New Wyoming Law Will Allow People To Pick Up Roadkill
Among the laws passed by the 2021 Wyoming Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mark Gordon is one that will allow people to pick up and keep roadkilled wildlife.
You can read House Bill 95 here. The bill's primary sponsor was Rep. Dan Zwonitzer [R-Laramie County].
The bill does specify that it only applies to unintentionally killed wildlife. And some animals are exempt from the law. Those include grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and wolves in any part of Wyoming where wolves are classified as game animals. Threatened or endangered species are also exempt, as are birds covered by the federal Migratory Bird Act.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Wyoming Department of Transportation will develop rules for possessing roadkill by the time the law takes effect on July 1.
People will need to get a certificate from Game and Fish before taking possession of the animal to pick up roadkill under the bill. The person may have to allow Game and Fish to inspect the animal to make sure it meets the criteria of the bill.