Wyoming rejects ban on state’s tradition of killing wildlife with snowmobiles

Mike Schmid tried twice on Thursday to talk his colleagues into ending the legal-in-Wyoming practice of running down coyotes and other species with snowmobiles and striking exhausted animals.

It’s a form of hunting that was put on display for the world to see nearly a year ago, when a resident of Schmid’s new district in the Green River Basin badly injured a juvenile wolf with his snowmachine and then took it into a public bar for cheap thrills. The infamous incident attracted global ire that the Wyoming Freedom Caucus-aligned Republican representative’s community is still recovering from.

“I truly believe, with the discussions I’ve had in my district, that this [amendment] will close the door on this issue,” Schmid on Thursday told members of the Wyoming House. “This black eye that Wyoming has will begin to heal.”

Schmid’s motion was to amend House Bill 275, “Treatment of animals,” which was brought by Rep. Andrew Byron, R-Jackson, in direct response to the wolf torture stunt. That bill, which passed the Wyoming House 57-3 on Thursday, heightens penalties for cruelty and a person who “tortures, torments or mutilates” living wildlife, regardless of the species.

Schmid, an avid hunter, wanted the bill to go further, proposing a prohibition on striking animals with snowmobiles on public land. So did Rep. Karlee Provenza, a Laramie Democrat, who partnered on the amendment.

“We were on the world stage, and it wasn’t just for what happened in the bar — it was for what happened before,” Provenza said. “Our wildlife are part of our heritage. I’ve said it 100 times, I’ll say it 100 more: ‘I think we need to be better stewards of it.’”

The unlikely duo partnering on the amendment didn’t sway many colleagues. Their amendment was specific to public land, a provision Schmid said was intended to “protect our agricultural community,” allowing ranchers to continue using the tactic on private land.

Rep. Elissa Campbell, R-Casper, worried about muddying HB 275, which she said strikes a “beautiful balance” and had support from sportsmen, landowners, concerned citizens and ranchers. The livestock industry, notably, has strongly resisted restrictions on running over animals with snowmobiles.

Rep. McKay Erickson, R-Afton, argued that hunting with over-snow vehicles is a necessary predator control. He referenced the Dog Creek Wolf Pack south of Jackson, which his constituent hunted down relentlessly — the Wyoming Game and Fish Department reports the 12-animal pack was completely eliminated.

“Using a legal snow bike, he pursued and was able to take predators,” Erickson said. “He would have never been able to even touch these animals without the use of the motorized vehicle, and that was on public land.”

In an overwhelming voice vote, the Schmid-Provenza amendment failed.

That night, Schmid pitched the same plan as standalone legislation to the House Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee, of which he’s a member.

“This bill is very simple,” Schmid said. “All it does is stop … the senseless act of using a machine to repeatedly run over an animal in order to maim it or kill it.”

Although unpopular as an amendment to HB 275, the standalone House Bill 331, “Taking of predators on public lands,” had a number of supporters in advance. Co-sponsors included a politically diverse group: Reps. Gary Brown, R-Cheyenne; JT Larson, R-Rock Springs; Darin McCann, R-Rock Springs; Daniel Singh, R-Cheyenne: Liz Storer, D-Jackson: Nina Webber, R-Cody; and Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne.

Schmid offered an amendment, proposing to add the word “intentionally” in several sections of HB 331 to allay concerns shared on the House floor about criminalizing accidentally striking animals while driving.

Late into the evening, the Ag Committee worked on the bill.

Rep. Bob Davis, R-Baggs, inquired whether it would prohibit pursuing predators with snowmachines. It did not, Schmid explained, and was only intended to address using the vehicle as a weapon.

Agricultural industry reps showed up in resistance.

“I don’t think this bill is needed,” Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation lobbyist Brett Moline testified. “I think the actions that would lead up to something being killed are covered by the other bill (HB 275).”

Several others disagreed, commending Schmid’s measure.

Were it enacted, Byron’s House Bill 275, “Treatment of animals,” would not prohibit the pursuit and snowmobile-caused injury to the wolf that ended up in the Sublette County bar, Greater Yellowstone Coalition lobbyist Richard Garrett testified.

“So I’m afraid we would still potentially have another eye to be blackened if this bill (HB 275) were to stand as it’s drafted,” he said.

Sabrina King, lobbying for the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers’ Wyoming chapter, echoed the point.

“I would venture that the sporting community in Wyoming does not support running over animals with vehicles,” she testified. “We do not consider that fair chase. And we do think that this bill closes that final gap that House Bill 275 does not.”

The amended version of Schmid’s HB 331 died in the Ag committee, albeit in a split vote. Schmid, Provenza and fellow Reps. Steve Johnson, R-Cheyenne and Pepper Ottman, R-Riverton voted to advance it. Opposing were Reps. Davis, Dalton Banks, R-Cowley, John Eklund, R-Cheyenne and Tomi Strock, R-Douglas.

Although it’s been struck down, HB 331 lured more support than any prior Wyoming legislative attempt to end a culture of recreationally running over wildlife with snowmobiles.

Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, ran a similar measure with only Democrat sponsors in 2019 that did not get a committee hearing. That same year, Yin tried again, though failed to get any support from the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee.

Storer, who chaired the “Treatment of Predators Working Group” in the aftermath of the infamous wolf incident, also was interested in pursuing a ban, but was discouraged from doing so by Gov. Mark Gordon and others.

Schmid told WyoFile in a text message he intends to try again at a prohibition.

“I will continue to do what I can,” Schmid said. “As an avid hunter, I hate what this says about something I love so much.”