Wyoming

Respecting Nature: A Guide To Safe Wildlife Viewing In Wyoming

Published

1 year ago

April 16, 2025

Respecting Nature: A Guide To Safe Wildlife Viewing In Wyoming

It’s always wildlife viewing season in Wyoming, and I hope you’ll be cautious and responsible while checking out our vast wildlife. You’d think that would be something that doesn’t need to be said, but it is.

Seeing wildlife is an exciting time, not just for tourons, but anytime you get to see animals in the wild, it’s awesome.

We hear stories all the time about people who get too close to bison, bear, elk, wolves, or moose. Many stories don’t have a good outcome and end in a visit to the emergency room.

Again, showing respect for the animals shouldn’t be said, but it has to be. Before embarking on your animal viewing adventure, you should think about the proper distance to stay away, the best viewing practices, and what tools to use to have the best chance of seeing the animals without disturbing them.

Here are a few tips for you to remember that will surely enhance your experience.

Stay a safe distance away from the animals you’re looking at.
- 100 yards from Grizzlies and wolves.
- 25 yards from animals like deer, elk, bison, or moose.
- 25 to 50 feet from birds or smaller animals.
Recognize the signs of a threat from an animal.
- Keep an eye open for grunts, growls, pawing at the ground, snorting, or if the animal seems disturbed by your presence.
Carry personal safety items like bear spray, and know how to use them.
Make noise. Let them know you’re there without causing the animals to panic, so they don’t get spooked.
Do not feed the animals.
- Keep your food secure and sealed in a bear-resistant container or cooler.
Do your research and know the best times and areas to view certain animals.
Stay on trails, in designated viewing areas, and do not remove items from nature.
If you pack it in, pack it out. Leaving trash and food scattered is dangerous to the animals and others around you.
Keep your head on a swivel.
- Even though some animals are large and you think you can see them coming, they can be stealthy and be upon you in seconds.
Know where you are at all times. You don’t want to wander off the trail and end up on someone else’s property or get lost and need help.
If you’re not experienced in the area where you are, go with a guide or someone who is.

Have fun, be safe, take pictures, and respect the wildlife.

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Gallery Credit: Drew Kirby, Townsquare Media

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Gallery Credit: Getty Images

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Wyoming

Casper approves Wyoming Boulevard property rezoning

Published

4 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Casper approves Wyoming Boulevard property rezoning

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.

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.

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Wyoming

Two men detained in Wyoming in connection with deadly shooting at downtown Salt Lake hotel

Published

16 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Two men detained in Wyoming in connection with deadly shooting at downtown Salt Lake hotel

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Two men were detained in Wyoming in connection with a fatal shooting at a downtown Salt Lake hotel that killed one man.

Carlos Chee, 23, and Chino Aguilar, 21, were both wanted for first-degree felony murder after the victim, identified as Christian Lee, 32, was found dead in a room at the Springhill Suites near 600 South and 300 West.

According to warrants issued for their arrest, Chee and Aguilar met with Lee and another woman at the hotel to sell marijuana. During the alleged drug deal, Aguilar allegedly shot and killed Lee after he tried to grab at his gun.

MORE | Shootings

Investigators said they found Lee dead in the room upon arrival, as well as a single shell casing on the floor and a small amount of marijuana on the television stand.

The woman told investigators she had met Chee on a dating app and that he agreed to come to the hotel to sell her marijuana. She had been hanging out with him in the room, which Lee rented for her to use, when Lee asked them to leave. Lee was then shot and killed following a brief confrontation.

Chee and Aguilar allegedly fled the scene in a 2013 Toyota Camry with a Texas license plate that was later found outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming just a few hours later.

The two men were taken into custody and detained at the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office.

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Wyoming

Man shot, critically injured by deputy during ‘disturbance’ in Rock Springs, Wyoming

Published

1 day ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Man shot, critically injured by deputy during ‘disturbance’ in Rock Springs, Wyoming

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyoming (KUTV) — A man was hospitalized with critical injuries after he was reportedly shot by a deputy responding to reports of a disturbance.

Deputies with the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office and officers with the Rock Springs Police Department responded to the Sweetwater Heights apartment complex in the 2100 block of Century Boulevard just after 4 a.m. on Monday to investigate reports of a disturbance involving an armed individual.

Information that dispatch received indicated that the individual had shot himself. When officials arrived, they found the individual on the balcony of an upstairs apartment “who appeared to have a gunshot wound consistent with the initial report,” a press release states.