Big Game.—The Shoshone is the only forest in Wyoming in which all
species of big game native to the State are found, with the exception of
the whitetail deer. These include antelope, mule deer, elk, mountain
sheep, moose, and black and grizzly bear. What may be even more
surprising is that there are open seasons on all species—deer, elk, and
bear under the regular license; antelope, mountain sheep, and moose
under special permit. Another unusual feature about hunting on the
Shoshone is that except for the southern part of the forest the regular
hunting season is 60 days long, from September 15 to November 15. In
addition, there is a spring bear season from May 1 to June 15, just
after the bears come out of hibernation and their skins are best. State
Game and Fish regulations frequently change from year to year. If you
plan to go hunting, post yourself on the current regulations.
[Illustration: F-385967
_Chimney Rock—along the Cody-Yellowstone Highway._]
The Shoshone is a favorite rendezvous for nonresident hunters because it
has the game, and the outfitters and guides. The State laws require that
all nonresident big game hunters hire licensed outfitters and guides to
conduct them.
The Forest Service is deeply concerned with the propagation and
protection of game. This involves not only cooperating with State
officers and enforcing the game laws, but providing game herds with
sufficient and suitable range. Throughout the West the national forests
supply most of the summer range for big game animals except antelope.
The Shoshone Forest is no exception. Most national forests contain
sufficient summer range for present game herds and some increases.
However, the situation regarding winter range is different. Most of the
land at the lower elevations where the game originally wintered is
outside the forest. Much of it has been homesteaded and is in livestock
ranches and farms. In many sections of the West game, especially deer
and elk, are faced with the desperate choice of raiding ranches in the
valleys and foothills or starving in the snowdrifts of the high
mountains. In some instances the Forest Service has been able to provide
winter game range by regulating grazing or eliminating livestock
entirely from the ranges. Such an example can be found on the Shoshone
on the Elk Fork, Sweetwater, Horse Creek, and Grizzly Creek drainages.
This area furnishes winter range for the largest elk herd on the forest,
and is reserved especially for it. In addition, several hundred deer
also use this same range.