Wyoming is one of the most wildlife-rich states in the country, and that means encounters between people and wild animals are a routine part of life — whether you live in Cheyenne, Casper, or a ranch outside of Lander. Deer in the garden, skunks under the porch, and raccoons raiding trash cans are everyday nuisances. But before you reach for a trap or a firearm, you need to understand the rules.
Under Wyoming law, all wildlife in the state is the property of the state, and it is the policy of Wyoming to provide an adequate and flexible system for control, propagation, management, protection, and regulation of all Wyoming wildlife. That single principle shapes nearly every decision about how — and whether — you can legally remove an animal from your property.
This guide walks you through Wyoming’s wildlife removal framework section by section, covering what you can handle yourself, which animals require professional help, trapping rules, relocation restrictions, and the penalties you face if you get it wrong.
Can You Remove Wildlife Yourself in Wyoming?
The short answer is: it depends entirely on the species. Wyoming draws sharp legal distinctions between categories of animals — predatory animals, big game, trophy game, furbearers, nongame wildlife, and migratory birds — and each category carries its own set of rules about who can remove them and how.
Game wardens respond to and appropriately handle injured and nuisance wildlife calls, which may require euthanization of wildlife, and they utilize immobilization or lethal techniques based on an evaluation of circumstances. That means the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is often your first call, not your last resort.
When wildlife and humans live in the same place, there is potential for conflict. 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, which also creates the potential for additional conflict.
For most protected species — including big game, trophy game, furbearers, and migratory birds — you cannot legally remove, trap, or kill them on your own without a permit or license. Predatory animals are the major exception, and that distinction is explained in detail below.
Pro Tip: Before taking any action against a nuisance animal, contact your nearest Wyoming Game and Fish Department regional office. The WGFD has eight regional offices statewide and can advise you on the legal method for your specific situation.
Which Animals Can Be Removed Without a Permit in Wyoming?
Wyoming statute creates a specific category called “predatory animals” that residents can remove without a hunting license or permit. Under Wyoming’s animal damage management program, “predatory animal” is defined as any coyote, jackrabbit, porcupine, raccoon, red fox, skunk, or stray cat — as well as gray wolves except where they are designated as trophy game animals.
Current Wyoming law allows people to kill predatory animals — which include coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and stray cats — without a license. This is one of the broadest predatory animal exemptions in the western United States, reflecting Wyoming’s strong tradition of private property rights and agricultural protection.
In addition to predatory animals, a limited set of nongame birds can also be taken without a permit. Wyoming regulations identify certain birds that may be taken for commercial or personal use without a permit. Under the statutory definitions, “predacious birds” means English sparrows and starlings. These two non-native species can be removed by property owners without any license or special authorization.
For everything else — deer, elk, moose, antelope, black bears, mountain lions, beavers, badgers, mink, migratory birds, and most nongame wildlife — you need either a permit, a valid hunting license during an open season, or a licensed professional. All areas within the state not opened by specific order of the Commission are closed to the taking of all big game animals, trophy game animals, small game animals, furbearing animals, and game birds.
Important Note: Even for predatory animals, Wyoming House Bill 275 — effective July 1, 2025 — created new restrictions. The law creates a crime if a person “knowingly, and with intent to cause undue suffering, tortures, torments or mutilates living wildlife, including predatory animals and predacious birds, after reducing the living wildlife to possession.” You may remove predatory animals without a license, but you cannot cause them undue suffering.
Which Animals Require a Licensed Wildlife Removal Professional in Wyoming?
Several categories of wildlife in Wyoming cannot be handled by unlicensed residents and require either a WGFD permit or a licensed wildlife control professional. Understanding these categories prevents accidental violations that carry serious penalties.
Big Game and Trophy Game Animals — Species such as deer (Odocoileus spp.), elk (Cervus canadensis), moose (Alces alces), antelope (Antilocapra americana), black bears (Ursus americanus), mountain lions (Puma concolor), and bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) are all tightly regulated. There is no private ownership of live animals classified as big or trophy game animals. If one of these animals is causing damage to your property, contact the WGFD — Wyoming statutes provide for compensation to owners of property being damaged by any big or trophy game animals or game birds, and the Commission is authorized to set depredation hunting seasons or to allow the lethal taking of wildlife doing substantial damage to property.
Furbearing Animals — Furbearing animals under Wyoming law include badger, beaver, bobcat, marten, mink, muskrat, and weasel. These animals require a trapping license and are subject to season dates. A licensed wildlife control operator can handle conflicts outside of regular season dates through special permit.
Migratory Birds — Species like Canada geese, swallows, and hawks are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act regardless of state law. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has been issued a special statewide permit by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which allows the WGFD to destroy eggs and nests of breeding Canada geese. Individual property owners cannot act on their own. Written permission from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is required before any interference with eggs or nests can begin.
Nongame Wildlife — Wyoming’s nongame wildlife regulations govern the take of nongame wildlife from within the state, and such take may require a permit issued under Commission regulations covering importation and possession of live warm-blooded or cold-blooded wildlife. When in doubt, assume a permit is required.
If you are dealing with any of these protected species, compare approaches used in neighboring states — for example, see how wildlife removal laws in Colorado handle similar big game conflicts, or review the framework used under wildlife removal laws in Montana for furbearers.
Trapping Rules and Legal Methods in Wyoming
Trapping is a legal and common wildlife management tool in Wyoming, but it is subject to specific rules depending on the species and the trapper’s purpose. Violating trapping laws is one of the most common ways residents accidentally break wildlife regulations.
No person shall take or wound any game animal, game bird, or game fish by use of any pit, pitfall, net, trap, deadfall, poison, or other similar device except as otherwise provided. For game animals, this means trapping is essentially prohibited unless specifically authorized by the WGFD through season regulations or depredation permits.
For predatory animals, trapping rules are far more permissive. Residents can trap coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and other predatory animals without a license. However, method restrictions still apply:
- Poison is heavily restricted and generally prohibited for use by private individuals against wildlife.
- Predatory animals may be taken with the aid of an artificial light or lighting device — including thermal or infrared imaging — by a landowner, resident manager, or person with the landowner’s written permission, on land under the landowner’s control for the protection of his property.
- Live cage traps are widely used for nuisance predatory animals and do not require a license when targeting predatory species on your own property.
For furbearing animals like beaver, mink, and muskrat, a Wyoming trapping license is required, and trapping is only lawful during established seasons. Hunters, anglers, and trappers must have the proper license to take big game, trophy game, game birds, small game, furbearing animals, or game fish, and license holders may only take game specified on their licenses during seasons specified in the regulations.
Pro Tip: Wyoming is a member of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. 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. A trapping violation in Wyoming can affect your privileges in dozens of other states.
Baiting is another area where residents frequently run into trouble. No person shall take a game animal, game bird, or game fish and use any parts thereof for bait to trap or poison any wildlife of Wyoming. Using game meat as trap bait is a separate violation on top of any underlying trapping offense.
Can You Relocate Wildlife in Wyoming?
Relocation sounds like a humane solution, but Wyoming’s rules make it more complicated than simply driving an animal to the nearest forest. Wildlife relocation is one strategy used to manage nuisance wildlife in Wyoming, and this practice involves capturing and moving wild animals to a more suitable habitat where they can thrive without causing harm or inconvenience. However, that does not mean you can do it freely on your own.
For predatory animals like coyotes and raccoons, there is no specific statutory prohibition on releasing a trapped animal elsewhere on your own property. However, transporting live wildlife across public roads or releasing it onto public land introduces legal complications. Wyoming does not have a straightforward “catch and release on public land” provision for nuisance wildlife, and releasing animals onto state or federal land without authorization is generally not permitted.
For protected species — big game, furbearers, trophy game, and nongame wildlife — relocation must be handled by the WGFD or a licensed professional with the appropriate permits. No person shall take any nongame wildlife except as provided in regulation. Capturing a protected animal, even with the intention of releasing it somewhere else, constitutes a “take” under Wyoming law and requires authorization.
| Animal Category | Can You Trap? | Can You Relocate? | Who Handles It? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Predatory animals (coyote, skunk, raccoon) | Yes, no license required | Limited; consult WGFD | Landowner or professional |
| Furbearing animals (beaver, mink, badger) | License + season required | No — WGFD only | Licensed trapper or professional |
| Big/trophy game (deer, elk, bear) | No — permit required | No — WGFD only | WGFD or licensed professional |
| Migratory birds (geese, swallows) | Federal permit required | Federal permit required | WGFD or federal permittee |
| Nongame wildlife | Permit may be required | No — permit required | Licensed professional with permit |
Canada geese deserve special mention. 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. But even this limited activity requires written WGFD authorization — you cannot independently interfere with nests or eggs.
To see how neighboring states approach this same issue, compare the rules under wildlife removal laws in Washington or review the relocation framework outlined in wildlife removal laws in Minnesota.
Hiring a Licensed Wildlife Control Operator in Wyoming
When the animal in question is a protected species, or when the situation is beyond what a property owner can safely handle, hiring a licensed wildlife control operator (WCO) is the right move. Wyoming does not maintain a separate state-issued “wildlife control operator” license in the same way some states do, but professionals operating in Wyoming must hold the appropriate WGFD licenses and federal permits for the species they handle.
A qualified wildlife removal professional in Wyoming should hold:
- A valid Wyoming trapping license for any furbearing species work
- WGFD depredation or special purpose permits for big game or trophy game conflicts
- Federal sub-permittee authorization under the WGFD’s statewide permit for migratory bird work
- Appropriate business licensing under Wyoming state law
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is dedicated to conserving, enhancing, and protecting Wyoming’s exceptional fish and wildlife resources and the habitats that support them. The WGFD’s regional offices are the best starting point for referrals to qualified professionals in your area. The Game and Fish has eight regional offices distributed across the state, so there is always a local contact point regardless of where you live.
When evaluating a wildlife removal company, ask directly whether they hold active WGFD permits for the species involved. A legitimate professional will be transparent about their licensing. Be cautious of any operator who promises to “relocate” a bear or mountain lion to a nearby wilderness area — that type of work requires WGFD coordination, not just a truck and a trap.
For a broader look at how professional wildlife removal is structured in other states, see wildlife removal laws in Texas, wildlife removal laws in Florida, or the operator licensing framework covered under wildlife removal laws in Virginia.
Pro Tip: The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has a Technical Bulletin that provides further suggestions for resolving conflicts with urban and nuisance wildlife. Request a copy from your regional WGFD office before hiring any contractor — it may resolve your issue without professional intervention.
Penalties for Illegal Wildlife Removal in Wyoming
Wyoming takes wildlife violations seriously, and the penalties reflect that. Violations range from low misdemeanors to felonies depending on the species involved and the nature of the offense.
Enforcement of wildlife laws in Wyoming includes fines, citations, and penalties for violations. The WGFD’s enforcement division works in coordination with county prosecutors, and cases involving protected species — especially trophy game animals — are regularly referred for criminal prosecution.
The penalty structure under Wyoming Title 23 includes:
- Low misdemeanor — covers violations such as trespassing on private land to hunt or trap without permission (violation of the prohibition on entering private property to hunt, fish, or trap without permission constitutes a low misdemeanor).
- High misdemeanor — applies to more serious offenses such as using prohibited trapping devices on game animals. Violation of the prohibition on using game animals as bait constitutes a high misdemeanor.
- Animal cruelty charges — Wyoming House Bill 275, effective July 1, 2025, significantly upgraded these penalties. The law increased the penalty for first-time misdemeanor cruelty to animals to a maximum of six months in prison plus a fine of up to $5,000, and made subsequent offenses felonies. Wyoming House Bill 275 further authorized judges to revoke or suspend hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges as part of cruelty sentencing.
License revocation is another serious consequence. 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 — meaning a suspension in Wyoming follows you to other member states.
For trophy game animals, the stakes are even higher. Illegally taking, possessing, or selling a trophy game species like a mountain lion or black bear can result in felony charges, substantial fines, permanent license revocation, and forfeiture of equipment used in the violation. The WGFD’s Stop Poaching program actively solicits tips from the public, and the Stop Poaching program works because people truly care about Wyoming’s wildlife resources.
For comparison, see how other states structure their penalty frameworks: wildlife removal laws in California and wildlife removal laws in New York both carry felony-level penalties for certain protected species violations, while wildlife removal laws in Georgia and wildlife removal laws in Ohio outline similar tiered misdemeanor-to-felony structures.
The bottom line in Wyoming is straightforward: predatory animals give you the most flexibility, but protected species require permits, professionals, or both. When in doubt, call the Wyoming Game and Fish Department before you act — a five-minute phone call costs nothing, and an illegal take can cost you far more than a fine.