Chance of rain for much of western and central Wyoming on Monday, sunny in parts of eastern Wyoming. Highs from the upper 40s to near 70. Lows from the 20s to the 40s.

Central:  

Casper:  There’s a slight chance of rain after 5 p.m. today and a chance of rain overnight. Otherwise, expect it to be sunny and breezy today with a high near 63 and wind gusts as high as 34 mph. Overnight it should be mostly cloudy and breezy with a low near 40 and wind gusts as high as 34 mph.  

Riverton:  Look for it to be mostly sunny and breezy today with a high near 66 and wind gusts as high as 37 mph. It should be partly cloudy and windy overnight with a low near 34 and wind gusts as high as 40 mph. 

Jeffrey City:  There’s a slight chance of rain after 5 p.m. today and a chance of rain then snow overnight. Otherwise, look for it to be mostly sunny and windy today with a high near 58 and wind gusts as high as 41 mph. It should be windy and gradually become mostly clear overnight with a low near 31 and wind gusts as high as 44 mph. 

Southwest:  

Evanston:  There’s a slight chance of rain after 3 p.m. today and a chance of rain tonight, mixing with snow after 9 p.m. then gradually ending. Otherwise, look for it to be mostly sunny and breezy with a high near 55 and wind gusts as high as 39 mph. It should be breezy and gradually become mostly clear overnight with a low near 25 and wind gusts as high as 40 mph.

Rock Springs:  There’s a chance of rain after 4 p.m. today and rain and snow are likely overnight. Otherwise, expect it to be breezy with increasing clouds today, a high near 59 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. Overnight it should be mostly cloudy and breezy with a low near 29 and wind gusts as high as 34 mph.

Lyman:  There’s a slight chance of rain after 3 p.m. today and a chance of rain before midnight tonight. Otherwise, it should be mostly sunny and breezy today with a high near 61 and wind gusts as high as 38 mph. It should be mostly cloudy and breezy overnight with a low near 28 and wind gusts as high as 45 mph.

Western Wyoming:  

Pinedale:  There’s a chance of rain today and a chance of rain and snow before 11 p.m. tonight followed by a slight chance of snow until midnight. Otherwise, it should be partly sunny and breezy today with a high near 51 and wind gusts as high as 37 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy and windy with a low near 23 and wind gusts as high as 40 mph.

Alpine:  Rain is likely today and rain and snow are likely before 11 p.m. tonight, followed by a chance of snow until 1 a.m. Otherwise, look for it to be partly sunny and breezy today with a high near 50 and wind gusts as high as 23 mph. It should be mostly cloudy overnight with a low near 27 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph. 

Big Piney:  There’s a slight chance of rain after 1 p.m. today and a chance of rain, possibly mixing with snow after 9 p.m. then gradually ending. Otherwise, expect it to be mostly sunny and windy today with a high near 55 and wind gusts as high as 44 mph. Overnight it should be mostly clear and windy with a low near 22 and wind gusts as high as 44 mph. 

Northwest:  

Dubois:  There’s a chance of rain today and rain and snow are likely overnight. Otherwise, expect it to be mostly sunny and breezy today with a high near 51 and wind gusts as high as 33 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy and windy with a low near 25 and wind gusts as high as 38 mph. 

Jackson:  Rain is likely today and rain and snow are likely overnight. Otherwise, it should be partly sunny and breezy today with a high near 48 and wind gusts as high as 24 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy with a low near 23 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph.  

Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park:  Rain and snow are likely today and possible overnight, becoming all snow after 7 p.m. Otherwise, look for it to be breezy today with a high near 43 and wind gusts as high as 34 mph. It should be mostly cloudy and breezy overnight with a low near 17 and wind gusts as high as 34 mph.

Bighorn Basin:

Thermopolis:  There’s a slight chance of rain after 5 p.m. today and a chance of rain, then rain and snow overnight. Otherwise, it should be mostly sunny and breezy today with a high near 65 and wind gusts as high as 33 mph. It should be partly cloudy and breezy overnight with a low near 36 and wind gusts as high as 33 mph.

Cody:  There’s a chance of rain mainly after 5 p.m. today and a chance of rain before midnight tonight followed by a chance of rain and snow overnight. Otherwise, expect it to be mostly sunny and breezy today with a high near 60 and wind gusts as high as 37 mph. It should be partly cloudy and windy overnight with a low near 33 and wind gusts as high as 40 mph.

Lovell:  There’s a slight chance of rain after 5 p.m. today and a chance of rain tonight, possibly mixing with snow after 3 a.m. then gradually ending. Otherwise, look for it to be mostly sunny and breezy today with a high near 65 and wind gusts as high as 28 mph. Overnight it should be mostly cloudy and windy with a low near 36 and wind gusts as high as 41 mph.

North Central:  

Buffalo:  There’s a slight chance of rain after 5 p.m. today and a slight chance of rain overnight before 4 a.m. then rain and snow are possible. Otherwise, it should be mostly sunny and breezy today with a high near 61 and wind gusts as high as 24 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy and breezy with a low near 36 and wind gusts as high as 28 mph.

Sheridan:  Look for it to be mostly sunny today with a high near 67 and mostly cloudy overnight with a chance of rain mainly before midnight, a low near 34 and wind from 17-22 mph after midnight.

Story:  There’s a slight chance of rain after noon today and a chance of rain before 3 a.m. overnight followed by a chance of rain and snow. Otherwise, expect it to be mostly sunny today with a high near 62 and mostly cloudy overnight with a low near 31 and wind from 17-22 mph after midnight.

Northeast:  

Gillette:  It should be mostly sunny today with a high near 67 and winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Overnight it should be mostly cloudy and breezy with a chance of rain before midnight, a low near 36 and wind gusts as high as 29 mph.

Sundance:  There’s a slight chance of rain after noon today and overnight. Otherwise, expect it to be mostly sunny today with a high near 62 and mostly cloudy overnight with a low near 35 and wind gusts as high as 22 mph.

Moorcroft:  Look for it to be mostly sunny today with a high near 68 and mostly cloudy overnight with a chance of rain, a low near 37 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph.

Eastern Plains:  

Torrington:  Expect it to be sunny today with a high near 71 and mostly cloudy overnight with a low near 43. 

Wheatland:  It should be sunny and breezy today with a high near 68 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. Overnight it should be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain after midnight and a low near 45.

Kaycee:  Look for it to be sunny and breezy today with a high near 65 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. It should be partly cloudy and breezy overnight with a slight chance of rain, a low near 36 and wind gusts as high as 31 mph.

Southeast:  

Cheyenne:  Look for it to be sunny and breezy today with a high near 64 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. It should be partly cloudy overnight with a low near 39. 

Laramie:  Expect it to be sunny and breezy today with a high near 58 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. It should be partly cloudy and breezy overnight with a slight chance of rain after 1 a.m., a low near 34 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph.

Chugwater:  It should be sunny and breezy today with a high near 66 and wind gusts as high as 35 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy and breezy with a low near 42 and wind from 10-20 mph.

South Central:  

Rawlins:  Watch for increasing clouds and breezy conditions today with a high near 60 and wind gusts as high as 35 mph. Overnight it should be mostly cloudy and breezy with a chance of rain before 2 a.m. then rain and snow. The low should be near 32 and winds could gust as high as 35 mph.

Encampment:  Look for it to be sunny and breezy today with a high near 57 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. Overnight it should be breezy, clouds should increase and there’s a chance of rain before 3 a.m. followed by a chance of rain and snow. The low should be near 32 and winds could gust as high as 30 mph. 

Hanna:  Watch for increasing clouds and breezy conditions today with a high near 59 and wind gusts as high as 35 mph. Overnight it should be breezy with a chance of rain before 3 a.m. followed by a chance for rain and snow. The low should be near 32 and winds could gust as high as 35 mph.

Wyoming’s wildlife is always in the spotlight, but that doesn’t mean it can be spotlighted. That’s illegal.

Spotlighting is the practice of using bright lights to hunt or observe wildlife at night. The concept is inherently simple: All that’s needed is a bright light and a dark night.

Wildlife spotlighting is an increasingly common practice across Africa, where vehicles carrying tourists might have a mounted spotlight for nighttime wildlife tours or to increase visibility for photography.

But simple concepts have a penchant for being abused. Poachers often use spotlighting to stun animals, making them easier to hunt.

Year after year, wildlife tourism has contributed to record-breaking attendance in Yellowstone National Park and elsewhere around Wyoming. With larger herds of people flocking to see those wild herds, there could be a growing interest and demand for wildlife spotlighting.

The good news for Yellowstone purists is that the question of spotlighting has already been asked and answered — nope, can’t do it — and it’s unlikely to change, as long as Wyomingites ensure it doesn’t.

Lights Off

Spotlighting is illegal on public land in Wyoming. The state banned spotlighting in conjunction with hunting, and the federal government prohibits spotlighting for wildlife observation in Yellowstone and throughout the National Park System.

Laws and regulations can change with enough public support or opposition, but there isn’t much demand to allow spotlighting in Yellowstone or Grand Teton national parks.

“We’ve never been asked for that,” said Alvin Heggie with Cody Shuttles, which conducts tours of Yellowstone. “Nobody’s asked us for ways to attract wildlife. They are more focused on what kind of equipment we have for them to use to see wildlife.”

Heggie said people might book a wildlife tour through Cody Shuttles and other wildlife tour companies for various reasons. Most want to get the best experience within the legal and ethical boundaries established throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

“They want to see wildlife in wild country,” he said. “Tourists are looking for the people they feel are going to treat them the best and put them in the best position to see wildlife.”

Making The Market

The only night tours offered in the Greater Yellowstone region are for stargazing in the pristine dark skies over Yellowstone and Grand Teton. If there’s ever a future demand for nighttime tours with wildlife spotlighting, Heggie doesn’t see it starting with tourists.

“It would be more of a pull than a push,” he said. “It’s hard to forecast because it’s not permissible or ethical here now. But I would imagine for that kind of an experience, outfitters and guides would offer that service and create their own interest. It doesn’t feel like that would be very pervasive.”

Even if spotlighting were permitted in Yellowstone, which is extremely unlikely, Heggie wouldn’t promote the practice. He believes many wildlife tour companies would also shun it.

“I’m not a fan of them,” he said. “It diminishes the wildlife experience because you’re not watching wildlife. You’re watching a stunned, kind of manipulated animal, causing them undue stress. It’s an unnecessarily dangerous situation, and I don’t think that’s appropriate.”

The Ethical Status Quo

There’s not much chance that wildlife spotlighting will ever be permitted in Yellowstone National Park. But in the 21st century, the struggle over what is and isn’t allowed in the park is constantly challenged, mainly by the accelerating sophistication and accessibility of new technologies.

For instance, it didn’t take long for commercial drones to be banned throughout the National Park Service after a visitor crashed one into Grand Prismatic Spring in 2014. Often, new gadgets and technologies aren’t banned until they’ve already caused significant incidents.

Regarding wildlife tourism in Yellowstone, Heggie doesn’t necessarily believe in following “the status quo.” His primary considerations are the most ethical practices for the safety of tourists and wildlife.

“Maintaining the status quo is not a goal of mine,” he said. “I think the question is more about ethical practices. If it’s an ethical practice and you can leverage it, I think you should. If not, it should be banned because it’s not good for what we do and the wildlife.”

In Heggie’s perspective, wildlife tourism companies and guides have just as much responsibility as tourists. The best way to prevent literal spotlighting is to focus the metaphorical spotlight on the people and companies providing wildlife experiences within ethical boundaries.

“There’s a stark difference between a guide service that has multiple experienced guides with decades of experience that know the ins and outs of the park and someone who’s using sound or light to attract wildlife,” he said. “I believe the ability to purvey in our market is predicated on our accumulated experience, the experience we create, and how well we communicate that to the consuming public.”

Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.

After making the tag at first base, Chase Speicher (2) looks to double up the Lake-Lehman at second base with pitcher Christian Krogulski ducking the throw.

Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

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Wyoming Area senior pitcher Colton Krogulski came in the game to relieve starting pitcher Kristian Pugliese. Krogulski pitched four innings giving up one hit and one run.

Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

Wyoming Area’s Chase Speicher gets hit by a pitch in the early innings against Lake-Lehman.

Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

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Wyoming Area senior pitcher Colton Krogulski came in the game to relieve starting pitcher Kristian Pugliese. Krogulski pitched four innings giving up one hit and one run.

After making the tag at first base, Chase Speicher (2) looks to double up the Lake-Lehman at second base with pitcher Christian Krogulski ducking the throw.

Wyoming Area catcher Jeremy Layland is about to put the tag on Lake-Lehman’s Andrew Mathis before he slides at home.

Wyoming Area’s Chase Speicher gets hit by a pitch in the early innings against Lake-Lehman.