House committee advances bill to remove river otters from protected list to give Game and Fish conflict tools

The House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Committee voted to advance House Bill 45, which would remove river otters from Wyoming's list of protected wildlife and reclassify them as nongame wildlife so the Wyoming Game and Fish Department can use permits and other tools to address localized conflicts.

Chairman Byron, the bill's sponsor and the committee chair, said the bill "removes the word otter from statute 231‑101" and is intended to "allow the game and fish the tool to manage that animal, if and when appropriate." The committee voted 6‑2 to move the measure out of committee.

Why it matters: Supporters say the change would give the agency the authority to respond to complaints from private landowners and anglers — including using chapter 56 permits for case‑by‑case relocation or, if necessary, lethal removal — without creating an open hunting season. Opponents say scientific data on population size and distribution are insufficient and worry delisting could reduce long‑term recovery.

Agency and suppor…