Funds generated through the sale of the Wyoming Governor’s complimentary big-game licenses in 2024 will soon benefit sportsmen, photographers, campers and others who enjoy the state’s outdoors. The Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition recently finalized its 2025 project funding and is allocating the $1.5 million raised from those purchases to 73 conservation projects directly benefitting Wyoming wildlife.
The coalition allocates funds for various wildlife conservation projects through committees that focus on species-specific initiatives: elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, moose and an all-wildlife committee. Projects are diverse and range from habitat improvement, conservation easements, research and efforts to facilitate wildlife movement across roadways.
“The Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition puts forth incredible effort to raise money that goes directly on-the-ground for conservation projects,” Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) said. “The coalition is judicious and generous with their allocations to better the landscape for a variety of species. Thank you to hunters for investing in these licenses to support responsible stewardship of our state’s natural resources.”
Each year the coalition, comprised of Wyoming-based wildlife conservation organizations as well as the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, is tasked with marketing and selling the Governor’s complimentary big-game licenses, as authorized by state statute. These include five bighorn sheep, five moose, 10 deer/elk/antelope and five wild bison licenses.
Participating conservation organizations include the Mule Deer Foundation, Muley Fanatics Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation. When licenses are sold, the revenue is dedicated to wildlife conservation, with 90 percent of the proceeds going back to the coalition and 10 percent staying within the selling organization.
“The Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition stands out for its ability to rally significant financial support and garner widespread participation from top-notch conservation groups in Wyoming,” said Tim Thomas, Wyoming Game and Fish Sheridan Region wildlife management coordinator and coalition chair. “This collaborative funding model was founded under Gov. Freudenthal and continued by Govs. Mead and Gordon [and] deserves recognition for its ability to leverage funds to support conservation in Wyoming.”
Since the group formed in 2003, the coalition has funded nearly $15 million in conservation projects that benefit outdoor enthusiasts who visit or live in Wyoming.
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