Wyoming Sheds

liecabucks · Mar 9, 2009

Wanted to share a wacky weekend story for all you guys.....

Some friends and I decided to drive to Wyoming Friday to do some shed hunting. We Started Friday late morning and found a few throughout the day, stayed the night in a hotel and hiked around some more Saturday. We were NOT in Lincoln county however. As we discovered most of the areas holding deer the previous months had already been hit. We still had an enjoyable time and probably came out with 20 or so antlers.......here comes the Interesting part. On our way home we were pulled over for speeding between Kemmerer and Sage JCT., when asked what we were doing in Wyoming the driver "my buddy" replied, "just doing a little shed hunting" man that officers ears perked right up! After waiting for a our ticket from the officer another officer pulled behind us. The 2 officers had a chat for about five minutes and the new guy came up to the window and started ripping in to us about how Lincoln county has a law about shed hunting. We were quick to explain that we wernt even hunting Lincoln and even named the mountains we were on and offered to show him the reciept of the hotel we stayed at in sublette county.....we even told him we had talked to a Fish cop and he didn't give us a hard time about being out and about. It was obvious the cop had his mind made up about us lying to him. After almost an hour of being riddiculed he told us that he was going to give us a $100 fine for each antler we had in our possession. He called them "Controban" and he wasnt going to stand for it in "HIS" county!!! Then he said he was going to give us a break and just give us a warning but that he would have to confiscate ALL our antlers! Being that we really didn't find anything too impressive we gave them to him and hit the road knowing full well that he was on a power trip and we were at his mercy......... All I have to say is how can we trust officers like this, are they all on a power trip or are there some that are decent??? So.....when in Wyoming you had better read up on all there little laws and be very careful what you say and do. By the way the deer look very good, hopefully they fare as well this spring.

west · Mar 9, 2009

I would of told him to f.. Off. Me being a res might have made a differance however. I think this is a case of locals giving giving nonres crap. Hate to see it, but it happens in all states. I'm sure those sheds will look great in his basement.I'm sure that's where they went. I would be making some phone calls if I was you.

Chesterwyo · Mar 9, 2009

Was it a lincoln county sherrif or a highway patrolman that pulled you over? I too would be making some phone calls

liecabucks · Mar 9, 2009

Good question......I think it was a highway patrol that pulled us over and then a lincoln county sherriff that was radiod in....

Chesterwyo · Mar 9, 2009

I would be on the phone today to let them know what that guy did.

jack_sparrow · Mar 9, 2009

That is total bull#$%@. I would be filing a complaint pronto! He had no right to take the sheds from you. I would file a complaint on harassment. He crossed the line!! In order for him to take the antlers from you, he would have had to catch you hiking in Lincoln County with sheds in your possession.

RockyDog · Mar 9, 2009

were you driving a pimp truck or did you have shiny Quad in the truck?

cjduck · Mar 9, 2009

I hope you're not finished with that story, and that you turn them in. That is a total bunch of B.S.

Founder · Mar 9, 2009

I called Wyoming Game and Fish on Weds. And they said there were no restrictions on picking antlers anywhere in the state. I would be quite upset if that happened to me. I hope you got the officers name.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com

BoneJunkie · Mar 9, 2009

Sounds like typical a hole cops at their best. Hope you get some justice.

mdwsthunter · Mar 10, 2009

obviously this is a total injustice. I hope nobody puts all law enforcement in the same boat as these 2 jacka*#'s but just remember there is no crime in requesting names and badge numbers whenever something like this happens. although you might not be in a possition to dispute on the side of the road, with these little pieces of information you can contact there agencies and dispute your treatment. Good Luck and I hope you got there info.

liecabucks · Mar 10, 2009

I think I may make a few calls this week and see if I can shine some light on this messed up situation......and to answer RockyDog's question, No, we were actually in a grandpa truck!!

a_rod · Mar 10, 2009

I understand its not right, but being a Wyoming resident, I think its damn funny! Ive seen about enough out of staters harrassing the deer around here. Alot of the mule deer around here havnt even dropped yet.

ELKOHOLIC · Mar 10, 2009

There is always two sides to each story. We have only heard one!
Something don't add up.

madmoose · Mar 10, 2009

that cop was probably all jacked up on cream filling and powdered sugar he didnt know what he was saying.....

i would be going back to wyoming and getting your horns back and making it a VERY big deal to as many people as you can in the office and who you deal with....
i know you said they weren't much for keepin' but thats not the issue.

4x4elk · Mar 10, 2009

>I understand its not right,
>but being a Wyoming resident,
> I think its damn
>funny! Ive seen
>about enough out of staters
>harrassing the deer around here.
> Alot of the
>mule deer around here havnt
>even dropped yet.

I agree since that one southern state put their law in to affect we have seen quite bit more of that states plates all over were I normaly used to go (used to being the oprative word there) AND I AM NOT SAYING THAT PEOPLE WITH WYOMING PLATES ARE PURFECT BY ANY MEANS. I am going to guess you had Utah plates and remember that is a huge rivalry of the WHP. I am not trying to pick a fight by any means I would be p!ssed to.

liecabucks · Mar 11, 2009

I would agree there are always 2 sides to every story, I'm obviously expressing my side BUT......at the very least I would think an officer would have to see you in the act of collecting sheds in lincoln county to justify giving a ticket or taking your hard earned treasures!! Believe me I woudn't have even been looking for sheds up there if there was some sort of restriction on shed hunting where we found them.....I don't get off on breaking the law, I get my jollys when I put in an honest effort and come out on top LEGALLY

headbones · Mar 13, 2009

>I called Wyoming Game and Fish
>on Weds. And they said
>there were no restrictions on
>picking antlers anywhere in the
>state. I would be quite
>upset if that happened to
>me. I hope you got
>the officers name.
>
>Brian Latturner
>MonsterMuleys.com

Brian, I called the Lincoln County Commissioners Office on Wed. March11 and they confirmed to me that there is a resolution passed that restricts shed antler hunting on all land, public and private in all of Lincoln County Wyoming until May 1 2009. She says they are enforcing it. Bad deal all around. Be careful.

fatrooster · Mar 13, 2009

I would post the officers names on this site as well as any other site I could think of. Word of mouth is a powerful tool especially against crookedness. fatrooster.

Founder · Mar 13, 2009

When we called, they said something about something in the works, but that there were no restrictions that day. They really need to put something on their website if areas are closed.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com

wyohikeit · Mar 15, 2009

I am a Wyoming native and have always tried to suport and defend the Game and Fish commission BUT this whole making it illegal to pick up sheds in Lincolin county even on private property is uninforcible and STUPID!!! Wyoming is the only state that I know of that require us to buy a state fishing liscense to catch fish from your own private pond! Now picture a rancher or farmer plowing his own field. This stupid legislation makes it illegal to stop and pick up a shed before it ruins a tractor tire!!!

When they put this bad law together with bad enforcement officers it's going to be trouble!

Yes I understand the aim of this restriction and there is a problem of to many meatheads chasing the game around, but this won't help in the long run. I can still go 4 wheeling or rock hunting or jackrabbit hunting in lincolin county as long as I don't pick up sheds. Many other activities are still hassleing the deer and elk on their winter range.

Time in the hills is always worth more than money

gonehuntinWY · Mar 15, 2009

My question is - Who will be the enforcement officers?? Game Wardens?? County Sheriffs??? Highway Patrol??? Forest Rangers?? B.L.M. employees?? The cost of patroling these areas will be huge. Only the outlaws will have antlers before May 1st. Seems like there is just to many people anymore putting pressure on the wildlife. Landowners abide by the big game hunting seasons set forth by the G&F so they might have to kick the antler into a pile of brush for a month before adding it to the pile of bone in the flower garden.

cmiddleton · Mar 15, 2009

a warden told me Friday the law only applies to west of the continental divide and is not in effect tell June of this year.

Hornhog2 · Mar 15, 2009

I'd go get my sheds back. And probably that guys job. He probably has no leg to stand on.

onthehunt · Mar 16, 2009

liecabucks- The reason for the season up in Lincoln county is well noted. It is a very touchy issue here in SW Wyoming. The last I heard Lincoln county had a shed hunting season.
I dont know the whole story with you and the cops. However something needs to be done about harrasment of big game( not saying that you guys harrasted the game). I just dont agree with another ridiculous law that we can't enforce. But when game is being harrasted something needs to be done. Regardless if its from shed hunters,4 wheelers, horseback riding or someone in an ultralight.
Just because a deer or elk has lost its antlers doesnt meen that the buck or bull will make thru the winter. Regardless of the mild winter conditions. Many, many people dont stop to think about the doe's or cow's that are pregnant. They too are affected by preasure which could affect the rest of the herd.
I'm also an avid shed hunter. I try to go somewhere the deer arent. Yeah that sucks at times! But at times it can be very rewarding. Try to find horn in places they may have wintered previous. Yeah I dont get all the brown horn, but I do get some from time to time. Greed and bragging rights get in the way and we all end up loosing. Really we as hunters need to make wise choices. Yes the others that run for the gold (horn) will ruin it for the rest of us. Unfortunetly we are all screwed in the long run.
About the cops. If you or your buddies were paying attention thier names are on thier badges. Next time have the local G&F cop on speed dial. He can be used as a witness and thats about it. As of now the G&F doesnt have juristiction over sheds. They do have juristiction over horn attached to skulls and harrasment of Big Game. Good luck and make some phone calls, unless you can remeber the names your SOL!

hopn4sno · Mar 17, 2009

I too had a Lincoln County Sheriff tell me that I could not pick up antlers in Lincoln County. He told me he also enjoyed picking up antlers, so I wasn't about to tell the idiot we were 2 miles into Sublette County. The county road sign even tells you where Lincoln County maintenance ends. Did he give you a receipt for the "evidence" he took from you? He has to do that and prove that you picked them up in Lincoln County. I would call the Lincoln County commissioners and tell them what's going on. I would like to sue them for hiring such an idiot.