Wyoming predator districts are seeing double digit increases in the cost of doing business, largely due to the price of fuel, according to a federal official.

Mike Burrell, acting state director for the Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, was on hand Tuesday night at the Park County Predator Management District’s annual meeting in Cody. He brought concerning yet not unexpected news about increases for the price of helicopter and fixed-wing airplane flights.

The price billed to the district for helicopter flights is going up from $700 to $800 per hour and fixed-wing flights are going up from $160 to $180 per hour. The price for automobile transportation is also up about 25%.

Wildlife Services employees use planes and helicopters to hasten the job of controlling predators that prey on livestock. Planes are used more often across the state, but helicopters are extremely useful in high-elevation habitats like those found in northwest Wyoming, which makes up for the significant cost difference, Burrell said.

Area predator districts have access to one helicopter, stationed in Riverton, while Montana has five available, he said. Should Wyoming lose their helicopter they could call on assistance from one in Billings, but it might be days before it would be available.

“The availability of having that pilot here is pretty crucial for timing things just right,” Burrell said.

The new prices will begin in July.

Regan Smith, chairman of the Park County district, said Gov. Mark Gordon met with a group of district leaders and said his intention is to “keep us funded at current levels or better.”

State districts receive one of their main sources of funding from the state’s general fund through the Wyoming Animal Damage Management Program. It was created by the 1999 Legislature and is administered by a 15-member board, commonly referred to as the Animal Damage Management Board.

The ADMB was established for the purposes of “mitigating damage caused to livestock, wildlife and crops by predatory animals, predacious birds and depredating animals or for the protection of human health and safety,” the board reported.

Board members cooperate with federal, state and county governments, educational institutions and other stakeholders, including having a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Agriculture, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Wildlife Services.

Gordon has requested $1.5 million in the supplemental budget for ADMB to distribute around the state, but it must be approved through appropriations in the Legislature, which begins Jan. 10. Despite the increase requested, dealing with inflation will still make it tough to budget with every contract coming in higher than expected, Smith said.

“We’re hoping that the money will continue to come so we’re not totally being funded by livestock producers,” he said.

Senator-elect Dan Laursen said he supports the work of predator districts and plans to support the supplemental request.

“The state has a lot of money right now and there’s going to be a big fight over it,” he said.

The district also collects a $1 per head brand inspection fee for both sheep and cattle.

Smith said the Park County Predator Management District does more than “just killing coyotes.”

The district also works with partners such as Game and Fish mule deer conservation projects and the reduction of raven populations at landfills.