By Joy Ufford
Pinedale Roundup
Via Wyoming News Exchange
PINEDALE —- Wyoming Game and Fish wildlife officials reviewed the updated Sublette Antelope Biological Risk and Opportunity Assessment to 50-plus people Tuesday in the Pinedale Library’s Lovatt Room.
The Game and Fish’s recent report, available online, breaks the 165-mile pronghorn corridor into 10 segments that are evaluated by regional biologists for peak seasonal use, stopover habitat, fragmented habitat, development, fences and “potential pinch points.”
These bottlenecks are barriers that restrict pronghorns’ physical or behavior movements during spring and fall migrations.
Game and Fish Deputy Director of Internal Affairs Doug Brimeyer joined Jill Randall, migration coordinator, and Brandon Scurlock, Pinedale Region wildlife manager, to explain and answer questions. Randall apologized for the public’s long wait.
“I hope that you’ll see in this document a lot of really good information and hope you will give us a little grace,” she said. “Many in this room have been through this process for the Sublette Mule Deer (Migration Corridor).”
The report’s executive summary gives quantitative details to 13 bottlenecks between the Red Desert, Hoback Basin and Jackson Hole. To the north working south, they are the Red Hills, Bacon Creek, Twin Creeks, Rim, Trappers Point and Daniel Overpass, Kendall, Big Piney, Noble Basin. New Fork, Green River and Blacks Fork bottlenecks.
“The new information in this map is bottleneck analysis for people to take a more detailed look,” Randall said.
The common bottleneck that affects pronghorn and mule deer migrations in Sublette County is at Trappers Point, where the herds are funneled to overpasses on Highway 191 near Daniel.
The pronghorn herd, which was decimated after terrible winter and disease, is returning more slowly than anticipated, especially at its northern range of Sublette County, Bondurant and Jackson Hole, Scurlock said.
Last year, pronghorn does averaged 70 fawns per 100 in the northern range and 130 fawns per 100 does to the south, he said.
Brimeyer and Randall encouraged the public to review the lengthier, more detailed report with interactive maps and a link to submit comments and advice on specific bottlenecks at https://wgfd.wyo.gov/subletteantelope-migration-corridor.
Gov. Mark Gordon’s Wyoming Mule Deer and Antelope Migration Corridor Executive Order of 2020 applies to public, not private lands. The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission requested the department to pursue official designation of the Sublette Pronghorn Migration Corridor,“identified” as such in March 2024.
After the May 2 comment period, biologists will rework the 10 trail segments as needed before the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission’s July meeting in Evanston. If it recommends pursuing designation, the governor will form a local working group. Gordon’s signature will finalize the corridor designation process.
