Creek, east of the U.S. Forest Service Boundary, west of Highway 189, and south of Horse Creek.
- The Mesa winter range including lands east of County Road 110 (East Green River Road), north of County Road 136 (Paradise Valley Road), west of the New Fork River, and south of State Highway 191.
Exceptions to this closure include:
- Wyoming Game & Fish Department (WGFD), the Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Sublette County Sheriff’s Office, and the BLM when performing official duties;
- Operators of existing oil and gas facilities performing maintenance and pumping, as approved in their permits;
- Livestock operators conducting permitted activities;
- Utility companies conducting emergency maintenance after notifying the PFO; and
- Other users who have been granted an exception by submitting a written application to the PFO for review and approval.
As a reminder, elk winter feedground areas are closed from Nov. 15 to Apr. 30 each winter to all motorized use and human presence. These include the Franz, Finnegan, Bench Corral, Fall Creek, Scab Creek, North Piney, and Black Butte feedgrounds.
A map of the closed areas can be found at http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/field_offices/Pinedale/recreation/closures.html.
For more information, please contact Rusty Kaiser at 307-367-5317 or visit the BLM Pinedale Field Office at 1625 West Pine Street, Pinedale, Wyo.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Pinedale Field Office PO Box 768 Pinedale WY 82941