After spending quite a bit of time researching different outfitters throughout Wyoming, I landed on SNS Outfitter & Guides. While I was researching Wyoming Outfitters, I had a few things in mind – these made for fairly specific wants and needs. Most importantly, I wanted an outfitter that offered hunts for big game animals. This is simply because I want to continue building preference points for trophy animals; however in the meantime, I will be hunting animals, like antelope, that do not require points to draw. These animals will fill our freezer full of wild, organic meat.

My first priority for 2019 is an antelope hunt. I've never gone on an antelope hunt personally – I have only tagged along with my husband. I have always been intrigued with antelope and their overall demeanor, which makes for a more challenging hunt. Antelope are a unique animal in the sense that they spend much of their time at a far distance from anyone. They are North America’s fastest land animal and have exceptionally keen vision, all of which play into the difficulty of the hunt.

The countdown has begun to our 2019 fall hunts. We are sure you have spent the last few months preparing physically, mentally, and gathering all the necessary equipment for your western hunt. This is an exciting time and here at SNS want to make sure that packing the wrong equipment won’t stand in the way of that once in a lifetime hunt.

All of those in our outfit would agree that proper footwear is the number one necessity in clothing. This isn’t a one size fits all option though. When you are coming to Wyoming or Montana it is necessary that you plan for all different types of weather. If you are enjoying one of our September hunts there is a high likelihood that you could be hunting in 80 temperatures one day and the next morning have frost on the ground. This makes finding the right boot important. You must have a boot that keeps your feet warm in the morning and is breathable enough to wear throughout the day. That is why we recommend Cabela’s Men’s Iron Ridge Uninsulated hunting boots with GORE-TEX.  These boots are waterproof, but breathable when the day begins to heat up. This boot is a great choice for both our men and women hunters.  I personally have owned a pair of Cabela’s GORE-TEX boots for 15 years and they have always been the perfect fit for our Wyoming terrain and weather. 

Winter feeding of wildlife is a hot button issue and often pits wildlife lovers, hunters and conservationists against one other. Elk are fed each winter by the Wyoming Game & Fish Department and the National Elk Refuge. As townships and ranchers established themselves out west, elk were left with very little intact natural winter range.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has tasked the department to hold a series of public meetings to educate the public as to why elk are being fed in Western Wyoming. These public meetings will be held in a virtual format starting December 1^st. Click here to view the schedule of this week’s meetings https://wgfd.wyo.gov/events

As we enter 2022, we are all feeling the effects of inflation in our lives. These increases are noted at gas stations, grocery stores and most certainly have their impact on small businesses like SNS Outfitter & Guides.

Knowing how to deal with inflation as a small business owner is difficult to say the least. It is nearly impossible to predict the cost of items essential to run this business. What we do know, however, is that this current trend in inflation is affecting every aspect of our business. The prices that affect every one of our hunts are gasoline, groceries, camp supplies, employee wages, payroll taxes and ranch lease fees. Fixed overhead costs include; insurance, storage fees, postage, advertising, office equipment and rent. Camp repair and maintenance have seen considerable increases in building material costs. Horse lease fees, their feed, shoeing, trucking, tack, and equipment repair are all climbing as well. As you can see, the list is long and has a direct affect on our hunt prices. 

The Wyoming Wildlife Task Force [WWTF] has been busy working on wildlife and licensing issues for the last year. SNS outfitter Sy is the outfitter representative on the task force. Several subjects have been discussed and either rejected or approved and moved on to the legislature or commission or continue to take public comment. 

One topic that has drawn a lot of attention is an outfitter draw. The task force is currently working on gathering comment on this subject. The outfitter draw is expected to be voted on at the August 8th & 9th meeting.

It’s been over a year now that the Wyoming Wildlife Task Force has been meeting to discuss wildlife and licensing issues that affect all Wyoming hunters. It’s coming down to a couple very important issues that will affect your ability to hunt as a non resident in Wyoming. 

A major reason for the formation of the task force was to study and come up with solutions in how Wyoming issues licenses to non residents. This issue has been boiled down to two paths that are being considered.

Benny Tillerson started hunting deer in Alabama in 1964 and to this day he gets the same thrill that he did when he shot his very first animal.

A retired firefighter captain from Montgomery, Alabama, Benny has hunted for much of his life.

He has trekked to several other States and countries for his hunts and has had the opportunity to take home a variety of animals.



One hot Alabama day, Benny was posted up in the firehouse reading a magazine and on the back page he came across an advertisement about a firefighter who owned a hunting outfit in Casper, Wyoming. When he called the number listed, the founder and current owner of SNS Outfitter and Guides, Sy Gilliland, answered. Quickly those two built a strong friendship and Benny began taking trips out west to hunt with Sy and the other SNS guides.  
The three years following were packed with Sy and Benny hunting most seasons together for wild game and exploring the old west with the outfitting crew. When his passion for hunting trips caught up with him and Benny couldn’t resist it anymore - he become a guide himself. As an avid outdoorsman, it only made sense he would join his kind. When Benny returned to Wyoming on his 4th year, he guided his first group of hunters and did quite well. Over the years, he would pack up his gear, leave Alabama and head to Wyoming to guide hunters on various hunts that SNS offered. In 1991, he retired from firefighting and was brought on full time as a hunting guide with SNS. Unfortunately, a few months into guiding he was thrown off his horse and broke his shoulder.  But that injury didn’t slow him down, well maybe just for that season it did. To this day Benny remains a valued member of the SNS team landing him his current title of, Camp Manager and Professional Guide.

When looking back on fond memories of guiding, Benny recalls when he took a 20-yr-old girl on her first hunt in 2017 and she went home with a fantastic antelope. She was SO excited. Needless to say, it made Benny’s day and season. As Benny has mentioned a few times, he gets just as excited when he has a hunter take an animal as when he does, that’s a true passion for hunting!

We asked Benny what his favorite camp to guide from is and simply replied, The Orchard. His favorite camp to hunt is the Orchard because this is where his career began. He describes the area as breathtaking.

We also took a second to find out about one of his favorite hunting experiences. Benny replied with “my favorite Wyoming hunt was Elk hunting with Sy.” He described it as the blind leading the blind. They would talk, stop, hunt, laugh, and repeat.  Finally, on day eight of the hunt Benny decided that he had given up on a trophy and just wanted to have his Wyoming elk. It was on that day when he took a “little” 5-point. Sy will never let him live that one down. But the fun doesn't stop there. As much as Benny loves Wyoming, he has also enjoyed hunting throughout England, Spain, Lima Peru, and nearly every state in the United States over the years.

Benny has three grandsons that are crazy about hunting and when he is home in Alabama, they spend 3 - 4 days a week doing something hunting oriented. Projects could be planting food plots, building new hunting blinds, or working on equipment.

Benny loves working for Sy, SNS Outfitters, and spending time in Wyoming. “The company is just amazing - truly a big family. Everyone (the guides, the cooks, and the camp hosts) are all really great friends and really enjoy one another's company.” He explains how Sy is a great businessman and has organized the company into a great outfitting business. Currently, Benny has been with Sy and SNS Outfitter & Guides for 36 years and is now slowly transiting into being Sy’s “gopher” in town (Casper, Wyoming).

As a guide, Benny talks shop about the playful competition each guide has with one another. “When we’re guiding there is a lot of competition between the guides, because you cannot come into camp with an animal smaller than another guide. But no matter how the day ends up, you have to hunt what's best for your clients and you’ll always tell the other guides about ‘that really big animal you saw out there’.”
There are a few pieces of advice that Benny shares with a new hunter. It is recommended to be in good physical condition and you need to be able to shoot your rifle. Hunting is worthless if you cannot perform. When you are new to hunting and booking with SNS, or any outfit, Benny recommends doing your research to find an operation that fits your style, since the trips are expensive. If you’re a veteran to the sport, Benny recommends going on an antelope / mule deer combo hunt, this is a fun and unique hunt to Wyoming.

“It's been quite a ride. I remember the day that Sy sent me a paycheck. I was so shocked that I was getting paid to do something that I love so much. For a person that really loves the outdoors and hunting - this is the way to do it. You get to do your favorite activity every day of the season,” Benny said. “The day I can watch a deer walk through the woods and not get excited will be the day I quit,” he said.

The outfitting community in Wyoming is reeling at the loss of one of our own. On September 14, Mark Uptain was guiding a client in the Teton Wilderness when they were attacked by two grizzly bears. The client sustained minor injuries, however Mark’s injuries were fatal. The two grizzly bears involved in the attack have since been trapped and killed. A Go Fund Me account has been set up to help his wife Sarah and their five children. Please take the time to share and donate if at all possible. We at SNS Outfitter & Guides offer our heartfelt condolences to Mark’s family and friends.

To Donate: 

• GoFundMe

• Bear Spray Article
• JH News

Admittedly, selecting
the right hunting outfitter is not an easy process. With hundreds of thousands
of outfitters around the world, there are numerous aspects to take into
consideration. First, what species are you interested in hunting? Once you have
that figured out, which state do you want to hunt in? Are you looking for an
area where tags are easy to draw? Furthermore, are you looking for a trophy or
simply want to fill your freezer? You’ll also want to consider the length of
the hunt and whether or not you prefer a horseback hunt. As you can see, there
are a plethora of factors to take into consideration.

Once you
narrow down your preferences — or at least have a fairly solid idea of your
likings — you take to the Internet. Between interactive websites, great trophy
photos, and testimonials that make you feel like you were on the hunt yourself,
it’s difficult to choose. So, here is what we suggest:

According to a recent press release from the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission (WGFC), new regulations have been enacted for hunting in Wyoming. The new regulations add additional calibers that can be used for big game, trophy game, and wild turkey hunting. The new regulation adds some calibers and ammunition that previously were not legal to hunt these species and simplifies language for other regulations.

For big game hunters the following firearms and ammunition may be used:

• For the taking of moose, bighorn sheep, elk, mountain goat, and black bear, hunters shall use any centerfire firearm of at least .24 caliber and with a cartridge at least two inches long.

• For deer, antelope, mountain lion, and gray wolf, the major change is the addition of .22 centerfire cartridges as legal ammunition. For the taking of deer, antelope, mountain lions, and gray wolves in areas where they are designated as trophy game, hunters can use any centerfire firearm of at least .22 caliber, using a cartridge at least two inches long and firing a bullet of at least 60 grains.

• For all big and trophy game species, legal firearms also include any cartridge of at least .35 caliber and at least 1.5 inches in overall length, or a cartridge that generally delivers 500 foot-pounds of impact at 100 yards. Shotguns firing “00” or larger buckshot are now legal for all big and trophy game. In addition, muzzleloading rifles or handguns of at least .40 caliber that fire a lead or expanding-point bullet using at least 50 grains of black powder or its equivalent can be used. All cartridges for big and trophy game must use a lead or expanding-point bullet with the exception of any shotgun firing “00” buckshot or a slug.

• The .17 HMR rimfire cartridge has been legalized for turkey hunting. This is in addition to the legal weapons in the previous regulation that included shotguns, centerfire firearms, muzzleloaders, and .22 WMR rimfire cartridges.

• Archery equipment regulations are similar to previous regulations, but language has been removed requiring bows to be able to cast different grain weights of arrows a minimum of 160 yards. For the taking of deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, black bear, mountain lion, mountain goat, or gray wolves in areas where they are designated as trophy game, a bow must have a minimum draw weight of 40 pounds. For moose and elk, a bow must have a minimum draw weight of 50 pounds.

bull; Crossbow hunters are required to use a crossbow with a peak draw weight of at least 90 pounds and a bolt at least 16 inches long. Broadheads and expanding points for all archery and crossbow equipment must have a minimum cutting-width of one inch after impact.

The new regulations are effective immediately and will be in place for upcoming spring bear and turkey seasons and for fall big game and trophy game seasons. Read regulations in their entirety at the Game and Fish website: wgfd.wyo.gov.

In Wyoming, non-resident hunters fund the vast majority of the Wyoming Game & Fish budget, play a critical role in meeting harvest quotas, and bring millions of dollars in tourism revenue to the state each year. Without our out-of-state hunting visitors, hunting in Wyoming wouldn't be what is is today.

Amid game management and legislative issues here in Wyoming, sportsmen didn't have a clear voice representing them. That's exactly why the Wyoming Hunter Defense Fund (WHDF) was started. This organization was founded to protect the ability of sportsmen to access their hunting opportunities in Wyoming. WHDF will work to educate Wyoming's residents and business community of the financial contributions made by sportsmen to state's economy, while working to conserve and protect wildlife habitats.

If you value your hunting opportunities here, we encourage you to get involved and stay informed of the issues facing Wyoming sportsmen. In fact, this year we asked each of our hunting clients to make a donation to WHDF. The funds raised will help influence legislative issues, conduct research, communicate, and work to make sure that a wealth of hunting opportunities continue to be available in Wyoming.

Please keep an eye on our newsletter each month for more information on this organization. In the meantime, please click here to follow WHDF on Facebook.

A few months ago, we featured a post about the Wyoming Hunter Defense Fund (WHDF), a new initiative to help protect sportsmen's to access hunting opportunities in Wyoming, educate the public about the benefits of hunting tourism, and to conserve wildlife habitat across the state. SNS Outfitter and Guides has been dedicated to this effort and our hunters have made generous donations to support WHDF.

We would like to let you know that WHDF has a new website at www.wyominghunterdefensefund.com. Please help spread the word about this effort to help make sure that we continue to have great hunting opportunities in Wyoming for many years to come.

Non-resident sportsmen contribute about $200 million each year to Wyoming’s economy, a number that dwarfs the ski industry and spreads to all parts of the state. And because less than 12% of Wyoming residents hunt big game, we rely heavily on non-residents for wildlife funding. Out of state hunters and fishermen represent a vital part of our state’s economy and recreation opportunities.

Despite these obvious benefits, a Wyoming House Bill was introduced earlier this year that would cut non-resident hunting license numbers in half. This would dry up Wildlife funding and damage hunting opportunities in Wyoming. It would suck $100 million from our local economy each year.

SNS is committed to making sure that HB 112 does not become law. It starts with educating others about the benefits of hunting tourism in Wyoming. We can also make sure that sportsmen have a clear voice representing them. That’s exactly why the Wyoming Hunter Defense Fund (WHDF) was started. WHDF is currently working hard to educate Wyoming’s residents and business community of the financial contributions made by sportsmen to state’s economy, while working to conserve and protect wildlife habitats.

To help support the Wyoming Hunter Defense Fund, every hunter who books with SNS makes a small donation. The funds raised by WHDF will help influence legislative issues, conduct research, communicate, and work to make sure that hunting opportunities continue to be available in Wyoming.

Again, be sure to visit the new website at www.wyominghunterdefensefund.com or keep up with these efforts on Facebook.

Thanks to the Wyoming Hunter Defense Fund and those who have donated to this important cause, a victory was won last month that saved Wyoming nonresident hunting license allocations.

Senate Bill SF0069 would have cut nonresident license allocations for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and grizzly to just 10%. This would have cut the number of nonresident moose tags in half and reduced nonresident bighorn sheep and mounting goat hunting opportunities by 60%.

Fortunately the Wyoming Hunter Defense Fund was able to lobby during the 2015 general legislative session. With help from the Wyoming Office of Tourism and other concerned businesses and individuals around the state, the bill was soundly defeated.

Despite the fact that hunting tourism represents hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact and provides the majority of funding for our wildlife and hunting opportunities, bills like this have become all too common recently. If you are a Wyoming business owner, resident hunter, nonresident hunter or anyone who values the benefits of hunting tourism in Wyoming, we encourage you to donate to the Wyoming Hunter Defense fund.

We are already battling similar bills and the fight certainly is not over. A recent House Bill (HB112) sought to implement a 90/10 license allocation on all big game hunting licenses in Wyoming. This would have cut the number of nonresident hunters in Wyoming by half. That would equate to a loss of $100 million in tourism revenue, $7 million in lost license revenue for the Game and Fish Department, 250,000 acres in land access, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in Conservation Stamp funding.

The Wyoming Hunter Defense fund has been working hard to communicate this message to business owners, residents and nonresident hunters. Wyoming nonresident hunting license sales are a critical part of our state's economy and are in large part responsible for the great hunting opportunities that we enjoy today.

For more information, please visit wyominghunterdefensefund.com.

Having the right gear can make or break your Wyoming hunt, and this is especially true of your boots. Boots could possibly be your most important investment after your firearm or bow. You will wear them every day in the field, and they must perform well. If you are cold, wet, or get blisters on your feet, it’s not going to be a fun experience. You may not be able to spend the necessary time in the field, and you may not be able to hike to the locations necessary to get a shot opportunity. This would obviously be a huge disappointment.

General Considerations for Boots
When considering boots for a big game hunt, there are a few common features that hunters should always look for. First, a quality boot should have a waterproof membrane like Gore-Tex. It should also have an aggressive outsole like Vibram. And a quality boot should be relatively lightweight. Ideally, a pair of boots should weigh no more than 5 lbs. In many cases, particularly for the early seasons, there are many boots that weigh much less.

The height of the boot is also a key consideration. In general, we recommend a boot that’s no less that seven or eight inches. This will give you the necessary ankle support for walking in rough country. Height also provides protection when traveling through snow or crossing streams. But we also recommend that hunters also pack a pair of gaiters for those situations. Gaiters keep water or snow from getting into your boots and will keep the bottom of your pants dry.

Perhaps the most important consideration for boots is the fit. Each brand fits slightly differently and some may be wider or narrower than others. Therefore, it is important to try on a few different brands of boots before purchasing. After you make a purchase, it is equally important that you put some miles on them before your hunt. You must be confident that your boots fit well and will keep you blister free.

If you purchase a quality pair of boots that fit your feet correctly, they should perform well right out of the box with no break-in period and no blisters. The reason that we recommend putting some miles in your boots before your hunt is to be sure that they fit you well and won’t cause problems in the field.

Boots For Archery and Early Seasons
Let’s now take a closer look at selecting boots for the early season. September in Wyoming brings big temperature swings. Mornings may be in the 20s or low 30s and midday temperatures may approach the 60s or warmer.

Therefore, insulated boots are not a requirement. We like to steer clients to a lightweight boot that’s 2.5 to 3.5 lbs.

A minimum height of seven to eight inches is recommended. Remember, with today’s technology in materials, lightweight doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice support. There are many good choices that provide excellent support in a lightweight package and they don’t have to be hunting specific. General hiking boots can make a great choice for an archery hunt.

Boots For the Late Seasons
During the October hunts, big temperature swings may occur with chilly mornings as low as the high teens. By midday it can be as warm as the low 50s. As we get into late October, the weather can turn to winter conditions quickly with lows in the single digits and sometimes below zero.

Snow can be a real possibility throughout the entire season, but especially late in October. Needless to say, insulation is a core requirement. We recommend a boot with about 400 grams of insulation. When snow is on the ground, an insulated rubber bottom pac boot like those made by Schnee’s or Kenetrek are hard to beat.

Ideally, we recommend that hunters bring two pairs of boots to camp. First, a good pair of insulated Gore-Tex, hiking style hunting boots that are a minimum of nine inches, and a second pair of boots like pac boots as a backup or for very cold and wet weather.

It’s easy to make the case that after your weapon, a couple pair of good boots is the highest priority for your Wyoming hunting trip in terms of gear. If your feet aren’t warm, dry and comfortable, it will be difficult to enjoy yourself in the field. Trade-offs can be made with lower quality gear in many areas of clothing. But boots and good quality rain gear is where you want to buy the best you can afford.

 

We’ve received a great deal of questions recently about a giant crack in the earth that recently appeared on a ranch where we operate in the southern foothills of the Bighorn Mountains. Thinking it was interesting, but not knowing that it would get so much attention, we posted a photo on our Facebook page. After being shared more than 7,000 times, we started receiving a flood of questions and comments.

Here’s what we know so far: we have two outfitted camps on this ranch. We hunt here every year and have been doing so for decades. Our guides first noticed the giant fissure in early October. We couldn’t tell what had caused so much earth to suddenly move, but it certainly had not been there long.

A couple of weeks later, an engineer from Riverton, WY joined us to take a closer look. We walked the perimeter and took estimates on size using a rangefinder. We estimated the crevasse to be about 750 yards long and about 50 yards wide.

According to the engineer, there was a cap rock being lubricated by a spring. Additionally there was a spring running across east to west, which then caused the entire thing to slide north. The engineer estimated about 15 to 20 million yards of movement. According to the USGS, there has been no seismic activity, so we have no other possible explanations at this time.

Since posting the photo on Facebook, we’ve received countless offers from geologists, scientists and reporters from all over the world to come and take a look at this fascinating event. It truly is incredible to look at, a canyon that formed almost overnight – a mountainside that seems to have suddenly collapsed.

As we speak with experts and learn more about it, we will share updates here and on our Facebook page.

SNS Outfitter and Guides is Wyoming’s top outfitter and the largest pronghorn antelope outfitter in North America. With more than 700,000 acres of private land and prime wildlife habitat, we offer more hunting opportunities that anyone else in the state. If you’d like to find out more about our hunts, please visit our website at HuntWyo.com. For availability and specifics, please contact us online to request a free brochure.

SNS Outfitter & Guides is proud to congratulate our very own Randy George, who was honored as the Wyoming Outfitters & Guides Association (WYOGA) "Hunting Guide of the Year" for 2022.

Before the awards banquet, we sat down with Randy to learn about his journey into the guiding industry, what keeps him coming back, and one unforgettable hunt from his early years as a guide.

The SNS office has been receiving calls and emails from concerned hunters who have heard rumors about changes to how the Wyoming Game & Fish Department (WGFD) manages non-resident hunting licenses.

To set the record straight, we sat down with SNS Outfitter Sy Gilliland, a member of the Wyoming Wildlife Task Force (WWTF) and a key voice in shaping Wyoming hunting legislation. Below, you’ll find insights directly from Sy about Wyoming’s preference points, license fees, and upcoming changes.

Elk feed grounds play a critical role in the health and sustainability of Wyoming’s wildlife. This became even more apparent after the brutal 2022-2023 winter, which saw record snowfall and harsh conditions. Without these feed grounds, the impact on elk, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope would have been devastating.

At SNS Outfitter & Guides, we firmly believe that Wyoming’s elk feed grounds must be protected and maintained for the future of both wildlife and hunting.

Wyoming, like much of the West, is experiencing a tough winter with heavy snowfall. As one of the largest states in the country, our snowpack varies significantly from region to region. However, one thing is certain—this moisture is critical.

For years, Wyoming has battled a prolonged drought. Cattle ranchers have an old saying: “It takes a hard winter to break a drought.” Unlike other regions that receive steady summer rains, Wyoming relies on winter snowfall to replenish deep soil moisture, recharge creeks, and sustain wildlife.