It’s been nearly 30 years, but many in Wyoming still remember the time when the state Game and Fish Department director was caught fishing without a license.
In June 1995, a young game warden was checking fishing licenses on a stream near Rawlins and asked then-director John Talbott for his license.
Talbott, then 42, didn’t have one, according to reports from the time. Then he reportedly tried to cover up his gaffe, allegedly using a forged license.
That touched off a scandal that led to him resigning in early 1996, ending a 17-year career with Game and Fish.
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Talbott, contacted by Cowboy State Daily, declined to comment about getting caught without a license and accusations of trying to cover it up.
Incident Mirrored In ‘Joe Pickett’ Novels
The incident inspired famed Wyoming author C.J. Box to mirror it in his highly successful “Joe Pickett” series of novels, describing the adventures of a fictional Game and Fish warden.
In the series’ first installment “Open Season,” Pickett gives a ticket to the Wyoming governor for fishing without a license. That incident is mentioned in subsequent novels in the popular series.
Box told Cowboy State Daily that Mark Nelson was the real-life warden who ticketed Talbott. Nelson still works for Game and Fish, at the agency’s headquarters in Cheyenne.
Nelson did not return a request for comment.
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Talbott went on to work at Oregon State University in Corvallis. The University’s website lists him as a member of the College of Agricultural Sciences staff.
However, staff at the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences told Cowboy State Daily that Talbott had retired from that position.
Moreover, John Talbott is not to be confused with another former Wyoming Game and Fish Director, Scott Talbott, who retired honorably in 2019 and has no connection with the fishing license fiasco.
Forged License?
Former Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer took office in January 1995, and told Cowboy State Daily that he remembers the incident involving John Talbott.
It seemed out of character, because Talbott had been with Game and Fish for a long time and had a stellar reputation, Geringer said.
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“It really struck me that John somehow slipped into that, fishing without a license, because of his integrity and professionalism,” Geringer said.
He thinks that initially it was just a simple mistake on Talbott’s part to head out fishing without first making sure that he had a license.
To avoid such a slip-up himself, Geringer said he bought lifetime fishing and upland bird hunting licenses.
He’s not sure if those lifetime licenses were available at the time when Talbott was ticketed.
The alleged breach of integrity came later, according to reports from the Casper Star-Tribune at the time.
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Talbott allegedly went through fishing license receipts at the Game and Fish office, found one bought by somebody matching his weight, and tried to pass that license off as his own, the Star-Tribue reported.
He was later fined $400 in Carbon County Court and had his fishing privileges revoked for a year.
Geringer said the Game and Fish Department is highly autonomous, so the call for Talbott to resign likely came from the Game and Fish Commission and not his office.
“I didn’t have direct authority” over Talbott, he said.
Even so, Geringer said he “had a high standard for professionalism in my terms as governor” and supported the decision.
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The lead headline on the front page of the Feb. 1, 1996, edition of the Casper Star-Tribune announces the resignation of Game and Fish Director John Talbott. (Newspapers.com)
The Jan. 27, 1996, issue of the Casper Star-Tribune follows the investigation into the alleged cover up of Game and Fish Director John Talbott’s fishing without a license. (Newspapers.com)
The Feb. 7, 1996, issue of the Jackson Hole News and Guide, left, reports on the John Talbott investigation and that charges won’t be pursued for an alleged cover-up. At right, the Jan. 26, 1996, issue of the Casper Star-Tribune reports on Talbott’s plea to fishing without a license. (Newspapers.com)
‘The Initial Error Was Very Human’
Mary Kay Hill was Geringer’s director of policy at the time.
She, too, remembers the incident involving Talbott causing shock and disappointment.
“He was well-respected. He’d come up through the ranks as a well-respected manager of wildlife,” she said.
Most people at the time didn’t fault Talbott for fishing without a license, she said. The real fallout came from trying to cover it up later.
“The initial error was very human,” Hill said. “I think many people could have put themselves in his shoes.”
She added that as far as she can recall, the warden who ticketed Talbott didn’t know who Talbott was at that time.
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“It wasn’t somebody who was trying to nail his boss,” Hill said. “It was just an unfortunate human interaction.”
Recently retired Game and Fish director Brian Nesvik told Cowboy State Daily that the incident with Talbott happened just as Nesvik was starting his career with the agency.
Nesvik said he wasn’t directly involved, but was proud of how his colleagues handled the matter in not giving special treatment to Talbott because he was the director of the agency.
“It demonstrated real integrity on the part of Game and Fish, because it showed we are willing to enforce the laws, regardless of who was involved,” he said.
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Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, and Trails has officially released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for professional appraisal services to evaluate concession facilities at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming.
These appraisals are mandated by 2026 Senate Enrolled Act 27, Section 335, which requires appraisals of the “capital investment” and “ongoing concern” for the businesses known as the Star Plunge and the Hot Springs Hotel and Spa.
Qualified professional appraisers are encouraged to review the full requirements. Proposals must be submitted through the State’s Public Purchase online bidding system by 2:00 p.m., May 18, 2026. To view the full RFP (Number 0270-M), please visit https://www.publicpurchase.com/gems/wyominggsd,wy/buyer/public/home.
For additional information, contact Wyoming State Parks’ Visitor Services Manager Stephanie Dillmon at (307) 777-5734 or by email at Stephanie.Dillmon2@wyo.gov or learn more about Wyoming State Parks at wyoparks.wyo.gov.
When a clinic closes in Wyoming, it doesn’t just close a door; it can cut off access to care for entire communities.
For many residents, getting to a health care provider already means traveling long distances across multiple counties, and local clinics are often the only nearby option for basic health care. With one Title X Family Planning clinic in western Wyoming now closed, the challenge is becoming even more real for many people.
Reproductive and sexual health care is a key part of overall health, but it’s often one of the first services people lose access to when clinics close. Title X Family Planning is a federal program that helps people get essential preventive care, no matter their income. These clinics offer services like birth control, cancer screenings, STI and HIV testing, and care before pregnancy. They help people stay healthy, catch problems early, and plan for their futures.
The need is real. Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system, helping bridge gaps in both access and affordability. With 9 clinics currently serving communities across the state, these providers cared for nearly 12,000 patients through more than 28,000 visits between 2022 and 2025. For many, these clinics are their only source of care: 49% of patients were uninsured, and nearly half were living at or below the federal poverty level.
In a state where distance and cost can both be barriers, affordable care is essential. About 14.6% of Wyoming women ages 19–44 are uninsured, higher than the national average. Title X clinics help meet this need by offering low- or no-cost care, while also connecting patients to referrals and additional health services when needed, ensuring more individuals can get the care they deserve.
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These clinics are also on the front lines of prevention. In recent years, they delivered more than 3,100 cervical cancer screenings and about 20,000 STI and HIV tests. Services like these support early detection and treatment, helping reduce the need for more serious and costly care down the line.
In rural states like Wyoming, once a clinic closes, it is very hard to bring it back. These clinics are more than buildings; they are part of the local health care system that keeps communities healthy.
The good news is that Title X Family Planning clinics are still open, working every day to serve their communities. The Wyoming Health Council supports this network of clinics and works to ensure that people across the state can access the care they need. Through partnerships, education, and community-based programs, the organization helps connect Wyoming residents to reproductive and sexual health services, no matter where they live.
In a state where distance, cost, and provider shortages all play a role, these clinics, and the work supporting them, are more than just a convenience. They are a lifeline.
To help sustain this work and protect access to care across Wyoming, consider making a donation to the Wyoming Health Council.
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Donation Link: givebutter.com/WYTitleX
Required Federal Funding statement: This project is supported by the Office of Populations Affairs (OPA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award 1 FPHPA 006541-0-00 totaling $978,380 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS or the U.S. Government.
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CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council voted Tuesday to approve on first reading a zoning change for a vacant 2.4-acre parcel located at 1530 SE Wyoming Boulevard, transitioning the property from residential to commercial use.
The ordinance reclassifies Lot 4 of the Methodist Church Addition from Residential Estate to General Business. Located between East 15th and East 18th streets, the irregular-shaped property has remained undeveloped since it was first platted in 1984.
While original plans for the subdivision envisioned a church and an associated preschool, Community Development Director Liz Becher reported those projects never materialized.
According to Becher, the applicant sought the rezoning to facilitate the potential installation of a cell tower or an off-premises sign. Under the new C-2 designation, a cell tower up to 130 feet in height is considered a permitted use by right, though any off-premises sign would still require a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant also owns the adjacent lot to the north, which the city rezoned to general business in 2021.
Becher said the change aligns with the “Employment Mixed Use” classification in the Generation Casper comprehensive land use plan. This designation typically supports civic, institutional and employment spaces.
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Despite the new zoning, the property remains subject to a subdivision agreement that limits traffic access. Entry and exit are restricted to right turns onto or from East 15th Street, and no access is permitted from East 18th Street.
The council will vote on two more readings of the ordinance before it is officially ratified.
