11-24-105. Unclaimed horses; permit for gathering; disposal.
(a) Any person desiring to gather unclaimed horses from the ranges within Wyoming shall obtain a permit from the livestock board, except as provided in subsection (e) of this section. The permit applicant shall submit with the permit application written permission to access the range whereon the unclaimed horses are to be gathered from the person who has ownership or control of the surface rights of that range. The form of the permit shall be prescribed by the board.
(b) If after an inspection under subsection (c) or (e) of this section, the rightful owner cannot be found, or when found, refuses or fails to pay the charges for feed and care of the estray, the unclaimed horses shall be disposed of by the board under the laws pertaining to estrays.
(c) The permit and the unclaimed horses shall be presented to an inspector within the county in which they were gathered without unnecessary delay for determination of ownership.
(d) The permittee shall be responsible for all expenses associated with gathering, feed and care of the unclaimed horses until an inspection has occurred.
(e) A permit is not required for any person desiring to gather unclaimed horses located on private land on which the person has ownership or control of the surface rights. A person who has gathered unclaimed horses on private land on which he has ownership or control of the surface rights shall present the unclaimed horses to an inspector within the county in which they were gathered without unnecessary delay for determination of ownership and shall be responsible for all expenses associated with the gather and feed and care of the unclaimed horses until an inspection has occurred.
(f) Any horse claimed by the United States bureau of land management as belonging to a wild horse management unit is excluded from this section.