Residents capture footage of hunters shooting near Wapiti homes

In the Wapiti area, a video recorded Saturday shows a group of unidentified hunters approaching deer in a gray pickup truck near U.S. 14/16/20. The footage depicts the men using the vehicle’s hood as a rest for a rifle while shooting in close proximity to houses and a busy highway. An anonymous resident provided the clip to local media, stating that the actions observed potentially violate several hunting regulations.

The video shows a man wearing a fluorescent orange cap holding the passenger-side door open as the truck rolls to a stop. He exits with a rifle, places it across the hood of the pickup, and fires two shots. After the first shot, several deer are seen jumping up and running. The man then moves forward of the vehicle and braces his rifle on what appears to be a fence post to take a third shot. It is unclear from the footage whether any of the shots struck an animal.

Paul Ulrich, a founding member of the hunting ethics group Wyoming Sportsmanship, described the behavior as unethical. He noted that shooting off the hood is likely illegal and suggested the hunters used the truck to conceal themselves from the deer. Ulrich stated that he was grateful for the video and urged the public to report similar incidents. "It is disgusting," Ulrich said. "We need to double down on educating hunters and the general public and highlighting this sort of bad behavior."

Retired federal game warden Tim Eicher said the most clear potential violation shown is the use of the truck’s hood as a rifle rest. He explained that under Wyoming statute, shooting off a vehicle is considered the same as shooting from a vehicle. However, Eicher noted that it is legal to use a vehicle to hunt predatory animals such as coyotes, and it is not definitively clear from the video whether the hunter was targeting deer or something else. Retired warden H.R. Longobardi added that while the hunter did get out of the truck, which was a positive step, using a motor vehicle to hunt big game is generally illegal.

Jim Zumbo, an outdoors writer living in the Wapiti area, commented on the incident. He noted that while many deer and elk frequent the area, they are almost always on private property. Zumbo emphasized that shooting near buildings is generally discouraged. "People just need to use their heads when they’re shooting," Zumbo said. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department told the videographer that the hunters had permission from the landowner, but a request for further comment was not answered by publication time.

Monte McClain, a spokesman for the Park County Sheriff’s Office, stated that the office does not show any weapons-related complaints filed in October. He noted that it is difficult to determine a violation solely from the video because it does not show the full direction of the shots. Under state statute, hunters on private property may shoot as long as they have a safe backstop, but unsafe shooting methods can be addressed by law enforcement.