Eighteen Wyoming legislators, government leaders and citizens from across the state have been appointed to the new Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce. Among them are three local officials and citizens: Park County Commission Chairman Lee Livingston, Meeteetse landowner Duaine Hagen and state Rep. Jamie Flitner, R-Greybull.

The group will “study top-priority wildlife policy issues facing the state related to the allocation of hunting opportunity, sportsperson access and other issues identified by the taskforce,” the Game and Fish said.

The group will analyze topics over the next 18 months, with the first meeting likely to be held in mid-summer. The committee will receive background information relative to potential topics between now and the first meeting.

Members were appointed jointly by the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the president of the Senate, the president of the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and the director of the Game and Fish Department.

Other members include:

• Tony Lehner — Converse County commissioner, landowner

• Rep. Albert Sommers — Sublette County

• Adam Teten — Johnson County sportsman

• Joe Schaffer — Laramie County sportsman, president of Laramie County Community College

• Rusty Bell — Campbell County commissioner, taxidermist, sportsman

• Sy Gilliland — President of Wyoming Outfitter and Guides Association

• Elissa Ruckle — owner of Elevate Wyoming

• Sen. Ogden Driskill — Crook County

• Sen. Larry Hicks — Carbon County

• Liisa Anselmi-Dalton — Sweetwater County hotel owner

• Jen Scoggin — director Office of State Lands and Investments

• Josh Coursey — Sweetwater County, executive director of the Muley Fanatics Foundation

• Pat Crank — Laramie County sportsman, outgoing Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioner

• Pete Dube — Johnson County, president of the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission

• Brian Nesvik — director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department

“This group of individuals appointed to the Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce reflects a collective of perspectives and expertise from citizens and leaders that will be valuable to our work on licensing and public access and other issues identified by the committee. Topics will require ingenuity, research and deep discussions,” said Dube. “We are grateful to have their commitment.”

All meetings will be open to the public and “will allow significant public input and comment,” the Game and Fish said, with the end goal “to present conclusions and recommendations to the Legislature, Game and Fish Commission and governor to support decision making on Wyoming’s wildlife resources.”