Pinedale – At about 10:30 p.m. on April 16, 2018, Wyoming Game and Fish Department wardens caught Matthew Nelson of Cheyenne and Jason Reidel of Pinedale as they were returning to their vehicle with about 70 pounds of elk antlers near the Hoback Rim north of Pinedale. The two had been out on snowmobiles and snowshoes picking up antlers in an area where bull elk had been wintering. They were each cited for gathering antlers during the January 1-April 30 closure to shed antler collection on public lands west of the Continental Divide in Wyoming. They were also cited for trespassing on multiple private land parcels.
Recently, Judge Curt Haws found both Nelson and Reidel guilty and they were fined $1550.00 each. The two also lost their Wyoming hunting privileges for two years, including the ability to apply for preference points. The loss of hunting privileges also applies to 47 other states that are members of the violator compact. The antlers were confiscated and returned to the field upon closure of the case.
“These were intentional, planned violations and the consequences were a result of those violations,” said Big Piney Game Warden Adam Hymas. “Hopefully the result of these cases will help deter other violators. We enforce this regulation just as we would any other wildlife regulation and encourage all sportsmen to continue to be vigilant and report any violations they are aware of.”
The antler hunting regulation prohibits the gathering of shed antlers from January 1 through April 30 on all public lands west of the Continental Divide, including state lands. The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission enacted the regulation after a series of public meetings held in the fall of 2009 .
In addition, many big game winter ranges in both Teton
