--- kind: "section" citation: "16 U.S.C. § 673c" title: "16" title_heading: "Conservation" number: "673c" heading: "Conservation of elk in Wyoming" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/673c" units: - "Chapter 6 — Game and Bird Preserves; Protection" --- # §673c. Conservation of elk in Wyoming - (a) **Creation of program; licensed hunters deputized as rangers—** The Wyoming Game and Fish [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) and the National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service shall devise, from technical information and other pertinent data assembled or produced by necessary field studies or investigations conducted jointly by the technical and administrative personnel of the agencies involved, and recommend to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior and the Governor of Wyoming for their joint approval, a program to insure the permanent conservation of the elk within the Grand Teton National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) established by this Act. Such program shall include the controlled reduction of elk in such [park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3), by hunters licensed by the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Wyoming and deputized as rangers by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior, when it is found necessary for the purpose of proper management and protection of the elk. - (b) **Recommendations by Wyoming Game and Fish Commission, and National Park Service; controlled reduction; deputation of hunters; removal of carcasses—** At least once a year between February 1 and April 1, the Wyoming Game and Fish [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) and the National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior and to the Governor of Wyoming, for their joint approval, their joint recommendations for the management, protection, and control of the elk for that year. The yearly plan recommended by the Wyoming Game and Fish [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) and the National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service shall become effective when approved by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior and the Governor of Wyoming, and thereupon the Wyoming Game and Fish [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) and the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior shall issue separately, but simultaneously such appropriate orders and regulations as are necessary to carry out those portions of the approved plan that fall within their respective jurisdictions. Such orders and regulations, to be issued by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior and the Wyoming Game and Fish [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c), shall include provision for controlled and managed reduction by qualified and experienced hunters licensed by the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Wyoming and deputized as rangers by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior, if and when a reduction in the number of elk by this method within the Grand Teton National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) established by this Act is required as a part of the approved plan for the year, provided that one elk only may be killed by each such licensed and deputized ranger. Such orders and regulations of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior for controlled reduction shall apply only to the lands within the [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) which lie east of the Snake River and those lands west of Jackson Lake and the Snake River which lie north of the present north boundaries of Grand Teton National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3), but shall not be applicable to lands within the Jackson Hole Wildlife [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3). After the Wyoming Game and Fish [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) and the National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) Service shall have recommended to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior and the Governor of Wyoming in any specified year a plan, which has received the joint approval of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior and the Governor of Wyoming, calling for the controlled and managed reduction by the method prescribed herein of the number of elk within the Grand Teton National [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) established by this Act, and after the Wyoming Game and Fish [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) shall have transmitted to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior a list of [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) who have elk hunting licenses issued by the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Wyoming and who are qualified and experienced hunters, on or before July 1 of that year the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior, without charge, shall cause to be issued orders deputizing the [persons](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) whose names appear on such list, in the number specified by the plan, as rangers for the purpose of entering the [park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) and assisting in the controlled reduction plan. Each such qualified hunter, deputized as a ranger, participating in the controlled reduction plan shall be permitted to remove from the [park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) the carcass of the elk he has killed as a part of the plan. ## Source credit (Sept. 14, 1950, ch. 950, § 6, 64 Stat. 851.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text This Act, referred to in text, is act Sept. 14, 1950, ch. 950, 64 Stat. 849, which enacted this section, sections 406d–1 to 406d–5, 431a, 451a, 482m, and 673b of this title and provisions set out as notes under section 406d–1 of this title. Section 1 of the Act was partially repealed and restated as sections 104907 and 320301 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs, by Pub. L. 113–287, §§ 3, 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094, 3272. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Repeal of Inconsistent Laws Repeal of laws inconsistent with act Sept. 14, 1950, see note set out under section 406d–1 of this title.