Can a hunter obtain a general deer licence for hunt area 157 without a draw?

Yes. Wyoming residents may buy a general deer licence over the counter with no draw and no preference points; the licence is valid statewide across all general-licence hunt areas including hunt area 157. A resident may hold only one general licence in a year. Nonresidents cannot buy a general licence and must instead draw a Region general licence for deer region L, which is valid across all general-licence hunt areas within that region.

What public land can a hunter count on in hunt area 157?

About 9% of the hunt area—roughly 57 square miles—is dependably open to public access, including State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Land. The hunt area also contains larger contiguous public parcels managed by the Bureau of Reclamation along Muddy Creek and a state wildlife management area. Even where public land is present, roads, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings all still affect access.

Are there walk-in areas a hunter can access in hunt area 157?

Yes. Five walk-in areas are enrolled in the hunt area, including areas in Fremont County, and require no permission slip or application. Walk-in areas are subject to posted rules and open periods, which are renegotiated annually, so a hunter should verify current enrollment before planning a hunt.

What restrictions apply to public land and private land hunts in hunt area 157?

Most hunts here are valid across the hunt area, but one Type 8 season (doe or fawn white-tailed deer) is valid on private land only during November. Wind River Reservation lands are present within the hunt area and are not open to Wyoming hunting licences; crossing reservation land to reach other ground is illegal. Boysen State Park lies within the area and requires an entrance fee.

Wyoming Hunt Area 157 (Boysen) deer hunting

Licence

General licence area

Open public land

Elevation

4,700–5,900 ft

Terrain

Gentle

Deer region

Hunt area 157 is a mix of working agricultural land and arid grass-and-shrub uplands in the Wind River country, with landownership in smaller parcels than typical Wyoming ranches. The ground is gentle throughout—slope averages 2.1 degrees—and cover is dominated by sagebrush with scattered riparian corridors along the Wind River and Muddy Creek. Mule deer are found across the area, typically near agricultural fields or in thicker vegetation along waterways, while white-tailed deer concentrate on creek bottoms and irrigated lands. About 9% of the hunt area is dependably open public ground—roughly 57 square miles of State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Land—but the majority is private. Large contiguous public parcels include a Bureau of Reclamation holding along Muddy Creek in the east and a state wildlife management area. Access is not straightforward: even public ownership means navigating roads, trailheads and seasonal closures, and much of the best habitat for white-tailed deer lies on private land. Five walk-in areas are enrolled here and open during their posted seasons, requiring no permission slip.

Hunters should know that Boysen State Park lies within the hunt area and requires an entrance fee. Wind River Reservation lands are also present; Wyoming hunting licenses are not valid there, and crossing reservation land to reach other ground is not legal. Public land does offer opportunities for foot hunting, but access to private ground substantially improves a hunter's chances, especially for white-tailed deer. The country supports both mule deer and white-tailed deer, though each species is concentrated in different terrain and land types, and several of the seasons here are white-tailed-deer-only hunts. Weather cools sharply across the September-to-November window: September highs average 74°F and lows around 44°F with no meaningful snowfall, while November highs drop to 44°F with lows near 20°F and an average of 1.5 inches of snow monthly.

Licence and how this hunt area is drawn

Hunt Area 157 (Boysen) is a general-licence hunt area, and how a hunter gets a licence for it depends on where they live.

A Wyoming resident buys a general deer licence over the counter — unlimited statewide, on sale from mid-July. No draw, no application, no preference points.
A nonresident cannot buy one. They must draw a Region general licence — for this hunt area, deer region L, which is valid across the general-licence hunt areas of that region and nowhere else.

A hunter may hold only ONE general deer licence in a year, so a general licence is a single choice rather than something to stack.

Wyoming residents have no preference points for deer — the resident deer draw is random, and no resident point cutoff exists for any hunt area in the state. For nonresidents points matter a great deal: Wyoming awards 75% of each nonresident pool through the preference-point draw, top-down by points, and the remaining 25% at random. Nonresidents also choose between the Regular and Special pools — the same hunts at two price points, competing separately.

Seasons (2026)

Type Gen — general licence · Any deer
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 1 – October 31
Type 3 · Any white-tailed deer
Legal: white-tailed deer only
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular November 1 – November 30
Type 6 · Doe or fawn
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 1 – November 30
Type 8 · Doe or fawn white-tailed deer
Legal: white-tailed deer only
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 1 – October 31
Type 8 · Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid on private land
Legal: white-tailed deer only
Regular November 1 – November 30

The wording of each hunt is the Wyoming Game & Fish Department’s and is legally exact — a “doe or fawn” hunt is not a deer hunt in general, and a hunt limited to part of the area is not valid across it. Confirm every hunt in the current regulations before applying.

Hunting each season

Type Gen — Any deer (September–October)

Archery and regular general-licence seasons span September through October and permit either mule deer or white-tailed deer. The archery window in early September coincides with velvet shedding as bucks transition to early fall patterns, with warm weather averaging highs near 74°F and cool nights around 44°F; deer can be found near agricultural areas and along waterways. The regular rifle season through October follows into the early fall migration and nocturnal buck phase, with temperatures dropping from the high 50s into the low 40s and occasional early snow averaging less than an inch monthly. Both periods offer access to public land parcels and enrolled walk-in areas, though private-land access improves hunting for white-tailed deer on irrigated ground and creek bottoms.

Type 3 — Any white-tailed deer · whitetail only (September–November)

White-tailed deer only can be hunted under Type 3 from archery in September through the regular rifle season in November, spanning multiple rut phases and habitat shifts. Archery in early September pursues deer on creek bottoms and irrigated lands during velvet shedding and early fall transition, with warm temperatures around 74°F high and 44°F low. The November rifle season runs through the early pre-rut, primary rut, and late rut period—the months when white-tailed deer begin consolidating and become more active—as temperatures drop from the mid-40s to near 20°F and snow accumulates an average of 1.5 inches. White-tailed deer are concentrated on private land along the Wind River and Muddy Creek, making access to enrolled walk-in areas or private-land partnerships valuable.

Type 6 — Doe or fawn (September–November)

The doe or fawn season spans September through November and permits either mule deer or white-tailed deer, covering the full range of fall conditions and deer movements. Archery in September targets deer during velvet shedding and early fall transition with warm days near 74°F, while the extended rifle season from October into November progresses through migration, the rut, and early winter consolidation as temperatures fall from the high 50s to below 20°F and snow increases to 1.5 inches monthly by late season. Mule deer are found throughout the area near agricultural fields and waterways; white-tailed deer concentrate on irrigated creek bottoms, and public land access is available but limited, making private-land or walk-in-area entry important for consistent hunting.

Type 8 — Doe or fawn white-tailed deer · whitetail only (September–October)

The early-season Type 8 archery and regular rifle hunts target doe or fawn white-tailed deer only from September through October, valid across the hunt area. Archery pursues white-tailed deer during velvet shedding and early fall transition with warm temperatures around 74°F high and 44°F low, while the October rifle season follows into the nocturnal buck phase and early pre-rut period as temps cool into the 50s and 40s with less than an inch of snow. This hunt is restricted to white-tailed deer on creek bottoms and irrigated lands, which are predominantly private; access to those areas or to enrolled walk-in ground is essential.

Type 8 — Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid… · whitetail only (November)

The late Type 8 season in November permits doe or fawn white-tailed deer on private land only, concentrating hunting pressure on the creek bottoms, irrigated fields, and riparian corridors where white-tailed deer winter. November hunting runs through the early pre-rut, primary rut, and late rut phases when white-tailed deer consolidate, with highs near 44°F, lows around 20°F, and an average of 1.5 inches of monthly snowfall. Because this hunt is valid only on private land, hunters must secure permission or enroll in a walk-in area rather than relying on public ground.

Land and access

private land49%

Private

unclassified ownership43%

Ownership unclassified

State Wildlife Areas8%

Generally open to public hunting

About 9% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Land, roughly 57 square miles. Public ownership is not the same as easy entry: roads, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings all still apply.

State trust land counts toward the open figure above. Wyoming extends hunting on legally accessiblestate trust land to the public unless a parcel is specifically closed — the catch is the access itself, since crossing private ground to reach it still needs the landowner’s permission. Camping, fires and off-road vehicles are not allowed on it.

the Wyoming Game & Fish Department publishes 26% public land for this hunt area. That counts public ownership; the figure above counts ground a hunter can depend on getting onto. They answer different questions, so both are shown rather than blended.

This hunt area has 5 enrolled walk-in areas. That is private ground enrolled for public access, not public land. A Walk-In Area needs no permission slip — a hunter may walk in during the open period, subject to its posted rules. Enrollment is renegotiated every year, so check current status before counting on either.

Where deer are mapped

Yearlong Range67%

the only layer that means year-round use

Winter Range7%

used in winter

Each figure is the share of the hunt area that layer covers. It says where deer are mapped, not where inside the area they are, and not when they move.

Habitat and cover

Across the unit

Sagebrush58%

Other cover28%

Riparian7%

Grass and meadow7%

Shares are of each elevation band, not of the whole hunt area — they describe what grows up there, not how much of the area sits at that elevation.

Weather through the season

Month	Avg high	Avg low	Snowfall
January	33°F	9°F	2.2 in
February	37°F	12°F	3 in
March	50°F	23°F	1.1 in
April	58°F	31°F	0.6 in
May	67°F	40°F	0 in
June	79°F	48°F	0 in
July	88°F	55°F	0 in
August	86°F	53°F	0 in
September	74°F	44°F	0 in
October	59°F	32°F	0.8 in
November	44°F	20°F	1.5 in
December	32°F	10°F	2.9 in

Snowfall is the monthly total, not depth lying on the ground.

Common questions

Can a hunter obtain a general deer licence for hunt area 157 without a draw?: Yes. Wyoming residents may buy a general deer licence over the counter with no draw and no preference points; the licence is valid statewide across all general-licence hunt areas including hunt area 157. A resident may hold only one general licence in a year. Nonresidents cannot buy a general licence and must instead draw a Region general licence for deer region L, which is valid across all general-licence hunt areas within that region.
What public land can a hunter count on in hunt area 157?: About 9% of the hunt area—roughly 57 square miles—is dependably open to public access, including State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Land. The hunt area also contains larger contiguous public parcels managed by the Bureau of Reclamation along Muddy Creek and a state wildlife management area. Even where public land is present, roads, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings all still affect access.
Which deer species does a hunter find in hunt area 157, and where are they concentrated?: The hunt area supports both mule deer and white-tailed deer. Mule deer are found throughout the area near agricultural fields or along waterways in thicker cover, while white-tailed deer concentrate on creek bottoms and irrigated lands, which are predominantly privately owned. The difference in habitat preference matters for season planning, as some hunts here permit only white-tailed deer.
Are there walk-in areas a hunter can access in hunt area 157?: Yes. Five walk-in areas are enrolled in the hunt area, including areas in Fremont County, and require no permission slip or application. Walk-in areas are subject to posted rules and open periods, which are renegotiated annually, so a hunter should verify current enrollment before planning a hunt.
What restrictions apply to public land and private land hunts in hunt area 157?: Most hunts here are valid across the hunt area, but one Type 8 season (doe or fawn white-tailed deer) is valid on private land only during November. Wind River Reservation lands are present within the hunt area and are not open to Wyoming hunting licences; crossing reservation land to reach other ground is illegal. Boysen State Park lies within the area and requires an entrance fee.

Sources

Wyoming Game & Fish — Hunting & Trapping — licence types, general and limited-quota hunts, and season structure
WGFD Hunt Planner — hunt-area boundaries, season dates and the unit descriptions
WGFD — Draw results and odds — how the resident random draw and the nonresident preference-point draw work
WGFD — Regulations — the legal limitations on each hunt, and the statewide licence rules
USGS National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2021) and 3DEP elevation — land cover and terrain by elevation band

Seasons, licence types and boundaries change. Confirm every detail with the Wyoming Game & Fish Department before applying or hunting.

All Wyoming deer hunt areas