Wyoming

Elk Fire update (as of 2:12 p.m. Oct. 2)

Published

1 year ago

October 2, 2024

Elk Fire update (as of 2:12 p.m. Oct. 2)

Sibley fire confirmed as part of Elk Fire

Complex Incident Management Team 3 officials confirmed fire at Sibley Lake and campground. Officials could not confirm start time or size, but confirmed that fire in the Sibley area is part of the larger Elk Fire.

The team is working on a larger fire update this afternoon.

All schools on the Tongue River side of district to be closed Oct. 3

Tongue River High School, elementary, middle school and Slack School will be closed Oct. 3 and there will be no virtual online expectation for schooling.

TRE and TRMS will dismiss as normal at 4 p.m. Oct. 2, TRHS was online and Slack was closed.

At 11 a.m. Oct. 2, Sheridan County School District 1 Superintendent Jeff Jones held a Zoom meeting with a large group of administrators and supervisory staff from across the district. In the meeting, Jones gathered information regarding the current status of the school district as a result of the fire.

“Not surprisingly, the impact is getting more and more difficult to manage. We have a large, growing number of staff members absent because they are either fighting the fire, needing to leave to get to Dayton so they can prepare for the potential of an evacuation, etc. We have many more staff members who, while they may still be in school, are incredibly shaken because in one way or another, they are greatly impacted by what is happening at this moment,” Jones said in an email to SCSD1 staff and families.

All activities on the Tongue River side are canceled for the balance of the week and weekend. This includes practices as well as home and away games. Efforts will be made to reschedule the events.

“There are scenarios where we simply don’t have bus drivers, coaches, etc. We also don’t want students to be coming in and out of the parking lot at TRHS to get things to get to a practice or game,” Jones said in an email to district staff and families. “Finally, to be frank, it doesn’t make sense to be playing a ballgame out of town while your family’s home is in jeopardy of burning down. Every effort will be made to reschedule events.”

For families who need extra time to prepare things in Dayton, there will be staff at TRE and TRMS who are willing to stay longer after school with children. The district also has extra space near the bus barn in Ranchester if people need extra space for campers, Jones said in the email.

Town of Dayton in “ready” pre-evacuation order

Here are the most recent evacuation orders, as of 10:55 a.m. Wednesday:

The Sheridan County Sheriff has increased the evacuation status of both the Eagle Ridge Subdivision and the residences directly adjacent to the east of U.S. Highway 14, going up the mountain, to “Set.” If you are in either of these areas, please take the time now to gather up important things and be prepared to evacuate if notified.

The town of Dayton has been placed in a “Ready,” or pre-evacuation, status. If you live in the town of Dayton, take the time now to think about what you would want to take with you or where you might go if the Town of Dayton is put into a “Set” status.

• Pass Creek Road and Twin Creek Road west of Parkman

• Tongue River Canyon west of Dayton, where the pavement turns to dirt.

• Town of Parkman residents and residents of north of Parkman, on both the east and west sides of Highway 345 up to the Montana state line are now under a pre-evacuation or, “ready,” notice. This does not include the Hersey Road area.

Residents in the “ready” stage should be prepared to evacuate if necessary. Emergency personnel have contacted all affected residents directly.

The town of Dayton is not under a pre-evacuation notice or “ready” status at this time.

Fire exceeds 32,000 acres burned

The Elk Fire grew to 32,069 acres burned with no containment as of 9 p.m. Tuesday. Additional air and ground resources arrived Tuesday to assist in fire control efforts.

“It’s important to note the effectiveness of air support is dependent on wind conditions and smoke coverage,” Sheridan County Emergency Management Coordinator Jesse Ludikhuize said in a press release.

Residents in Dayton and Ranchester areas should expect to see a significant increase in emergency vehicles.

Highway 14 still closed

Highway 14 from Dayton to Burgess Junction remains closed, and all other closures from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to Forest Service roads — see below — remain in effect.

“We’re working diligently to minimize the impact on the community while keeping everyone informed,” Ludikhuize said. “Please continue to respect evacuation notices and obey all road closures. It is crucial to stay out of the fire area to allow emergency personnel to work without obstruction.”

Highway 14 closure will be continually evaluated and adjustments will be made as conditions allow. The road remains closed due to thick smoke, fire conditions and the need to ensure the safety of emergency responders.

Fire impacts one firefighter, six buildings

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., signifying critical fire weather conditions, including low humidity and high winds, which could exacerbate the fire.

Since the beginning of the fire, six non-primary residential structures have been destroyed, including barns, outhouses and other non-primary residential buildings. All affected property owners have been notified by emergency personnel.

One firefighter sustained non-life-threatening injuries Tuesday, requiring transport to Sheridan Memorial Hospital, where the person is currently receiving treatment.

Larger crew assumes management

Wyoming Type 3 Team transferred management of the fire to Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3 at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The Complex Incident Management Team 3 will host a public meeting Wednesday at Tongue River Middle School — relocated from Tongue River High School Wednesday at 11 a.m. due to growing evacuation concerns in Dayton — starting at 7 p.m.

The in-person meeting will be recorded and published later by the team, who will make themselves available to answer questions and address public concerns related to the fire.

The new incident management team assumed operational control Monday at 7 p.m., and all updates will come from that team. The group will establish a public contact number, to be shared soon, according to Ludikhuize.

No donations of food or supplies are needed for firefighters or emergency personnel at this time.

Students remain online Wednesday

Emergency management personnel contacted SCSD1 Superintendent Jeff Jones at 12:15 a.m. and advised that students and staff at Tongue River High School only to go online Wednesday.

“I will continue to stay in touch as I get more information in the morning,” Jones said in an email to SCSD1 staff and families. “Please continue to pray for our firefighters, emergency responders and all of the families impacted.”

Slack School is also closed.

Community support

Sheridan County YMCA will provide shower passes for anyone displaced by the Elk Fire. Check in with the front desk with your information and mention the fire relief effort. Additionally, while space allows, the Y is providing space for parking campers, but they do not have electricity hookups. To reserve a spot, call and ask for availability and fill out a form at the front desk to check in.

Those needing a place to take livestock or a place to stay in a camper may evacuate to the Sheridan County Fairgrounds. If you need a place to stay and you are evacuated, contact Sheridan County Emergency Management at 307-752-2174. Emergency Management officials said staff will work with any resident that has pets to ensure they are also sheltered.

UPDATE: 5:15 a.m. Oct. 2

Due to the rapidly changing conditions of the Elk Fire, evacuation orders have been issued for Pass Creek Road and Twin Creek Road west of Parkman, and Tongue River Canyon west of Dayton, where the pavement turns to dirt.

In addition, the Town of Parkman residents and residents of north of Parkman, on both the east and west sides of Highway 345 up to the Montana state line are now under a pre-evacuation or, “ready,” notice. This does not include the Hersey Road area. Residents in the “ready” stage should be prepared to evacuate if necessary. Emergency personnel have contacted all affected residents directly.

The Town of Dayton is not under a pre-evacuation notice or “ready” status at this time.

UPDATE: 12:38 a.m. Oct. 2

DAYTON — Because of worsening fire conditions near Dayton, Sheridan County School District 1 is being advised to have students and staff at Tongue River High School to stay online Oct. 2.

Emergency management personnel contacted SCSD1 Superintendent Jeff Jones at 12:15 a.m. and advised that students and staff at TRHS only to go online Wednesday.

Slack School is also closed.

UPDATE: 11:45 p.m. Oct. 1

DAYTON — Evacuations have been ordered for all the residences on Pass Creek Road between East Pass Creek and Twin Creek Road and from the X bar X Ranch north to the state line.

Authorities have contacted residents.

The ranch is located at 846 Pass Creek Road in Parkman.

UPDATE: 5 p.m. Oct. 1

DAYTON — Fire suppression efforts continue. The latest update includes additional acreage burned, a minor injury, a scheduled public meeting and Tongue River High School students returning to in-person instruction.

Fire exceeds 32,000 acres burned

The Elk Fire grew to 32,069 acres burned with no containment as of 9 p.m. Tuesday. Additional air and ground resources arrived Tuesday to assist in fire control efforts.

Residents in Dayton and Ranchester areas should expect to see a significant increase in emergency vehicles.

Highway 14 from Dayton to Burgess Junction remains closed, and all other closures from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to Forest Service roads — see below — remain in effect.

One firefighter sustained non-life-threatening injuries Tuesday, requiring transport to Sheridan Memorial Hospital, where the person is currently receiving treatment.

Larger crew assumes management

Wyoming Type 3 Team transferred management of the fire to Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3 at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The Complex Incident Management Team 3 will host a public meeting Wednesday at Tongue River High School in Dayton, starting at 7 p.m.

The in-person meeting will be recorded and published later by the team, who will make themselves available to answer questions and address public concerns related to the fire.

No donations of food or supplies are needed for firefighters or emergency personnel at this time.

Students return to in-person learning Wednesday

Tongue River High School students will return to the physical classroom Wednesday.

“The situation has significantly improved near the high school and there is a presence of personnel and equipment (on the ground and in the air) in that area which has reduced the level of risk,” Sheridan County School District 1 superintendent Jeff Jones said in a Oct. 1 email to district parents. “Obviously we will continue to monitor the situation, literally by the minute. If things change, we will adjust as needed and that will be communicated out to all staff and families.”

As an extra precaution, several buses and drivers will be stationed at Tongue River High School during the school day. This will allow the district to evacuate the school in a matter of minutes if necessary.

Sports practices at the high school will resume on the afternoon of Oct. 1. The district will monitor the air quality for outdoor activities, assuring students with breathing issues minimize exposure or be excused all together from practices outside if that is what they need. If you are a parent of a child in this situation, please reach out to your child’s principal or coach if you have questions or concerns.

The Slack School will continue online schooling on Oct. 2.

Community support

The Defense Health Agency announced TRICARE beneficiaries in Sheridan County may receive emergency prescription refills now through Oct. 11, 2024, due to the Elk Fire.

To receive an emergency refill of prescription medications, TRICARE beneficiaries should take their prescription bottle to any TRICARE retail network pharmacy. If the bottle is unavailable or the label is damaged or missing, beneficiaries should contact Express Scripts, Inc., or their retail network pharmacy for assistance.

To find a network pharmacy, beneficiaries may call Express Scripts at 1-877-363-1303, or search the network pharmacy locator. If possible, visit the pharmacy where the prescription was filled.

UPDATE: 8:38 a.m. Oct. 1

PARKMAN — The Elk Fire continues to burn across the Bighorn mountain range stretching from Pass Creek Road to the Dayton area.

Tongue River High School closed Tuesday

Sheridan County School District 1 Superintendent Jeff Jones said Tongue River High School will remain closed Tuesday due to the fire.

“There is going to be a lot of action with equipment and personnel moving in the Tongue River High School area, (so) emergency personnel has asked that we keep students and staff at TRHS out again (Tuesday),” Jones said. All students from Tongue River High School will attend classes online.

Travel restrictions and road closures

According to the latest report from the Bighorn National Forest Service, the latest routes to be restricted to local residence traffic are:

• Pass Creek Road, County Road 144 (from intersection of Highway 345 and Pass Creek Road)

• Twin Creek Road (Access off of Parkman)

• Smith Creek Road (Intersection of Highway 343 and Smith Creek Road)

• Tongue River Canyon Road

• U.S. Highway 14 between Dayton and Burgess Junction (as of 7 a.m. Oct. 1, estimated opening time is unknown)

Evacuations remain in place along these routes. Law enforcement and fire personnel are asking people to respect the closures on Pass Creek Road along with other restrictions listed.

Due to the location, nature and direction of the Elk Fire, the Wyoming Department of Transportation and Incident Command are concerned for the safety of the traveling public, hunters, campers and residents of the Burgess Junction area, and are asking those individuals to evacuate the area. A Bighorn National Forest Closure Order is in place for firefighter and public safety. The area closed is the area north of US Highway 14 and east of the border of the Medicine Wheel Ranger District and the Tongue Ranger District.

Individuals with properties or personal belongings accessible from U.S. Highway 14 and U.S. Highway 14A will not be allowed access.

The Bighorn Forest Service and WYDOT are asking the public to avoid any unnecessary travel or parking in the area that may impede in the ongoing efforts to suppress this fire.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol will be operating gates at Dayton and Burgess Junction. It is unknown how long the closure will last.

Size and containment

Cooler temperatures helped firefighting efforts Monday.

According to a report from the Wyoming Type 3 Team Tuesday morning, the fire has burned approximately 25,085 acres and is 0% contained.

There are six hand crews, three engines, four heavy equipment, two Type 1 helicopters, one Type 2 helicopter, one Type 3 helicopter and two air attack battling the blaze.

Monday, firefighting operations focused on the northern and eastern sides of the fire with crews working to remove vegetation by use of hand tools and strategically putting fire on the ground to consume vegetation, or fuel, between structures and the fire. Air resources were used to assist ground operations and ensure for firefighter safety. Tuesday, firefighters will continue to build fire line around the fire, where it is safe to do so, with the assistance of air resources. The strategy being implemented on this fire is full suppression. Firefighter and public safety remain the top priority, and the tactics used to suppress the fire will be determined by the terrain, fire and weather conditions, and medical response time.

Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-60s on the fire area Tuesday with winds changing to be out of the southwest and relative humidity around 18%. The shift in wind may cause the fire to be active in different areas than Monday.

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Wyoming

How Wyoming Game Wardens Cracked The Cody Serial Poaching Case

Published

9 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

How Wyoming Game Wardens Cracked The Cody Serial Poaching Case

For four straight nights, Game Warden Spencer Carstens and a fellow officer sat in an unmarked vehicle at a Cody city park, windows down, staring into the blackness from dusk until 3 a.m.

Nothing happened.

The poaching caper that would become known internally as the “Cody Park Case” had been building since late August 2024, when residents began finding mule deer carcasses in their front yards and floating in a pond at the Park County Complex. The deer body count reached nine.

According to Wyoming Game and Fish, all nine were killed “right in the middle of town where deer like to hang out” by the library, not far from Canal Park and Glendale Park

All shot with a compound bow, all left to rot.

By the time wardens launched their stakeout, and the only lead was grainy security camera footage of a silver car cruising the neighborhood.

The full story of how the case came together is now the subject of an episode of the Wyoming Wildlife Podcast, hosted by Robert Gagliardi, the assistant editor of Wyoming Wildlife magazine. The podcast is a newer offering from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and this particular episode stood out for good reason.

“Our law enforcement stories, those are a fan favorite because they’re very exciting, they’re incredibly interesting, and they do a great job just highlighting just how much work goes into successfully investigating and closing a case like that,” Amanda Fry, public information officer for Wyoming Game and Fish, told Cowboy State Daily.

First Blood

In 2024, the first dead buck appeared in someone’s front yard near a city park, with a blood trail leading across the street and footprints disappearing into the grass. An arrow wound made the cause of death obvious.

“The first thing I kind of thought of was maybe it was a kid,” Carstens recalled for the podcast. A deer in a backyard, shot for fun — that was going to be the end of it.

But then, more reports came in the same day. A second buck, a couple of doors down, also arrowed.

Then a third, in a nearby park, where wardens recovered an arrow — an expandable broadhead fired from a compound bow, a typical hunting setup. Then deer four, five and six. Then number seven, found floating in a pond at the Park County Complex, requiring Carstens to wade out in chest waders to retrieve it.

All nine carcasses — two bucks, six does and a fawn — turned up within a tight radius around the county library and city park, right in the middle of town.

Every animal was shot and abandoned. None were harvested in any way.

“They were just killed and left,” Fry confirmed.

Silver Car

Being in city limits gave wardens tools they rarely get to use. Ring doorbell cameras from cooperative neighbors produced footage of activity on the nights deer were killed. Security cameras at a local business captured a silver car driving slowly up and down the street before parking, and a figure stepping out with a flashlight.

It was the first real break, but the footage was too grainy to identify a make and model, let alone a license plate.

“And of course, it’s one of those deals where there’s just silver cars everywhere you look, once you start looking for them,” Carstens said.

An early lead pointed to a group of teenagers spotted on Ring camera footage running around and riding in the back of a truck. Wardens tracked them down at a local school — only to learn they had been playing a supervised game that night, organized by Cody police. They were ruled out.

With no suspect and deer still turning up dead, Carstens and his team decided to stake out the park. They would sit in the dark and wait.

Forensic evidence was gathered from arrows to catch a serial poacher in Cody (Courtesy: Wyoming Game and Fish)

Fifth Night

By the fifth night of the stakeout, the wardens were running on fumes.

“We’re kind of tired, kind of getting sick of it, trying to figure out what are we going to do next because this isn’t working,” Carstens recalled.

Then they heard it — the unmistakable thwack of a compound bow firing in the darkness, followed by the sound of an arrow hitting flesh.

Using night vision, the wardens looked out into the park. A man was standing there holding a bow, standing over a dead deer.

Carstens crept out of the truck and got as close as he could before making contact. The man bolted.

“I actually get in a foot pursuit with this guy,” Carstens said. “He was a young, pretty fast guy, so he got away from me.”

But the suspect had to have driven there. Wardens fanned out and found the silver car parked about a block away. Peering through the window, they saw an arrow lying on the front seat that matched the one recovered from an earlier crime scene.

And the car was full of fresh groceries.

“Basically went out to get groceries, on his way home decided to pull over and shoot a deer in the park,” Carstens said.

Blood Science

The suspect — later identified as Joshua Tamirat Wielhouwer — fled the state. But wardens had his vehicle and, soon, search warrants for the house where he had been staying. Inside, archery equipment was scattered through multiple rooms. A second vehicle yielded more gear, including a bow and broadheads.

Some of that equipment had blood on it. In some cases, only minuscule traces.

Wardens had also been collecting the deer carcasses and storing them in an evidence freezer. They sent tissue samples from eight of the nine deer to the Wyoming Game & Fish forensics lab, along with every piece of blood-stained archery equipment from the house.

What came back was, in Carstens’ word, “remarkable.”

The lab matched all eight deer to specific pieces of equipment — individual broadheads, arrows and metal inserts — through DNA analysis. Trace amounts of tissue inside a tiny metal arrow insert were enough to tie a specific deer to a specific arrow.

“This is the first case that I’ve worked where we’ve actually been able to take nothing but DNA evidence and make a full case on it,” Carstens said. “Big kudos to the forensics lab. They really helped put this case together. We wouldn’t have a case without them.”

A cell phone search warrant then connected the suspect’s archery equipment to an older case — a beef cow shot with multiple arrows and left to die the year before, a case the Park County Sheriff’s Office had been unable to solve.

Serial Poacher

With a nationwide extraditable warrant issued through the Park County prosecuting office, officers in another state began looking for the suspect. He eventually turned himself in, flew back to Cody and sat in jail for 75 days before posting bail.

A trial was set for February 2025. Before it began, prosecutors and the defense reached a plea deal: guilty on nine of the 18 misdemeanor charges, $18,000 in restitution for the deer and one full year in county jail, with 73 days credited for time served.

The suspect also pleaded guilty to felony destruction of property for the cow, paying restitution to the rancher and accepting three years of supervised probation. All seized archery equipment was forfeited. 

A year behind bars is an unusual outcome for a wildlife case in Wyoming, where penalties more commonly involve fines and revocation of hunting privileges, explained Carstens.

“This guy had never purchased a hunting license in Wyoming,” Carstens said. “He wasn’t really a traditional hunter in the sense that he buys a license, goes out in the field and looks to harvest anything.”

The warden’s best guess at a motive: the suspect was into archery as target shooting and “maybe just wanted to take it to the next level and see what he could do with his bow.”

Forensic evidence was gathered from arrows to catch a serial poacher in Cody — who was also connected to a mutilated cow. (Courtesy: Wyoming Game and Fish)

Team Effort

Carstens credited his fellow wardens and the Game and Fish investigative unit — which considered the dead cow as a possible predator conflict before determining it had been killed by a bow — and the Park County prosecutor’s office.

“This was definitely the most collaborative effort that I’ve been a part of,” Carstens said.

The community played a role too. Neighbors willingly shared security camera footage, and residents who enjoy the town’s urban mule deer herd were eager to see the case resolved.

“Our hope is to cover everything Game and Fish is doing,” Fry said of the Wyoming Wildlife Podcast. “We have terrestrial habitat work, aquatic habitat work, but our law enforcement stories — those are a fan favorite.”

David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.

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Wyoming

BLM and Wyoming Honor Farm to Offer Trained Wild Horses and Burros in May

Published

21 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

BLM and Wyoming Honor Farm to Offer Trained Wild Horses and Burros in May

The Wyoming Department of Corrections Wyoming Honor Farm and the Bureau of Land Management have announced they will host an adoption on May 9 in Riverton.

According to a release, for more than 35 years, the Honor Farm has shared the BLM’s commitment to place animals removed from overpopulated herds into good, private homes.

The event will offer saddle-started horses, halter-started yearlings and gentled burros for adoption. Photos of many of the available animals can be seen by following BLM Wyoming on Facebook or X. The organizations are currently developing a Flickr album that will premier in the near future. The horses to be offered all originate from Wyoming public lands.

The Wyoming Honor Farm is located one mile north of Riverton. Take U.S. Highway 26 to Honor Farm Road.

On May 8, gates open at 12:30 p.m. Preview available horses and burros in-person starting at 1:30 p.m. All visitors must be offsite by 3:30 p.m.

On May 9, gates open at 8 a.m. and the competitive-bid adoption begins at 10 a.m.

Both days’ events are free and open to anyone interested in wild horses, the Honor Farm gentling process and the BLM wild horse and burro adoption program.

According to the BLM, it will provide applications and information about how to adopt on both days. The BLM reports the horses and burros are current on their vaccinations, de-worming and Coggins testing. Only covered straight deck or stock type trailers with swing gate and sturdy walls and floors are authorized for loading.

The Wyoming Department of Corrections reports that since 1988, the Honor Farm has helped the BLM place thousands of horses and burros. The WDC has a low recidivism rate, and leadership feels this is largely due to the meaningful work accomplished by the Honor Farm inmates, including the gentling of wild horses. Inmates who are released after working in this program have a greater chance of succeeding in the outside world, according to the WDC.

Refreshments will be available during the event. Ice cream sandwiches will be provided on Friday, May 8. On Saturday, May 9, breakfast and lunch will be available free of charge for attendees.

All members of the public entering the facility will be subject to security checks conducted by GSecurity, including vehicle inspections. For the safety of visitors, staff, and animals – pets, firearms, and alcohol are not allowed on site.

The BLM wishes the public to be aware that cell phones, smart watches, cameras, video equipment and tobacco products must be kept locked in your vehicle while onsite. To maintain a positive environment for visitors, a reasonable clothing standard must be adhered to. Shorts and form-fitting clothing are prohibited.

To learn more about the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, including adoption requirements, visit blm.gov/whb or contact the national information center at 866-468-7826 or wildhorse@blm.gov.

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