Frequently asked Questions

Can I buy a firearm from the Sports Lure if I am not a Wyoming Resident?
We can legally sell you a long gun if you are US citizen (with the exception of residents of California, New York, and New Jersey). You still must fill out the Federal 4473 form and pass an instant NICS Background check as required by federal law. Federal law prohibits us from selling you a handgun if you are not a legal resident of Wyoming. What can be done legally, is that we can sell you a handgun, but we must ship it to a licensed FFL dealer your home state (where you are a legal resident) . At that point you will have to fulfill the gun purchasing requirements in your home state. This process can also work for California Residents purchasing any type of firearm.

Who is considered a Wyoming Resident for Hunting and Fishing and how do I get residency?
Wyoming law requires a person to continuously reside in Wyoming for the period of 365 consecutive days (1 year) to establish residency. Owning land/paying taxes, etc. in Wyoming without 1st establishing residency by living here 1 year, does not qualify you for residency. Please refer to the Wyoming Game and Fish website for more details.

What are the options for Wyoming Fishing Licenses?
Annual Fishing Licenses are available, they are valid for the calendar year only:

  • Resident: $27 ($48.50 w/ conservation stamp)

  • Resident Youth (14-17 yr): $3 ($24.50 w/ stamp)

  • Non-Resident: $102 ( $123.50 w/ stamp)

  • Non-Resident Youth: (14-17 yr) $15 ($36.50 w/ stamp)

  • All annual fishing licenses also require you to purchase a Wyoming Conservation Stamp ($21.50)

  • 5-day and daily licenses do not require a stamp, can pick any days with daily but must be consecutive with the 5-day license.

  • Daily Resident Fishing License: $6/day

  • Daily Non-Resident Fishing License: $14/day

  • 5-day fishing license: $56 (must be consecutive days)

    Please note that you are required to provide last 4 digits of your Social Security Number to purchase a Wyoming Game and Fish license. We have seen many customers unable to purchase a Wyoming Game and Fish license because they did not have this information (especially with youth). We encourage everyone to have this information ready when you purchase a license.

Do we need to worry about Bears or Mountain Lions in the Bighorn Mountains?
There are both Black Bears and Mountain Lions that live in the Bighorn Mountains. However, they are very wary and shy and are rarely seen. These Trophy Game species are hunted extensively in the Bighorns and avoid human contact at all costs.

  • There has not been any reported sightings of Grizzly Bears in the Bighorn Mountains.

  • You don’t need Bear Spray or Pepper Spray to defend yourself from wildlife in the Bighorn Mountains.

  • You are now required to hang food and/or “bear proof” your camp, as there has been an increased number of issues with occupied camps in the Bighorns. The BLM has asked that you have anything smell-able inside of a bear can, even in the wilderness. Please direct additional questions to the BLM.

Please respect all wildlife, and don’t approach any closely, enjoy them from afar. Especially Moose- they can be quite aggressive if you get too close to them. Avoid cow Moose with calves, and bulls.

Who has to have a Wyoming Fishing License?
Wyoming Fishing Licenses are required for anyone fishing Wyoming waters. Exceptions being privately stocked ponds on private land, not including streams on private land. The other major exception being Yellowstone National Park which requires a special National Park fishing license which can be purchased at the park entrance gate or stores within the park.

Anyone over the age of 14 is required to obtain a Wyoming fishing license. Wyoming residents under the age of 14 can fish without a license or adult supervision, but must abide by current fishing regulations. Non-residents under the age of 14 are not required to have a license, but must fish with a licensed fisherman. Please note that one license means one legal limit of fish. These kids are not allowed limits in addition to the licensed fishermen that they are fishing with. Please refer to the Wyoming Fishing Regulations for all limits.

What is the best time to come to the Bighorn Mountains Area to fish?
Lower Elevation Lakes and Reservoirs:

Excellent: from ice out (April) through May, picking up again in September and October. Fair: Mid-Summer – June – August . High temperature and longer days drive the fish deep and fishing is just fair, early morning hours are best.

Low elevation streams:

Excellent: Mid-June/early July after the runoff period is over, through the month of July, and again in September and October. Fair: from ice out (April ) until runoff begins (mid-May), however fishing is generally slow during this period. Late July and August can also be tough as streams are generally warm with low flows.

Mountain Streams:

Excellent : from mid-June to early- July (dependent on runoff) and stays good through September. Fair: October is hit or miss dependent on weather.

Mountain Lakes:

Fishing is usually excellent from ice out (mid-June to mid-July) depending on elevation, through mid-September. October is hit or miss, dependent on weather.

Is there Skiing in the Bighorn Mountains?
There are several great, designated Nordic ski areas in the Bighorn National Forest. Skiing is generally good from mid-December all the way into April.

Meadowlark Ski Lodge is located 43 miles west of Buffalo on Highway 16. It is a small Alpine ski area with two chairlifts, about 800’ vertical and dozens of trails. This area has a beautiful day lodge, and generally fantastic snow conditions. It is an especially great ski area for families

Antelope Butte is located 59 miles west of Sheridan on Highway 14. It is another small ski area with dozens of trails and a brand new lodge. It is a non-profit ski area that has had a long road to getting back open. In its heyday, it was a great area for young families.

Should I enroll my kid in the Kids Ski Program or just get a Season Lease?
There is no right answer here, but we have some recommendations that might lead you down the right path that fits your family.

The Kids Ski Program is a great, affordable option for skiing families. It gives your kids access to new/relatively new, well maintained, and properly fitted ski gear every season. This option works very well if:

  • You enroll your kids at a young age – under 8 yrs. old.

  • You are confident that your family will be in the region while you children are growing up.

  • You and your family are avid skiers.

  • You are confident that your child will continue to ski while growing up.

    We also offer a popular, Season Equipment Lease program. It also gives your kids access to relatively new, well maintained, and properly fitted ski gear every season. This option works well if:

  • You are not sure that skiing is an every year family activity (i.e. time conflicts with club sports and school sports).

  • You are not sure that you will live in the area long term.

  • Your kids are too old to get the full benefit from the purchase/trade-in program.

  • You’re not sure that your child wants to ski or snowboard.

  • Your child is a fast growing teenager.

When are hunting seasons?
There is some type of hunting occurring from September through December in the Bighorn Mountain area. Archery seasons start early, usually in September. Archery hunters do their best to be safe and shoot at reasonable distances, however hunting accidents can happen but are extremely rare in this part of Wyoming..

Rifle seasons are generally open starting October 1st through December. If you are hiking on public lands during these periods, it is advised that you wear “hunters orange” garments for safety. For more details, please refer to the hunting regulations on the Game and Fish Website.

How is the hunting in the Bighorn Mountain area?
Big Game hunting is excellent in the Bighorn Mountain region. There are abundant herds of Elk, Deer and Pronghorn (Antelope) here. Most of the Elk Hunting takes place in the Bighorn Mountains, and there is good public access on the National Forest Lands. The most highly prized Elk Licenses in the Bighorn Mountains are available by Limited Quota draw, and odds of drawing are relatively difficult, non-residents will benefit by accumulating preference points to improve their drawing odds.

Deer and Antelope are abundant in the area. Non-resident tags are fairly easy to draw without preference points or paying the extra fee for the special/enhanced odds draw. Please note however that access to public hunting is challenging in areas off of the Bighorn National Forest. Easily accessible public land is heavily pressured and has only fair hunting. Most private lands have excellent hunting, but are likely leased by outfitters or require steep fees for access.

We highly recommend securing hunting access before applying for these tags in our area. It can be extremely disappointing for any hunter to spend a substantial sum for licenses, gear and travel and having a difficult time finding a place to hunt.

If you are needing guide recommendations, these are just a few that we know have high quality service.

Hunting Outfitters:
Triple Three Outfitters | Bighorn Mountain Outfitters
Beartrack Outfitters | Grizzly Outfitters