Wyoming Elk Units: A Hunter's Breakdown of the Best Public Land Elk Country

Wyoming doesn’t hand out elk tags. The state’s draw system is built on preference points, the nonresident quota is strict, and the best units sit behind meaningful point barriers. But if you’re willing to build a multi-year application strategy — or even just invest a few seasons into the right unit — Wyoming offers something that’s getting harder to find across the West: real wilderness, low hunter density, and bulls that grow into something worth talking about.

This breakdown covers the units worth targeting, what each one actually hunts like, the point investment you’re looking at as a nonresident, and how to think about Wyoming as part of a broader western hunting calendar.

How Wyoming’s Draw System Works for Nonresidents

Wyoming uses a preference point system. Each year you apply and don’t draw, you bank a point. When you apply with points, your odds improve — applicants with more points draw before those with fewer in most draw pools.

The nonresident elk quota is 16% of each type tag, capped by unit. In high-demand units, the nonresident draw pool is small and the competition is stiff. In general hunt areas, the landscape changes dramatically — tags are far more accessible but the hunting pressure and bull quality reflect that.

Wyoming splits elk tags into type-1 (specific limited quota) and general hunt areas. Type-1 tags are draw-only and cover premium units. General hunt areas issue tags through a separate draw that clears much faster — often at 0-2 points — but you’re hunting a different category of elk and a different category of experience.

Unit 2 — Yellowstone Drainage

Unit 2 is the benchmark against which every other Wyoming elk unit gets measured. It sits in the Absaroka Mountains along the Yellowstone drainage, bordering the park on its north and west edges. Bull densities here are genuinely exceptional — hunters who put in the time consistently encounter 380-plus inch bulls, and 400-class animals turn up every season.

The nonresident archery draw for Unit 2 typically sits at 5 to 8 preference points, depending on the year. That’s a meaningful investment. Plan on 6-8 years of building points before you’re in the reliable draw window.

The terrain is as serious as the elk. Most of Unit 2 requires packing in by horse or on foot, with camp setups 8-15 miles from any trailhead. River crossings are involved. Trails that look manageable on a map become a different conversation when the snow hits early in September. This is not a unit for a first western hunt — it’s for hunters who have done the backcountry thing before and want the top-shelf version.

Archery season here overlaps with a rut that can be explosive. Thermal management is everything in the drainages — thermals channel and reverse predictably in these tight mountain draws, and elk that wind you from 400 yards will disappear into the dark timber for the rest of the day.

Unit 30 — Bridger-Teton Near Jackson

Unit 30 covers country in the Bridger-Teton National Forest near Jackson Hole. If Unit 2 is Wyoming’s crown jewel, Unit 30 is a close second, and in some hunting circles it gets the nod for terrain variety and wilderness experience.

Nonresident archery points for Unit 30 sit at 6 to 10 points — the draw is tighter than Unit 2 some years because the nonresident quota is smaller relative to demand. Start building now.

The Gros Ventre and Teton drainages that fall inside Unit 30 hold large bull numbers, and the country is gorgeous in ways that stop you mid-stride. The downside is that the terrain is legitimately punishing. Steep canyon walls, creek crossings, and heavy spruce-fir timber demand strong legs, proper footwear, and a pack that’s dialed in before you leave the truck. Casual hunters who wander a mile off the road won’t find much. Hunters who are willing to hurt for a few days and get into the real backcountry will find elk.

The Jackson airport adds one advantage: you can fly into Jackson Hole and have horses or a packer meet you there if you’re doing a guided or outfitter-assisted hunt. That’s not common across Wyoming’s top units.

Unit 7 — Bighorn Mountains

Unit 7 offers a different kind of Wyoming elk hunting. The Bighorn Mountains aren’t Yellowstone country — bulls don’t run as large on average, and the hunting pressure is higher — but the point requirement is far more reasonable for nonresidents at 3 to 6 points, and the public land access is genuinely good.

The Cloud Peak Wilderness anchors the southern end of Unit 7. Hunters who work into the wilderness area find elk numbers that surprise them. Outside the wilderness, much of the unit hunts like accessible mountain country: roads get you to reasonable elevation, foot travel from there, and day hunting is viable for hunters who aren’t set up for backcountry camping.

Bull quality is solid rather than exceptional. You’re realistically chasing 280-340 inch bulls, with bigger animals coming from the deeper wilderness drainages. For a nonresident building an elk hunting resume — or one who wants a Wyoming tag without committing to a decade of point building — Unit 7 earns serious consideration.

The Bighorns also offer one of the better combination-hunt opportunities in Wyoming. Pronghorn and mule deer options in the surrounding basins pair well with an elk tag, making a 10-14 day trip to Wyoming more efficient for hunters who want to maximize their time in the state.

Unit 43 — Cody Area

Unit 43 around Cody is Wyoming’s most accessible high-quality elk unit from a logistics standpoint. Cody Regional Airport gives you a direct fly-in option, and the road network into the unit is better than most comparable Wyoming options. That access comes at a cost — hunter pressure is higher than in the wilderness-dependent units.

Point requirements for nonresidents run 1 to 4 points for most archery and general rifle draws, which makes this a reasonable target for hunters who want Wyoming elk without a decade of waiting.

The Shoshone National Forest portions of Unit 43 hold good bull numbers, and the Carter Mountain area historically produces quality animals. If you’re looking at a DIY vehicle-based hunt with day hiking, Unit 43 is one of the few Wyoming units where that approach is consistently viable. You won’t have the solitude of Unit 2, but you’ll find elk.

Unit 62 — South Fork Shoshone

Unit 62 in the South Fork Shoshone drainage gets its own chapter elsewhere on ProHunt, but it warrants mention here. The unit sits between Units 2 and 43 geographically and in some ways in character — more roadless than 43, more accessible than 2. It’s on the radar of serious Wyoming elk hunters for a reason. Point requirements have been rising as hunters discover it. Watch this unit.

General Hunt Units — 0 to 2 Points

Wyoming’s general hunt areas cover a wide swath of the state and draw tags at 0 to 2 points for most nonresidents. These areas offer a legitimate elk hunting opportunity — don’t dismiss them. Bull quality is lower than the top limited units, and public land pressure can be significant in popular areas during rifle seasons.

Where general hunt areas shine is for archery hunters willing to find pressure-free pockets. Many general hunt areas have vast acreage with only a handful of archery hunters on them before the rifle seasons open. The elk are there. The trick is treating the general area like a limited unit — do the scouting work, get off the roads, and find elk that aren’t being hammered.

For a first Wyoming elk hunt, a general hunt area is a reasonable starting point. It gets you into the state, teaches you the terrain, and starts your point accumulation for the premium units in the background.

Wyoming vs. Colorado OTC — What You’re Actually Choosing Between

The honest comparison: Colorado gives you a tag every year, a guaranteed hunt during the rut, and 23 million acres. Wyoming makes you wait, then delivers a different tier of experience in the best units.

Colorado’s OTC archery elk hunt runs 10-13% average success statewide, with better outcomes for hunters who do the work. Wyoming’s top units, when you finally draw, put you in country where 380-plus inch bulls are a realistic outcome rather than a lottery win.

The smart play for most western hunters is both. Hunt Colorado OTC every year to stay sharp, keep your skills current, and fill the freezer. Simultaneously build Wyoming type-1 points in your target unit. In 6-8 years, you draw Wyoming. You’re not picking one over the other — you’re running a two-track strategy that keeps you hunting annually while building toward the premium experience.

Unit Summary

Unit	Region	Avg Bull Size	NR Archery Points	Access Type	Terrain Difficulty
2	Yellowstone drainage	350–400+ in	5–8 pts	Horse/backpack required	Very difficult
30	Bridger-Teton/Jackson	320–390 in	6–10 pts	Horse/backpack required	Difficult
7	Bighorn Mountains	280–340 in	3–6 pts	Road + foot access	Moderate
43	Cody area	280–330 in	1–4 pts	Road accessible	Moderate
62	South Fork Shoshone	300–360 in	3–6 pts (rising)	Mixed road/foot	Moderate-difficult
General	Statewide	240–290 in	0–2 pts	Varies by area	Varies

Point requirements are approximate based on recent draw data. Verify current draw odds through Wyoming Game and Fish before finalizing your application strategy.

How to Build Your Wyoming Elk Strategy

Start with unit selection. The unit dictates your point target, your timeline, and what kind of hunt you’re building toward. Pick one primary unit and apply for it every year. Apply for a general hunt area as a secondary application in the same year — you can hunt Wyoming elk sooner while you wait.

Parallel track your point accumulation in other states. Wyoming points aren’t the only ones worth building. Montana, Idaho, and Utah all have draw units worth pursuing on their own timelines.

The hunters who struggle with the western draw system are the ones who scatter their applications across too many states without a plan. Pick your targets, know your timelines, and execute the strategy every application season without wavering. Wyoming rewards patience more than almost any western state — the hunters who commit to it consistently end up in some of the finest elk country on the continent.

If you’re mapping out a multi-year application calendar across western states, the ProHunt Application Timeline tool lets you track deadlines, point totals, and draw odds side by side.

Sources & verification

Seasons, license fees, application windows, and draw structure for Wyoming change every year. Always verify the current details against the official Wyoming agency before applying or hunting.

• Wyoming Game & Fish Department — wgfd.wyo.gov