As the first woman to direct the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Angi Bruce said she’ll make wildlife habitat a priority when she takes the helm in September.

A looming concern for Wyoming wildlife is “loss of habitat, both quality and quantity,” Bruce told Cowboy State Daily on Friday afternoon shortly after Gov. Mark Gordon announced her appointment.

“We’re seeing these effects on sage grouse, mule deer and other species,” Bruce said.

She said she’s looking forward to working with landowners, non-governmental conservation groups and others to continue Game and Fish habitat preservation and restoration projects across Wyoming.

Gordon picked Bruce from three internal finalists to replace Game and Fish Director Brian Nesvik, who plans to retire in September.

The other finalists were Rick King, chief of the department’s Wildlife Division, and Craig Smith, deputy chief of the Wildlife Division.

Bruce is now the agency’s deputy director of external affairs.

Best And Worst Of Times

She’ll take over as director during a time that is both exciting and challenging for Game and Fish.

On one hand, the agency is about as financially stable as it’s ever been. Wyoming continues to be a premier destination for out-of-state hunters. They’re willing to pay big fees for nonresident hunting licenses, which generates a large portion of Game and Fish’s revenue.

On the other hand, Game and Fish has been harshly criticized from people and wildlife advocates from around the globe for what some claim was light punishment for a Daniel man who reportedly captured, tortured and killed a wolf in February.

According to court records, Cody Roberts, 42, forfeited a $250 bond for a Game and Fish citation for illegal possession of a live, warm-blooded animal. But many have clamored for much stiffer penalties for the wolf’s cruel treatment.

There’s also ongoing controversy over whether grizzly bears should be delisted from federal endangered species protection and hunted in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

There also are squabbles over hunter access, even as many of Wyoming’s elk herds have ballooned to far above their objective population.

Hunters claim that landowners won’t give them enough access to shoot more of the elk, while landowners say they don’t want to be pressured into just throwing their gates wide open.

Regarding the elk quandary, Bruce said she’s familiar with that sort of situation. She previously worked in wildlife management in Iowa and saw it happen there with whitetail deer.

Some plots of land became “essentially refuges” for the exploding deer population and hunters couldn’t get to them, she said.

Like whitetail, elk “are a species that can become very adaptable to human disturbances to the environment,” she said.

“They’re two very different species, but the issues are similar,” she said.

Regarding the controversies, Bruce said she’s confident that Game and Fish can continue to take a balanced approach and stay on course with its mission to conserve wildlife and serve the public.

“One thing I’ve noticed is that we never shy away from those difficult issues,” she said.

First Woman Director

Bruce has been in her current position with Game and Fish since 2019, and worked with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for 17 years before that.

She said it’s meaningful to be selected as the first woman to lead Wyoming Game and Fish.

“I’m thrilled to represent the first female director for the department. That’s exciting. This is a very male-dominated field, it always has has been,” she said.

However, she added that her appointment in no way detracts from the excellent record of the men who previously directed Game and Fish and got the agency to where it is today.

Bruce added that she’s “honored” to set an example and be an inspiration for women and girls who are interested in careers in natural resource and wildlife management.

The Right One For The Job

Selecting from the three finalists was challenging, Gordon said in a statement released by his office.

“The Game and Fish Commission forwarded three exceptionally well-qualified candidates reflecting Wyoming’s commitment to wildlife and our natural resource heritage,” Gordon said.

“In her role as deputy director, Angi has demonstrated the department’s dedication to protecting our state’s leadership role in science and policy on wildlife issues large and small,” he added.

Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.

The San Francisco Giants are a team that has been relatively quiet in the MLB rumor mill. While they are still within striking distance in the National League Wild Card race, there haven’t been a lot of big rumors connecting them to an attempt to pull off a sizable trade.

With the MLB trade deadline just a few weeks away, the rumors should start heating up soon.

Currently, the Giants hold a 43-45 record. They are in a position where a trade or two could propel them to contention.

Add in the fact that San Francisco will be getting some major pitching reinforcements soon and it makes the trade deadline even more interesting. Blake Snell, Robbie Ray, Kyle Harrison, and Alex Cobb are all working their way back to the mound.

Keeping that in mind, the Giants could consider pursuing an impact bat before the trade deadline. One name has emerged as a potential target and would be a perfect trade deadline addition.

That name is Chicago Cubs first baseman and outfielder Cody Bellinger.

Throughout the 2024 season thus far in 74 games, Bellinger has hit .274/.335/.425 to go along with nine home runs and 37 RBI. His numbers haven’t been huge, but he has still been impactful for the Cubs.

Unfortunately for Chicago, the team has not been able to find success. That has led the Cubs to being potential sellers ahead of the deadline.

If they do place Bellinger on the trade block, San Francisco should be one of the teams calling with interest.

Bellinger is the kind of bat that can change everything for a team. When he’s hot, he’s among the best hitters in baseball. On the other hand, when he’s cold, he usually isn’t that bad.

Looking ahead to the future, Bellinger does have two years left on his contract after 2024. However, he also has potential outs in both of those years. It seems very possible that he could opt out of his deal at the end of the 2024 season and look for a new long-term contract.

Should the Giants be able to pull off a deal for Bellinger, they would have a decent shot at re-signing him. They have money to spend and he could be a long-term fixture for their lineup.

At 28 yeras old, Bellinger fits a long-term outlook for San Francisco as well. He could help them win in 2024 and for years to come if the two sides stay together.

While there is certainly no guarantee that Bellinger will be traded, he would be a perfect target for the Giants. If they want to make a quality addition to their lineup, they should try to call Chicago and see if they can get something done for the former MVP.

There was a lot of fire activity on the Fourth of July and overnight into Friday in the Denver metro area. Fire crews responded to dozens of fires, including several house fires and grass fires. 

South Metro Fire Rescue crews responded to 50 fires between 6 p.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. on Friday. Most of the fires involved grass or mulch and most were caused by fireworks, according to fire investigators. 

The grass fire burning near East Quincy Avenue and South Bellaire Circle was reported just before 6 a.m. Friday and burned approximately 150 feet by 150 feet of grass. Witnesses reported hearing a loud firework boom followed by smoke and flames. Crews found a firework on the trail that separated the fire down the middle. Exactly what caused that fire is being investigated. 

One adult was seriously injured and one child suffered minor injuries in separate fireworks incidents, according to fire crews. Both were treated and transported to the hospital.  

Firefighters in the Denver Fire Department responded to a house fire at 52nd and Altura Street just before midnight. Firefighters battled the fire that spread to the neighboring home.    

There were no reported injuries in that fire but the families were displaced. What caused the fire is being investigated.   

The Denver Fire Department told CBS News Colorado that crews responded to a total of five house fires overnight however it was unclear whether all five suffered damage. 

Crews also responded to 119 trash and weed fires on the Fourth of July through Friday morning. 

West Metro Fire Rescue responded to 29 fires between 6 p.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. Friday. A majority of those fires were fireworks-related. One of those was a structure fire where the family improperly disposed of spent fireworks, throwing them into a trash can in the garage, causing minor damage. 

Fire crews issued a reminder that the fire danger is high in that district patrolled by West Metro Fire Rescue and expected to remain high for the next several days. 

Aurora Fire Rescue crews rushed to a fire at a multi-family structure near the 100 block of South Sable Boulevard about 10 p.m. on Thursday. When they arrived, they found heavy fire on the back side of the structure extending into the attic space. Four units sustained heavy damage in the fire. 

One person suffered minor injuries and was rushed to the hospital. What caused the fire is being investigated. 

In Fort Collins, Poudre Fire Authority crews rushed to a garage fire burning at a home in the 600 block of Hanna Street just before 1 a.m. Friday. When crews arrived, they found the attached garage engulfed in flames. One person inside the home was able to escape unharmed and crews rescued a dog that was inside. What caused that fire is being investigated.