Sheridan Community Land Trust (SCLT) is partnering with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) to provide a new, carefully managed public hunting opportunity at the SCLT Big Goose Natural Area (BGNA) through the Access Yes program.
For most visitors, very little will change. Hunting will take place only within a designated Hunter Management Area on a portion of the property that is not currently open for general public access. Hunting will not be permitted on the BGNA’s public trails, around the Welcome Center, or within other public-use areas.
“This gives us an opportunity to provide another form of public access while being thoughtful about all the different ways people use the Big Goose Natural Area,” said SCLT Director of Conservation and Resource Management John Graves.
Will hunting impact trail use?
No. SCLT’s public trails at the Big Goose Natural Area will remain open, and trail use will not be impacted by hunting.
The Hunter Management Area and the BGNA’s public trails are located in separate parts of the property and do not overlap. Hunting will take place only within the designated Hunter Management Area on land that is not currently open for general public access.
Visitors can continue to walk, run, bike, walk their dogs, and enjoy the BGNA trails just as they do today.
What hunters can expect
The Big Goose Hunter Management Area will be open Aug. 15, 2026, through May 31, 2027, with individual species limited to their respective hunting seasons. Access will be available for antelope, deer, game birds, small game and turkey.
Because of the BGNA’s many uses and its proximity to developed areas, hunting here will be more restrictive than on many other properties. Only limited-range weapons will be allowed: archery equipment, shotguns and traditional muzzleloaders. Hunters must obtain a permission slip, display a vehicle pass, use designated parking and entry areas, and sign in each day. Permission slips will be issued by Game and Fish on a first-come, first-served basis in two-day blocks.
“This creates a new way for people to connect with the Big Goose Natural Area while opening access to a part of the property that isn’t otherwise available to the public,” Graves said. “Working with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department allows us to provide that opportunity in a way that works well alongside the property’s other uses.”
Why hunting at the BGNA?
Providing responsible hunting access is another way the BGNA can serve the community while supporting thoughtful stewardship of a landscape shared by people, wildlife and agriculture.
“We want the Big Goose Natural Area to demonstrate how different uses of the land can work together,” Graves said. “This is one more opportunity to connect people with the land while managing it responsibly.”
Hunters should visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website for permission slips, season dates, regulations, maps and complete Big Goose Hunter Management Area rules. Information is available at https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Public-Access/Hunter-Management-Areas/Big-Goose.
