Nuisance Wildlife Laws in Wyoming: What Every Property Owner Must Know
July 9, 2026
Wyoming is home to some of the most diverse wildlife in the Lower 48 — elk, bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and dozens of other species share the landscape with ranches, subdivisions, and backyards. That proximity creates real conflict, and when a raccoon raids your trash or a coyote threatens your livestock, you need to know exactly what the law allows you to do about it.
Nuisance wildlife laws in Wyoming draw a sharp line between animals you can handle on your own, animals that require a permit, and animals that are off-limits entirely regardless of the damage they cause. Getting that line wrong can mean criminal charges, license revocations, and significant fines. This guide breaks down the rules in plain language so you can protect your property without running afoul of state or federal law.
Important Note: Wildlife law in Wyoming involves overlapping state statutes, Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulations, and federal protections. This article is for general informational purposes only. Always verify current rules with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department or a licensed attorney before taking action.
What Counts as Nuisance Wildlife in Wyoming
Wyoming defines nuisance wildlife as wild animals whose actions or presence result in harm, disturbance, or potential threats to public health, safety, property, or the environment. That definition is broad by design — it can cover everything from a skunk denning under your porch to a deer destroying your garden to a bear repeatedly breaking into your garage.
Several species have adapted to urban and suburban areas and can be quite common in residential developments. As cities in Wyoming continue to grow, residential development around the periphery impacts wildlife habitat and displaces animals. In other cases, residential development offers things that are attractive to wildlife, such as lush vegetation, unsecured garbage, denning and nesting sites, and domestic animals that can be attractive prey.
Wyoming law also creates a specific statutory category called “predatory animals.” Under Wyoming statutes, “predatory animal” means coyote, jackrabbit, porcupine, raccoon, red fox, skunk, or stray cat. These animals receive far fewer legal protections than game animals or protected species, which directly affects how you can respond when they become a problem on your property. The state also recognizes “depredating animals,” defined as any trophy game animal or furbearing animal that causes damage.
The laws also address animal damage caused by nuisance wildlife, which can include destruction of crops, property, or structures, as well as threats to human health and safety. Understanding which category an animal falls into is the essential first step before you take any action.
Your Rights as a Property Owner in Wyoming
For the purpose of Wyoming law, all wildlife in Wyoming is the property of the state, including shed antlers or horns located on state or public lands. That foundational principle shapes everything else — because the state owns the wildlife, your rights as a property owner are defined and limited by statute, not by common law trespass principles.
That said, Wyoming law does give you meaningful tools to protect your property. Wyoming statutes provide for compensation to owners of property being damaged by any big or trophy game animals or game birds. The Commission is also authorized to set depredation hunting seasons or to allow the lethal taking of wildlife doing substantial damage to property.
For predatory animals specifically, the rules are more permissive. A landowner, resident manager, or person with the landowner’s or a resident manager’s written permission may take predatory animals on land under the landowner’s control for the protection of his property — including with the aid of artificial lights at night, which is otherwise prohibited for other wildlife. This is a significant right that distinguishes predatory animals from game species.
You also have the right to use non-lethal deterrents at any time without a permit. Non-lethal control activities — activities in which there is no direct contact with wildlife and that do not result in harm — do not require federal permits, and most non-lethal activities can be conducted throughout the year. Fencing, repellents, and habitat modification all fall into this category. Check similar property-owner frameworks in neighboring states like Colorado and Montana to see how Wyoming’s approach compares regionally.
Pro Tip: Removing attractants is your first line of defense and requires no permit. Secure garbage cans, bring in pet food at night, and eliminate brush piles that provide denning cover near structures.
Legal Methods for Removing Nuisance Wildlife in Wyoming
Wyoming law recognizes a tiered system of removal methods, ranging from habitat modification to lethal control. The method you can legally use depends entirely on the species involved.
Non-Lethal Methods (No Permit Required)
- Exclusion fencing: Fencing is an effective technique, and various fence designs can be used. Depending on the number of plants to be protected and the planting arrangement, they can be fenced individually or collectively.
- Repellents: Repellents such as Repel®, Scare Away®, and Deer Away® can be purchased from nurseries, feed stores, or catalog and Internet suppliers.
- Landscaping modifications: Planting landscaping plants that are not attractive (not palatable) helps reduce damage from wildlife.
- Hazing and deterrents: Noise makers, motion-activated sprinklers, and visual deterrents are all permissible without a permit for most species.
Lethal Control of Predatory Animals
Because coyotes, raccoons, skunks, red foxes, jackrabbits, porcupines, and stray cats are classified as predatory animals under Wyoming statute, they may be killed at any time, in any number, and by any legal method on private land without a license or permit. There is no closed season, no bag limit, and no reporting requirement for most of these species when taken on your own property for protection purposes.
Wyoming Game and Fish game wardens respond to and appropriately handle injured and nuisance wildlife calls, which may require euthanization of wildlife. They utilize immobilization or lethal techniques based on an evaluation of circumstances. If you are unsure whether a situation warrants lethal action, contacting your regional WGFD office is always a safe first step.
Trapping
Live trapping is a widely used option for nuisance wildlife in Wyoming. For predatory animals, no trapping license is required on your own property. For furbearing animals — which include badger, beaver, bobcat, marten, mink, muskrat, and weasel — furbearing animals are a distinct legal category from predatory animals, and taking them typically requires a valid trapping license and must comply with Commission regulations on season dates and legal trap types. Contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to confirm current season and license requirements before trapping furbearers.
Relocation Rules in Wyoming
Many property owners instinctively want to trap and relocate a nuisance animal rather than kill it. In Wyoming, relocation is legally and practically complicated, and it is rarely as simple as it appears.
Wildlife relocation is one strategy used to manage nuisance wildlife in Wyoming. This practice involves capturing and moving wild animals to a more suitable habitat where they can thrive without causing harm or inconvenience. However, Wyoming does not have a blanket authorization for private citizens to trap and relocate wildlife on their own. Relocating certain species — particularly game animals, trophy game animals, and furbearers — without authorization from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department can constitute an unlawful taking or unlawful possession of wildlife.
For predatory animals, relocation is technically possible but strongly discouraged by wildlife managers for several reasons:
- Relocated animals frequently return or displace resident animals at the release site, creating new conflicts.
- Moving animals can spread disease, including rabies, distemper, and mange, to new areas.
- Wyoming’s vast distances mean that “far enough away” often still puts the animal on someone else’s property or public land where it may cause the same problems.
If you plan to relocate any wildlife beyond predatory animals, contact the WGFD regional office in your area first. The Game and Fish has eight regional offices across Wyoming, making it relatively straightforward to reach a local wildlife manager who can advise you on the specific situation. You can also review how neighboring states handle relocation by looking at Idaho or Utah for comparison.
Key Insight: Live-trapping a nuisance animal and then releasing it on public land without authorization is not a legal gray area in Wyoming — it can result in charges for unlawful possession or unlawful transport of wildlife. Always get written authorization before relocating any non-predatory species.
Species With Special Rules in Wyoming
Several species common to Wyoming nuisance situations carry additional legal layers that go well beyond the standard predatory animal framework. Knowing these before you act can prevent serious legal consequences.
Canada Geese
Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which means standard nuisance removal rules do not apply. Any actions that result in handling, damage, or destruction of geese, or their eggs or nests, require permits from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has been issued a special statewide permit by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This permit allows the WGFD to destroy eggs and nests of breeding Canada geese.
The WGFD allows landowners and land managers to conduct egg control activities under the statewide permit and provides guidance and technical assistance to sub-permittees. Written permission from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is required before any interference with eggs or nests can begin. Non-lethal harassment of geese — such as noise deterrents or border collies — does not require a permit as long as no geese are harmed or handled.
Bears (Black Bear and Grizzly Bear)
Both black bears (Ursus americanus) and grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) fall into the “trophy game animal” category under Wyoming law. All wildlife in the state is considered the property of the state, and there is no private ownership of live animals classified as big or trophy game animals. Killing a bear outside of a lawful hunting season — even one causing property damage — requires prior authorization from the WGFD. Grizzly bears carry additional federal protections under the Endangered Species Act, and the Endangered Species Act applies no matter where you are — it is prohibited to take an endangered animal on your own private property.
Gray Wolves
Gray wolves (Canis lupus) occupy a complex legal position in Wyoming. After wolves are removed from federal endangered or threatened species lists, “predatory animal” shall include any gray wolf within areas of the state where Wyoming has jurisdiction for wildlife management, but not within an area in which the gray wolf is designated as a trophy game animal. In practical terms, this means wolves in most of Wyoming outside the trophy game zone around Yellowstone can be treated as predatory animals, while wolves in the trophy game zone carry full game animal protections. Always confirm current wolf status with WGFD before taking any action.
Furbearing Animals
Badger (Taxidea taxus), beaver (Castor canadensis), bobcat (Lynx rufus), marten, mink, muskrat, and weasel are all classified as furbearing animals under Wyoming statute. A “depredating animal” means any trophy game animal or furbearing animal that causes damage. Depredating furbearers causing property damage may be addressed through the WGFD’s depredation process, but cannot simply be killed at will outside of lawful trapping seasons.
Protected Animals
Wyoming’s “protected animals” include the black-footed ferret, fisher, lynx, otter, pika, and wolverine. These species have the highest level of state protection and cannot be harmed, harassed, or relocated under any circumstances without explicit state and federal authorization. If you encounter one of these animals on your property, contact WGFD immediately and do not attempt to handle it.
For a broader look at how other states handle these multi-layered species rules, see our guides on Washington and Minnesota.
When You Need a Licensed Wildlife Control Operator in Wyoming
Wyoming does not operate a dedicated state licensing program for “nuisance wildlife control operators” in the same way that some eastern states do. However, several situations clearly call for professional involvement rather than DIY removal.
You should contact a professional wildlife control operator or the WGFD directly when:
- The species is a trophy game animal or protected animal. Bears, mountain lions, wolves in the trophy zone, and protected animals all require WGFD involvement. Attempting removal yourself creates serious legal exposure.
- The animal appears sick or injured. Game wardens respond to and appropriately handle injured and nuisance wildlife calls, which may require euthanization of wildlife. A rabid skunk or distempered raccoon is a public health issue, not just a nuisance issue.
- Canada geese or other migratory birds are involved. Federal permits are required, and professional operators who hold sub-permits under the WGFD’s statewide authorization are the most efficient path to legal resolution.
- The situation involves a large or potentially dangerous animal such as a moose, elk, or mountain lion (Puma concolor) in a residential area. These animals require professional hazing or immobilization equipment that private citizens do not have access to.
- Structural damage has occurred. Animals that have entered attics, crawl spaces, or wall voids may require a licensed pest control professional in addition to wildlife removal expertise.
When hiring a private wildlife control company, verify that the operator is familiar with Wyoming’s specific statutes — particularly the rules around relocation, species classification, and disposal of carcasses. The principal entities engaged with predator control in Wyoming are the Wyoming Animal Damage Management Board (ADMB), operating through county predator management boards in 19 of Wyoming’s 23 counties, and the USDA’s Wildlife Services. Both agencies can provide referrals to qualified professionals in your area.
See how neighboring states structure their professional licensing requirements in our guides on Colorado, North Carolina, and Ohio.
Penalties for Violating Nuisance Wildlife Laws in Wyoming
Wyoming takes wildlife violations seriously, and the penalty structure reflects that. Violations are classified as low misdemeanors, high misdemeanors, or felonies depending on the species and the nature of the offense.
| Violation Category | Examples | Potential Consequences |
|---|---|---|
| Low Misdemeanor | Minor procedural violations, some trapping infractions | Fines, possible license suspension |
| High Misdemeanor | Unlawful taking of a game animal, spotlighting wildlife, obstructing waterways used by fish | Higher fines, license revocation, possible jail time |
| Trophy Game / Endangered Species Violation | Killing a grizzly bear, unlawfully taking a wolf in the trophy zone | Felony-level charges, substantial fines, permanent license revocation, federal prosecution possible |
Violations such as illegal use of artificial lights for taking wildlife constitute a high misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23-6-202(a)(ii). That statute sets out the fine and incarceration ranges for each misdemeanor tier.
Wyoming is a member state of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, which is a reciprocal agreement between states to honor suspensions of hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for wildlife violators. This means a conviction in Wyoming can result in the loss of your hunting and trapping privileges in every member state — not just Wyoming.
Federal penalties add another layer when protected species are involved. Killing a migratory bird without authorization under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act carries fines of up to $15,000 per bird and up to six months in prison for a first offense. Violations of the Endangered Species Act — for example, harming a grizzly bear on private property — can result in civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation and criminal penalties up to $50,000 and one year in prison.
Important Note: The “I didn’t know it was protected” defense carries very little weight in Wyoming wildlife enforcement. Species classification is publicly available through the WGFD, and game wardens are authorized to cite violations regardless of claimed ignorance of the law.
For context on how penalty structures compare across the country, see our state guides for Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Michigan.
Navigating Wyoming’s Wildlife Laws With Confidence
Wyoming’s nuisance wildlife framework gives property owners real authority to protect their land — but that authority is tightly tied to species classification. Predatory animals like coyotes, raccoons, and skunks can be controlled with minimal restriction. Game animals, trophy game animals, migratory birds, and protected species require permits, WGFD coordination, or professional involvement before you take any action.
The most important habit you can build is identifying the animal correctly before doing anything else. When in doubt, call your regional Wyoming Game and Fish Department office. Game wardens would rather answer a question before an incident than investigate a violation after one. You can also explore our guides for other western and midwestern states — including Arizona, Missouri, and Indiana — to see how Wyoming’s approach fits into the broader national picture.