The Wyoming Game and Fish Department reports that there are three Hunter Management Areas, also known as HMAs, involving private lands near Big Piney, Daniel and Boulder.

The Big Piney and Daniel areas include 28,000 private aches, while the Boulder location includes 10,470 acres. An HMA is composed of one or more large ranches that enter into an agreement with the Wyoming Game & Fish Department to allow free hunting access.  The Department takes on the responsibility of managing the hunters by giving out permission slips to eligible hunters.  Permission slips must be obtained prior to hunting.

The Big Piney HMA is west of Big Piney and provides hunting for elk in hunt area 94.  Hunters wishing to participate in this hunt must have an unused Area 94 type 6 elk license, and an access permit obtained from the Pinedale Game and Fish office.  Access permits will be limited to 100.  The season for this area will run from Nov. 23, 2009 through Jan. 31, 2010 for antlerless elk only on those lands enrolled in the Big Piney HMA.

The Daniel HMA is northwest of Big Piney and provides hunting for elk in hunt area 92.  Hunters wishing to participate in this hunt must have an unused Area 92 type 6 elk license, and an access permit obtained from the Pinedale Game and Fish office.  Access permits will be limited to 100.  The season for this area will run from Nov. 23, 2009 through Jan. 31, 2010 for antlerless elk only in that portion of Area 92 east of Sublette County Roads 115, 116, 117 and south of North Beaver Road, off national forest.

The Chimney Butte HMA is North of Big Sandy and southeast of Boulder and allows hunting for elk in hunt area 98.  Again, hunters must have an unused Area 98 Type 1, 4 or 6 elk license and an access permit to hunt the private lands within the Hunter Management Area.  The season for this area will run from Nov. 23, 2009 to through Dec. 31, 2009 for antlerless elk only in that portion of Area 98 between Scab Creek and the East Fork River drainage, excluding Irish Canyon Creek and Muddy Creek.

Access permits for all three HMAs will be given out at the Pinedale Regional Office on Saturday, November 14th, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Permits will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Hunters will need to bring their valid unused elk license with them and be prepared to provide a description (make, model, color, year and license plate number) of the vehicle they plan to hunt with in order to get an access permit. Leftover access permits will be available during regular business hours at the Pinedale Regional Office beginning Monday, November 16th.