A tight economy + an interesting idea = Senate File 118, “Landowner hunting tags-amendments.” Introduced by Senator Laura Pearson, SF 118 would allow landowners the ability to sell the special hunting licenses they receive for extra income, according to WyoFile. 

“It’d give ranchers and farmers the ability to … sell or give those tags to whomever we want,” said Pearson.

Like many others in the livestock industry, Pearson’s family’s sheep ranching operation has hit hard times thanks to several severe winters and other economic-driven issues, making some producers sell stock to stay afloat or, in some cases, close operations.

Per current law, landowners are able to obtain two licenses for each species: elk, antelope, deer, and wild turkey. Though there are some stipulations to receiving the licenses. For example, to be eligible, landowners must provide at minimum of 160 contiguous acres of habitat. They also have to “demonstrate 2,000 ‘animal use days’” in the hunt area selected. 

Historically, these licenses remain in the family, though the system has known “workarounds, like subdividing land,” according to WyoFile. 

Between 2014 and 2021, landowner licenses for all offered species increased by 26%, showing an uptick in popularity, according to Jennifer Doering, Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) license section manager.

SF 118 currently has the support of a dozen Republican members. If passed, it would require WGFD to establish rules and regulations for landowners to resell their tags. 

While the rationale behind SF 118 seems beneficial – who doesn’t want to help landowners, ranchers, and producers thrive? – those against the amendment say it would give wealthy nonresidents “an unfair advantage over ordinary resident sportspeople.”

Further, it changes how someone might obtain a tag instead of having to go through the detailed lottery system already in place.

“It’s essentially the privatization of a wildlife resource,” said Jess Johnson, government affairs director for the Wyoming Wildlife Federation. “This system allows someone to bypass the tag system.”

“A lot of landowners don’t apply for or get landowner tags, even though they’re eligible for them,” Johnson added. “Because they [could] sell them for however much money, this [would] incentivize them to put in for landowner tags.”

WGFD’s game wardens are also opposed to the possibility of landowners selling their tags.

“Transferable and sellable landowner licenses are a step toward the privatization of this public resource and away from the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation,” wrote Wyoming Game Warden Association President Levi Wood to WyoFile, acknowledging the “critical role that landowners play in stewarding wildlife habitat. However, the association does not feel this is the appropriate method to show appreciation to those landowners and change such as this will come at the detriment of Wyoming resident sportspeople.”

To date, SF 118 hasn’t been assigned to a committee. It has until Feb. 7 as that’s the last day for bills to be reported out of Wyoming Senate committee.