Wyoming Hunt Area 59 (South Laramie Mountains) deer hunting
Hunt area 59 is dominated by the Laramie Mountains, a country of ponderosa pine, mixed mountain shrubs, and open grassland carved by canyons and drainages. Elevation spans nearly 4,000 feet, from about 5,000 feet in the lower valleys to above 8,700 feet on the high ridges, with typical ground around 6,500 feet. The terrain is overwhelmingly gentle, and grass and meadow make up the majority of the cover at all elevations, ranging from 50% at the highest ground to 87% in the midlands and lower slopes. Small patches of agricultural land and shortgrass prairie appear in the far north and east; the rest of the area is mountain country. Hunters should know that this hunt area lies within the Chronic Wasting Disease endemic area.
Access here is the main constraint. Public land — State Trust Land and BLM — makes up only about 13% of the hunt area, roughly 179 square miles, and much of that is landlocked by private holdings with no road or trailhead to reach it. Platte County Walk-In Area 48 offers some public access during its open periods without requiring permission, but hunters serious about this area should secure private-land access before applying. The rating for public access is poor, and most hunters will need to work with landowners or gain invitations to hunt here effectively.
The seasons span from early September through December and split between general-licence hunts open to mule deer and white-tailed deer under different rules and white-tailed-only hunts in the late months. General-licence hunts (Type Gen) are open to both species but under different restrictions — mule deer must be antlered, while any white-tailed deer is legal. Archery runs September 1–30, during the early transition as bucks shed velvet, while the regular season from October 20–31 encompasses the nocturnal phase and early pre-rut movement. White-tailed-only hunts (Type 3 and Type 8) dominate the autumn and winter calendar, allowing hunters to focus entirely on white-tails through November and December as deer move into winter concentration areas and the rut peaks and winds down. Type 3 any-white-tailed hunts run from September through November, while antlerless Type 3 and the doe-or-fawn Type 8 extend into December. Type 6 doe-or-fawn hunts offer opportunities on private land in early fall and across the full area in November and December.
Licence and how this hunt area is drawn
Hunt Area 59 (South Laramie Mountains) 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 J, 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 · Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deerLegal: mule deer and white-tailed deer, under different rulesArchery September 1 – September 30Regular October 20 – October 31
- Type 3 · Any white-tailed deerLegal: white-tailed deer onlyArchery September 1 – September 30Regular October 1 – November 30
- Type 3 · Antlerless white-tailed deerLegal: white-tailed deer onlyRegular December 1 – December 31
- Type 6 · Doe or fawn valid on private landArchery September 1 – September 30Regular October 20 – October 31
- Type 6 · Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid in the entire areaLegal: white-tailed deer onlyRegular November 1 – December 31
- Type 8 · Doe or fawn white-tailed deerLegal: white-tailed deer onlyArchery September 1 – September 30Regular November 1 – December 31
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 — Antlered mule deer or any… · mule deer & whitetail (September–October)
Archery and early regular-season hunting for antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer spans September 1 through October 31, opening as bucks shed velvet in early September and moving into the nocturnal phase and pre-rut staging by mid-October. September weather is mild, with highs near 71°F and minimal snow, but October turns cooler and wetter, with highs falling to near 58°F and an average of about 2 inches of snow across the month. Public access remains limited, and hunters will depend heavily on private-land permission or the walk-in area. The hunt allows both antlered mule deer and any white-tailed deer, but they must distinguish between the two animals in the field.
Type 3 — Any white-tailed deer · whitetail only (September–November)
Type 3 any-white-tailed-deer hunts run from September 1 through November 30, spanning archery and regular seasons and covering the transition from velvet shed through the primary rut and into early winter consolidation. September stays mild near 71°F with almost no snow, but the season cools sharply and snows increase — October brings about 2 inches, November about 4 inches, with highs dropping from 58°F in October to 45°F by November. Only white-tailed deer are legal on this hunt; mule deer cannot be taken. Access is tight, and most hunters will need to arrange private-land permission beforehand.
Type 3 — Antlerless white-tailed deer · whitetail only (December)
Late-season Type 3 antlerless white-tailed-deer hunting runs December 1–31, during the late rut and winter consolidation when deer concentrate in their winter ranges. December is the coldest and snowiest month on this hunt, with highs averaging 36°F and typical snowfall around 6 inches, which often concentrates deer and can make them vulnerable to a patient hunter. Public access options remain limited, and private-land hunting will be necessary for most. Only antlerless white-tailed deer are legal — no antlered animals, mule or white-tailed, may be taken on this hunt.
Type 6 — Doe or fawn valid on private land (September–October)
Type 6 doe-or-fawn hunting valid on private land runs from September 1 through October 31, encompassing archery in early September and the regular season through October as bucks transition through velvet shed and into the nocturnal pre-rut phase. September temperatures hover near 71°F with minimal precipitation, while October cools to highs around 58°F with roughly 2 inches of snow. This hunt is restricted to private land — public ground is off-limits — so hunters must have landowner permission before applying. Any white-tailed deer doe or fawn is legal, along with any mule deer doe or fawn.
Type 6 — Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid… · whitetail only (November–December)
Type 6 doe-or-fawn white-tailed-deer hunts valid across the entire hunt area run November 1 through December 31, covering the pre-rut staging through the primary and late rut into winter consolidation. November brings about 4 inches of snow with highs near 45°F, and December deepens the cold and snow — typical snowfall around 6 inches and highs near 36°F — concentrating deer as they shift into winter grounds. Access is still heavily dependent on private land, though public parcels within the hunt area are also legal. Only white-tailed deer does and fawns are legal on this hunt; mule deer may not be taken.
Type 8 — Doe or fawn white-tailed deer · whitetail only (September–December)
Type 8 doe-or-fawn white-tailed-deer hunting runs from September 1 through December 31, spanning the full archery season and a long regular window from November 1 into the new year and encompassing all rut phases from early transition through winter concentration. Early archery in September is mild near 71°F, but the regular season from November onward grows increasingly cold and snowy — November brings 4 inches of snow typical, December about 6 inches, with highs dropping from 45°F to 36°F. Public access is marginal and private permission critical, though both public and private ground are legal. Only white-tailed deer does and fawns are legal; mule deer may not be taken.
Land and access
About 13% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — State Trust Land and BLM, roughly 179 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.
This hunt area has 1 enrolled walk-in area. 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
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
Lower elevations
Mid elevations
Higher elevations
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 | 37°F | 16°F | 2.8 in |
| February | 38°F | 16°F | 5.1 in |
| March | 47°F | 23°F | 3.6 in |
| April | 53°F | 29°F | 3.7 in |
| May | 63°F | 38°F | 0.2 in |
| June | 74°F | 46°F | 0 in |
| July | 82°F | 53°F | 0 in |
| August | 80°F | 51°F | 0 in |
| September | 71°F | 43°F | 0 in |
| October | 58°F | 32°F | 2.1 in |
| November | 45°F | 23°F | 4.3 in |
| December | 36°F | 16°F | 6.4 in |
Snowfall is the monthly total, not depth lying on the ground.
Common questions
- Can a hunter take mule deer on a general-licence hunt in area 59?
- Yes, but only antlered mule deer are legal on the Type Gen general-licence hunts here. Any white-tailed deer is also legal on those hunts under the same seasons, regardless of antlers. Mule deer and white-tailed deer are treated differently on this hunt, so a hunter must check which animal they have found before the shot.
- Does a Wyoming resident need preference points to draw a general deer licence for area 59?
- No. Wyoming residents do not use preference points for deer at all. A resident buys a general deer licence over the counter without a draw, and the licence is valid statewide across all general-licence hunt areas, including area 59. A resident may hold only one general deer licence in a calendar year.
- Does a Region J licence cover area 59?
- Yes. The region licence for deer region J is valid in all general-licence hunt areas within that region, including area 59. A nonresident who draws a Region J general licence can hunt area 59, but a limited-quota hunt area within the region would require a separate draw for that area.
- Which deer species can a hunter legally take on a Type 3 white-tailed-only hunt in area 59?
- Only white-tailed deer are legal on Type 3 hunts here. A mule deer is not legal on this hunt regardless of its antlers or the hunter's intent. Hunters must be able to distinguish between the two species before taking any animal.
- How much of area 59 can a hunter access on public land without permission?
- Public land makes up about 13% of the hunt area, but much of it is landlocked by private holdings and has no reliable road or trailhead access. Platte County Walk-In Area 48 offers some walk-in opportunity during its posted open periods. Most hunters here will need to secure private-land permission or invitations to hunt effectively.
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.