A family from Casper has been named one of four recipients of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s 2025 Landowner of the Year Award, an honor recognizing exemplary contributions to wildlife conservation and habitat management across the state, Oil City News reports.
The Turtle Rock Ranch, owned by Mark and Angella Grant and their family, was selected for the award through a regional nomination and review process conducted by Game and Fish employees. The Grants were chosen alongside three other landowners from different parts of Wyoming:
NL Land and Livestock Inc. of Lander
JBar 9 Ranch Managers (Bob Curtis and the Curtis Family) of Cody
Falxa Ranch (Betty Falxa and the late Martin Falxa) of Sheridan
“We are excited to recognize these landowners and the exemplary values they demonstrate,” said Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce. “The partnership between Game and Fish and Wyoming’s landowners is not just beneficial, it’s critical to our shared success in wildlife management and conservation.”
This marks the 30th year of the Landowner of the Year awards, which were established in 1995 to highlight landowners who have implemented outstanding wildlife-friendly practices on their properties. These include habitat improvement, conservation techniques, and facilitating access for public hunting and fishing.
In recognizing this year’s recipients, the department emphasized the importance of collaboration between private landowners and public wildlife agencies in achieving long-term conservation goals.
A formal awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 9 in Lander, Wyoming.
