Wyoming deer hunters won’t have to worry about a change this fall. Senate File 3 (SF 3), “Mule and whitetail deer-separating hunting seasons,” which would have allowed the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) to sell separate mule deer and whitetail deer licenses, was rejected in a 19-12 vote this week, according to the Wyoming Business Report. 

Instead, hunters will continue hunting deer – both whitetail and mule deer – in one season with one license.

Those in favor of the bill, like Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, said it would have helped WGFD manage deer populations specificly for each species. Passage would have allowed WGFD to “set enforceable herd quotas” as well as “charge different license fees for each species,” said Driskill, who pointed out that whitetail have taken over critical mule deer habitat.

However, those opposed to the bill pointed out that the majority of hunters, ranchers and others “in the field” wouldn’t be supportive of the separation of species, including Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, who said, “they've got all the tools necessary to take care of the deer populations in Wyoming.”

“They're doing it now, and everything that is purported to be done in this bill is already being done,” said Landen. “There's a reason why the mule deer are coming back. There's a reason why we're getting control (of) the whitetail populations.”

Landen believed the bill was “unnecessary” and would require hunters to have to purchase two licenses to hunt deer in the state.

SF3 died on the Senate floor without discussion.