Worland Field Office
| Contacts: | Sarah Beckwith | |||
| 307-347-5207 |
BLM Worland's Operation RESPECT a Success This Hunting Season
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Worland Field Office’s Operation RESPECT (Responsible Educated Sportsmen Promoting Ethical Conduct Together) campaign, which aids hunters in outdoor and hunting ethics, reached hundreds of local and out of state hunters this year.
 BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner Paul Rau provides information about public lands in the Bighorn Basin. | |
 BLM Law Enforcement Ranger Aaron Kania uses a surface management status map to provide assistance as part of Operation RESPECT. |
BLM Recreation Technician Pat Jones found that many of the hunters he contacted were interested in much more than hunting. “One of the things we learned this year is that there is great interest in the other areas and aspects of the Bighorn Basin,” Jones said. “There were many questions about the history of the region, as well as about other recreational opportunities throughout the basin.”
Operation RESPECT vehicles were stationed in a variety of areas throughout the season and BLM staff assisted with localized maps of the region and information about public land status, off-highway vehicle (OHV) use and hunting ethics. Staff patrolled more than 8,000 miles and met and answered questions from approximately 420 people, the majority of them from states other than Wyoming.
BLM Worland Field Manager Becky Spurgin was pleased that the staff was able to assist so many people. “This was a great opportunity for hunters to ensure they had the information they needed to have an enjoyable time, while safely and responsibly using public lands,” said Spurgin. “An additional benefit of Operation RESPECT was that hunters were exposed to other available opportunities to recreate and access their public lands,” Spurgin added.
For more information about Operation RESPECT or recreational opportunities within the Worland Field Office area, please contact Pat Jones at 307-347-5100.
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.
Worland Field Office 101 South 23rd Worland, WY 82401