By james art 
Jess Oaks
Torington – The Historical Society of Goshen County met for its monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 28, in the Platte Valley Bank Community Room in Torrington. The meeting was convened to order immediately at 7 pm by President Marge Myers. Mary Huser led the community of presence in a brief prayer and followed the promise of faithfulness. Myers talks to the community of several fields that society has planned throughout the year, marking a tour of the capital building, Jay Em and others.
“Already in November at our meeting, Marilyn Petit stated a few registration sheets to see if we were interested in starting some museum tours or just different trips. She called me tonight, ”Myers said. “She is not able to come. She said she had sent him that there would be a tour of the capital of Cheen, and then the capital of the state. Then she has a group called Wyoming Cowgirls, who are watching a museum there and they will have cookies and can eventually provide lunch. Now this will be until March or April, but keep in mind if you are interested in doing something like that. “
After a few more reports about the tour, the speaker Mark Dexter was introduced. Dexter provided the Community present a review of the Wyoming Game and Fish Division.
“My name is Mark Dexter. I’m the Torrington Game Warner. I am here, I last almost two years, coming here in April, “Dexter began. “I love the community. So, thank you for having me tonight. “
Dexter then explained the history of the Wyoming Gaidere’s story.
“We will start in 1869. We have been for a long time. Wyoming’s first territorial legislator adopted a bill offering some protection and regulating the sale of fish and play, but there was no limit, so there was no need for security games at the time, “Dexter explained.
Without a package limit and without hunting provisions, there was no need for a Game Warden DEXER.
“But you can see that we were a long time ago. So, quickly forward by 1885 – we made fun of the boys of the fish – but they were the first to hold hatching fish at the time. They are built, “Dexter explained. “In 1899, we now realized that we needed a game superintendent to go out and to impose and regulate some of the new rules that come out around. So, Albert Nelson was named the first guide of the game. “
Dexter also noted that the payment is much different for Nelson than present.
“A big salary difference from what we are paid today. He (Nelson) receives $ 1,200 a year, who had to pay $ 3 a day to the deputy -state gas, so anyone who helped him pays $ 3 a day, “Dexter said. “If you have had a year -round employee, you make a lot of money from your boys who pay. I understand why he has only worked for three years for this type of salary. But I guess he liked three years. “
In 1901, DC Nolan was declared the second over -challenge in Wyoming, but he is often considered the first guide of the game because he wrote the first official report.
“So, Albert Nelson here, he didn’t write a report after three years of work. I don’t know what he’s doing – Dexter joked. “But since Nolan filed the first official report in Wyoming’s condition, the fish play is considered the first toy. This is somehow interesting. “
According to Dexter, the meeting of Wyoming’s legislation in 1903 adopted many of Nolan’s recommendations. He explained that Nolan was taking care of the future in Wyoming about wildlife to maintain resources available for future generations. Dexter also noted that Nolan is the “father of what we do” in the management of the wild.
“One thing he did, no resident of the state can kill any animals without first obtaining a 1 -dollar pistol license. Instead of a hunting license, it was a handgun license for a dollar back during the day, “the deterrent explained. “He also helped create the grounds for eating in Jackson, Wyoming. He realized that the moose would start to starve if we did not start feeding them. So, he appeared and decided, in his appearance for the future, what should we do to keep some elk? And so we started the grounds for eating in Jackson, Wyoming. Thanks to this man, ”Dexter said. “Now we are dealing with many other problems based on the grounds for submission.”
Dexter also explained that Nolan has helped move Elk from Jackson throughout the country, noting that Goshen County is lucky that there are moose now.
“In 1903, we introduced a hunting license system. In 1911, the game game committee was adopted and in 1921 we changed that to the State Play and Fish Commission. Previously, it was just the Game Commission. We didn’t like the fish to go, as I said at the beginning, “Dexter explained. “In 1929, the game of fish was funded to establish and control the Game and Fish Commission.”
The State Commissioner for Game and Pisces defines the regulations to adhere to the game to adhere, determine when hunting seasons are closed and opened by others.
“If we have any questions or things about determining the season we are going through, I meet biologists and bring all this to the Game and Fish Commission. They either approve of it, refuse it, or change it and then approve of it. So, they are a huge leading role even nowadays in what they do for us, “Dexter explained. “In 1937, they were required to pass the lips and the written exam was one of the requirements. This is still one of the requirements, along with many other things on top, but as you can see, we set the standards quite high even during the day. “
Dexter also celebrated in 1937, the state also began to provide Game Wards housing. Dexter explained that there were many disputes over the matter, but he also explained that his home was also his office and people stop at all times.
“Now days we all have gaming houses. This is something part of our pay, but this is also my office, so everyone is welcomed in my house, says 8am. This is an open office for people, so it gives us the home. It’s been around for a long time. “
In 1947, the game and fish department accepted the well -known rust shirts with which the department was known as part of the official dress, Dexter explained.
“Some people have asked why we have red shirts. I asked why we had red shirts. Already during the day it was the color that people [would] Look. It was like Hunter Orange Now Days, Red was considered the best color during the day, “Dexter said. “We are stuck with this.”
Dexter explained in 1949 that the Game Wards retirement age was 65 and she changed last year. There is no longer an age requirement for the guards, as the department joins DCI and Highway Patrol.
“In 1952 we had 31 guards of the game. We will dial the numbers as we pass and see how quickly we add to the guards of the game because of our areas and everything else that has been throwing us, which has taken more and more security games over the years, “Dexter said. “In 1964, it is when we had to have a bachelor’s degree in science or in the game, scope or management of natural resources, and this is still one of the requirements. We have some where it is only 20 hours of some degree of wildlife. If you have had something else plus 20 hours and some experience, we will still hire you. But this is one of our requirements for security games. “
According to Dexter, the number of guards of games in Wyoming increased by 13 positions from 1952 to 1965, and he also explained at that time, biologists could impose the laws of the game and fish.
“They were not agrams, but they could go out and write tickets and everything else. Some of you may have seen a part of this, “Dexter said. “So it was 1974, she strictly went to security guards for law enforcement. Even nowadays, you will be stopped and checked by biologists and outside. They will request your license. This is strict for biological collection. That’s what they do. If they see violations. They call one of us guards. “
Dexter went well in class, noting whether the public should see any violations to reach the phone at (307) 532-2433. Dexter also explained that he would like to see more young people participate in outdoor hunting and sports in the area.
Meeting of the Historical Society of Goshen County on the last Tuesday of every month at 19:00 in the Platte Valley Community. Public is invited to attend and the event is held for free. Find them on Facebook under the Historical Society of Goshen County.