WGFD recognizes landowners

Casper – The 2013 Landowner Access Awards were presented at the Wyoming Stock Growers Association Winter Roundup in Casper on Dec. 4. 

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and Wyoming Board of Agriculture handed out four awards for the four quadrants of the state. The awards were for the recognition of landowner’s contributions for wildlife habitat and stewardship of their land for allowing hunters to access and use their property. 

The winner of the Northwestern quadrant was John Bullinger and Sons, Inc., a family owned ranch located by Otto. This ranch allows deer, antelope and waterfowl hunting from mid-August to the end of May the next year. 

On behalf of the ranch, Chris and Christine Bullinger accepted the reward. 

The recipient of the Northeastern region was the 21 Ranch, owned by Doug Watson, his mother Phyllis Watson and his late father Ron Watson. 

The 21 Ranch is located southeast of Sundance and borders the Black Hills. The Watsons run predominately Red Angus and produce hay. 

Their contribution of access to property is over 10,000 acres for hunting. 

The Southwestern region recipient was Charlie and Connie Rex. The Southwest area of Wyoming has a lot of Bureau of Land Management and privately owned land mixed together, creating a lot of land-locked properties. 

The Rex’s contributions have opened up more than 200,000 acres of access in their region. 

For the Southeastern part of the state, recipients were Charles (Chuck) and Kayle Berry. 

In this area of the state the amount of public land is very limited, which makes hunting areas and access a premium. The Berry’s efforts have helped out a lot of hunters and allow the Game and Fish to reach their management goals. 

Madeline Robinson is assistant editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at madeline@wylr.net.