Wyoming Hunting

Wyoming

Pronghorn Capital of the World, high-desert mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, and bighorn sheep.

Wyoming - The Equality State & North American Big Game Wonderland

Wyoming offers outstanding sportspeople opportunities, rich wildlife habitats, and extensive public land access. From trophy big game hunting to abundant upland bird coverts and waterfowl flyways, Wyoming provides a premier destination for hunters of all experience levels.

Wyoming Pronghorn Antelope on Red Desert Sagebrush Plains

Managed under strict wildlife conservation guidelines by the state department of natural resources, hunting in Wyoming contributes directly to habitat preservation and healthy game populations across the state.

Wyoming Bridger-Teton High Backcountry Bull Elk

Top Hunting Attractions in Wyoming

Discover the premier wildlife management areas, big game habitats, and renowned wingshooting regions across Wyoming.

Absaroka & Thorofare Wilderness Backcountry Elk

Absaroka & Thorofare Wilderness Backcountry Elk

The most remote wilderness area in the lower 48 (furthest from any road), famous for traditional horseback pack-ins for giant bull elk.
Red Desert & Wyoming Basin Pronghorn Antelope

Red Desert & Wyoming Basin Pronghorn Antelope

Home to more pronghorn than people, offering world-class spot-and-stalk archery and rifle hunting across vast public BLM sagebrush flats.
Wyoming Range & Salt River Range Giant Mule Deer

Wyoming Range & Salt River Range Giant Mule Deer

Legendary public mountain units producing heavy-framed 200+ inch mule deer bucks feeding in high-elevation cirque basins.
Bighorn Mountains & Wind River Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn Mountains & Wind River Bighorn Sheep

Priceless once-in-a-lifetime bighorn sheep and Shiras moose draw tags across rugged glaciated alpine peaks.

Hunting Benefits

  • Pronghorn Capital of the World: Holds more pronghorn antelope than all other states combined.
  • High-Desert & Alpine Elk: World-class Rocky Mountain elk hunting in limited-quota and general units.
  • Nearly 50% Public Land: Over 30 million acres of public BLM, USFS, and State land.
  • Access Yes Programs: Walk-In Areas (WIAs) and Hunter Management Areas (HMAs) opening private land.
  • Iconic Western Big Game: Hunt elk, mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, moose, bison, and mountain goat.

    • Hunter's Bottom Line

    Summary

    Wyoming is the ultimate Western big game wonderland. With over 30 million acres of public land (comprising more than half of the state), Wyoming is home to legendary herds of elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, Shiras moose, and mountain goats.

    The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) conducts non-resident big game draws with strict application deadlines: January 31 for elk, and May 31 for deer and antelope. Non-residents can choose between the regular draw and the higher-priced 'special' draw, with preference points determining allocation in both pools.

    Wyoming state law mandates that non-resident big game hunters must be accompanied by a licensed resident guide or an outfitter when hunting in designated federal wilderness areas. However, millions of acres of non-wilderness National Forest, BLM land, and state trust parcels are fully open to DIY non-resident hunting without a guide.

    Weather in Wyoming can change from 70-degree sunshine to sub-zero blizzards with 50-knot winds in a matter of hours. Technical four-season layering, reliable satellite communication, and four-wheel-drive vehicles equipped with tire chains are non-negotiable field requirements.