A passionate, lifelong hunter from Kemmerer beat the odds to win this year’s Wyoming Governor’s Wild Bison Raffle. Gov. Mark Gordon announced last week that Andrew Merritt of Kemmerer won the raffle.

“Congratulations to Andrew, and best of luck for a successful wild bison hunt this year,” Gordon said in a press release. “Thank you to Wyoming residents who purchased a raffle ticket. The money raised through this, and all of our license raffles, goes to support Wyoming’s incredible wildlife and the on-the-ground conservation efforts that are essential in preserving the unique hunting opportunities Wyoming offers.”

This year’s raffle raised $5,540 toward efforts to sustain wildlife populations and enhance critical habitats throughout the state.

The raffle is part of the Big Game License Coalition that raises more than $1 million by selling designated complimentary big game licenses in Wyoming.

“Partnering with organizations including the Mule Deer Foundation, Muley Fanatics Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, the coalition allocates funding to conservation projects, which range from habitat improvements to wildlife safety projects such as roadway crossings,” the press release states.

Merritt told the Gazette he first saw a Wyoming Game and Fish post on social media about the raffle.

“… Knowing that the funds go to conservation, I figured I would buy a ticket kind of figuring that I would just be donating $10 to the Game and Fish — which is fine by me, because there ... [have] been many years I buy tags just knowing it is going to a good cause, as I strongly believe in conservation and wildlife,” he said.

A science teacher at Kemmerer Junior Senior High School, Merritt said he chose the field because of its ties to the outdoors.

“My love for the outdoors definitely influenced my career path, as I love the natural world and science,” he said, “and being able to share that with others is something I love to do.”

Merritt was born and raised in Star Valley. He and his wife have been in Kemmerer for five years and he said it’s become their home.

He said he doesn’t remember when he “started” hunting.

“I remember being given a BB gun and told to go play outside at a very young age (probably around 5 years old),” he told the Gazette. “I was lucky enough to grow up on 5 acres, but we also had a state-owned section within about 400 yards of my parents’ house. I would go and hunt about anything I could as a kid, such as grouse, squirrels, starlings, etc. As I got older, I began to go with my dad and older brother and, eventually, I was old enough to hunt big game.”

He said hunting has been a passion of his since he was a youngboy.

“I loved animals, the outdoors, and the adventure/accomplishment that comes with hunting,” he said. “So, naturally, once I turned 12, I was out hunting deer and elk, as that is what we had close to us.”

Merritt said he’s had some successful and memorable hunts in the past, but this is his first once-in-a-lifetime tag.

“I have had some amazing hunting opportunities,” he said. “A few years back, I was able to draw a limited-quota bull elk tag and harvested a fantastic bull. I also had the opportunity to go to South Africa with my dad in March this year. It was an amazing experience that I hope to do again one day. But really, every time I get to go out hunting, it is a special experience. Most of my fondest memories with family and friends have been made while out hunting.”

Merritt said he’s essentially limited to hunting and finding the bison around Grand Teton National Park — but not inside it.

“I have to catch the bison in the National Forest or the Elk Refuge,” he said. I have a few family and friends that have had the tag in the past, and I am not expecting an easy hunt … I am at the mercy of the bison migrating on and off the park.”

While it may not be easy, hunting the animal probably isn’t the hardest part of the process.

“I have been told to expect a strenuous experience getting it back to the truck, just due to the sheer size of them,” he said, adding that he’s trying to figure out if he can pack it out by himself. He said he’s big into DIY (do it yourself), and often hunts alone, though he conceded he just may have to swallow his pride this time.

Merritt said many people historically harvest bison in January as they migrate onto the refuge for winter; however, he plans to hunt sooner than later.

“I am hoping to catch a nice bull early in the season as the bulls move more readily between the park and the forest,” he said.

Merritt said he and his wife were driving to Utah one day when he received a call from an unknown caller.

“We were using the GPS, so my wife said that I was getting a call but I told her it was probably spam,” he told the Gazette. “When it went to voicemail, it printed across my phone’s screen ‘This is Gov. Mark Gordon…’ which I just blew off, thinking, ‘yeah, right.’”

But things changed once they listened to the voicemail.

“I was in disbelief and made a joke with my wife about buying a lottery ticket as I never thought I would win something like this. I was then able to call the governor back and had a good conversation with him for a bit,” he said. “I love that we live in a state where something like this can take place but is also supported by some of our highest ranking politicians. He wished me the best of luck on the hunt and then asked about my career and life in general. It was a cool opportunity.”