Game and Fish Requesting Teeth for Research
Written by Andrew-Rossi on November 14, 2018
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking hunters statewide to donate teeth from their harvested animals so they can do research that will better help them manage wildlife.
Some hunters who have harvested mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, moose, bison, mountain lions, black bears and bobcats will be sent a tooth box by the Game and Fish Department, and will be asked to provide the teeth of the animal so that wildlife managers can learn the ages of the animals from teeth, and that information is important for managing wildlife.
Those who provide teeth can use their hunting license number to see the animal’s age online. Hunters who do not receive a tooth box but want their trophy or big game harvest aged can do so for a fee of $25-$30 per animal, depending on the species.
Game officials say that the best teeth to be used for research have the most intact root tip. In 2017, there were 2,518 total teeth processed from nine different species in Wyoming. The lab is expected to process more for 2018 with an increased focus on sampling deer for chronic wasting disease.