The Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association was formed in 1959 for hunting outfitters to deal with emerging agency regulations, land use disputes, and to raise the degree of professionalism in the industry. After all, guiding hunters was the "original" tourism industry in Wyoming with the earliest known hunting ranch at Cora, Wyoming, the Billy Wells Ranch circa 1860s.

Tourism income in Wyoming is now approaching $2 BILLION annually, and hunting outfitters alone contribute $90 million. Wyoming offers tremendous outdoor opportunities and WYOGA is really excited about the future of this growth industry! WYOGA members now include climbing guides, ranch recreation, wagon trips, snowmobile guides, dude ranchers, and others holding commercial outdoor recreation permits to operate in Wyoming.

The Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association has four primary objectives:

• lobby
• legislate
• educate
• promote

 the outfitting industry for our members and the state of Wyoming.

To accomplish these objectives we are involved locally, statewide and nationally in the issues involving the outfitting and recreational industries.

• Actively involved in establishing State Board of Outfitters & Professional Guides
• Hunter Responsibility Law — Non resident clients responsibility to retain a licensed outfitter
• Hunting Age Restriction Law — Dropped legal hunting age from 14 years to 12 years
• Participation in Governors License Allocation Task Force
• "Special" nonresident elk, deer, and antelope license pools
• Wyoming Outdoors — The Official Publication of the WYOGA
  
  
  

• America Outdoors, the only national outfitting association with full time Washington, DC lobbyists
• Safari Club International
• Foundation for North America Wild Sheep
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
• Wyoming Game & Fish Expo
• Wyoming Stockgrowers Association
• Wyoming Woolgrowers Association
• Wyoming Farm Bureau
  
  
  

• Participation with Wyoming Game & Fish Departments "Living in Bear & Lion Country Workshops"
• "Grizzly Encounter Education Workshop" for outfitters & guides. Workshop is owned by WYOGA.
• Sensory Safari for the hearing, sight, and physically disabled children, giving them the opportunity to have hands on touching, feeling and learning about the outdoors.
• WYOGA has partnered with many organizations over the years. Besides those listed above a partial list would include Wyoming Game & Fish Department, US Forest Service and their many individual districts and departments in Wyoming, US Fish and Wildlife, BLM, and others.
  

Our ultimate goal is to continue to be the leaders in ethical hunting and out-of-doors recreation.