News – Sheridan Media
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The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is reviewing their activities for the 2025 year. Game and Fish saw the culmination of several multi-year investigations, which sent a clear message that poaching will not be tolerated.
Significant cases solved this year included:
An eight-year investigation in the Green River Region into a systematic poaching ring resulted in more than $40,000 in fines and a 20-year hunting ban for the lead offender, who used fraudulent residency to illegally harvest elk, deer and pronghorn.
A district court upheld an 18-year suspension of hunting privileges for a high-profile poacher involved in the illegal taking of trophy-class mule deer and elk. The case was handled by Jackson Region game wardens.
Out on the water
Game and Fish report another notable year for tiger trout fishing in the Cowboy State. Kemmerer resident Shelby Holder set the new record on June 6 with a 14-pound, 15.2-ounce fish caught in the Hams Fork River near Kemmerer. The area is known for record-setting trout, and is a popular location for anglers.
For youth anglers, twelve-year-old Tucker Bass of Shoshoni set a junior line-class world record with a 2-pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass catch at Lake Cameahwait.
Anglers continue to take advantage of Wyoming fishing opportunities statewide. The Wyoming Cutt-Slam program saw record-breaking participation, with 210 anglers catching the state’s four native subspecies of cutthroat trout.
For habitat preservation of the state’s waterways, the department reports that Wyoming faced an increased risk from aquatic invasive species as surrounding states continue to discover new infestations. Over the inspection season, staff inspected more than 76,000 boats to protect the state’s waters from invasive aquatic plants and animals. Of those inspections, more than 6,000 were considered high-risk — the highest number since the AIS program was established in 2010 by the Wyoming Legislature.
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Last modified: January 9, 2026