Is hunt area 111 a general-licence hunt or does a hunter need to draw a licence specifically?

Hunt area 111 is a limited-quota hunt area. A hunter must draw a licence for this area specifically and cannot rely on a region licence to hunt here. Both residents and nonresidents enter the draw for this area's licences.

How many preference points do Wyoming residents need for elk in this hunt area?

Wyoming residents do not earn or use preference points for elk hunting. The resident elk draw for this hunt area is random, with no points system involved. Nonresidents, by contrast, participate in a preference-point draw where most licences reward accumulated points.

How much of hunt area 111 can a hunter actually get onto?

Roughly 55 percent of the area—about 510 square miles—is dependably open across public land and enrolled access areas. The southern half is checkerboarded, with many public parcels inaccessible without crossing private ground. The northern portion around the Seminoe Mountains offers more consistent public access.

What private-land hunting opportunities are available in hunt area 111?

The Stone Creek Hunter Management Area is open to hunters who obtain a printed permission slip before hunting. Enrollment is renegotiated annually, so availability can vary. A walk-in area, Carbon County Walk-In Area 5, requires no permission slip and is open during its posted period.

When do each of the elk seasons run in this hunt area?

Type 1 any-elk archery runs September 1–30 and regular seasons October 1–31. Type 1 antlered seasons run November 15–December 15 (valid also in Area 22), with an antlerless December 16–31 season. Type 2, Type 4 and Type 6 seasons span September through December with varying start dates and animal restrictions, as shown in the season table.

Wyoming Hunt Area 111 (Seminoe) elk hunting

Licence

Limited quota — drawn

Open public land

55%

Elevation

5,300–8,900 ft

Terrain

Gentle

Hunt area 111 spans 920 square miles of high desert and transitional terrain between 5,300 and 8,900 feet, with typical ground around 6,600 feet. The southern portion is defined by rocky rims and sagebrush-covered mesas with alkaline flats, while the north consists of sand hills and prairie interrupted by large granite outcrops. The Seminoe and Bear Mountains bisect the area from east to west, rising to roughly 8,200 feet with sparse timber; the northeastern Seminoe country burned substantially in 2012. Sagebrush dominates across the area—roughly 90 percent of the ground—with scattered grass, meadow and riparian strips along the North Platte River, the reservoirs, and major creeks. Slopes average 5.8 degrees, grading predominantly gentle.

Getting onto the ground is complicated by checkerboard ownership across the southern half, where alternating square miles are private and public access to public land often requires crossing private ground. Southern public lands that do not border roads are typically inaccessible without permission. North of that zone, private holdings cluster along watercourses and public access is generally available. About 55 percent of the area is dependably open to hunting—roughly 510 square miles across BLM, State Trust Land and State Wildlife Areas—though roads, trailheads and seasonal closures still apply. The northern Seminoe Mountains and associated foothills offer the most consistent public access. Carbon County Walk-In Area 5 provides additional opportunity, and the Stone Creek Hunter Management Area is available to those who obtain a printed permission slip before hunting. Elk concentrate on the Seminoe and Bear Mountains, Bradley Peak and their foothills, but are regularly found across the open desert, sand dunes and prairie; a significant portion of the herd stays yearlong in the Haystack Mountains of the checkerboarded south, where access difficulty limits hunting pressure.

October weather swings dramatically—from dry and warm into freezing cold with heavy snow. The southern roads that cross alkaline ground become nearly impassable when wet, though sandy and rocky roads often remain drivable even after precipitation. November brings consistent cold, with average highs around 41 degrees and snowfall averaging 4.7 inches for the month. December is the coldest season, with average highs near 31 degrees and average snowfall of 5.3 inches.

Licence and how this hunt area is drawn

Hunt Area 111 (Seminoe) is limited quota. A licence for it must be drawn for this hunt area specifically, by resident and nonresident alike. A region licence does not reach it — a region licence is valid only in the general-licence areas of its region, so there is no fallback for this hunt.

Wyoming residents have no preference points for elk — the resident elk 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 1 · Any elk
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 1 – October 31
Type 1 · Antlered elk five (5) points or less on either antler; also valid in Area 22
Regular November 15 – December 15
Type 1 · Antlerless elk
Regular December 16 – December 31
Type 2 · Antlered elk five (5) points or less on either antler
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 15 – October 31
Type 4 · Antlerless elk
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 15 – November 14
Type 4 · Antlerless elk; also valid in Area 22
Regular November 15 – December 31
Type 6 · Cow or calf
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular November 1 – November 14
Type 6 · Cow or calf; also valid in Area 22
Regular November 15 – December 31

The wording of each hunt is the Wyoming Game & Fish Department’s and is legally exact — a “cow or calf” hunt is not a elk 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 1 — Any elk (September–October)

The September archery season and October regular season for any elk span the onset and peak of the rut, when bulls are active and bugling. September sees highs around 70 degrees with minimal snow, making early-morning and late-evening glassing productive across the high benches and foothills of the Seminoe and Bear Mountains. October weather is unpredictable—dry warm days can shift abruptly to freezing temperatures and significant snow—so hunters must prepare for both extremes. Access to public land across the northern portion is generally consistent, though early-season conditions on southern alkaline roads can shift from drivable to impassable within hours after precipitation.

Type 1 — Antlered elk five (5) points or… (November–December)

Hunting for antlered elk from November through mid-December targets bulls in late rut and early post-rut recovery, transitioning into the migration phase as November advances and cold pushes deeper into December. Early November hunting encounters bulls still responsive to calls, though their intensity declines; later in the season elk shift toward winter ranges as temperatures drop—average highs fall from 41 degrees in November to 31 degrees in December, with snowfall averaging 4.7 inches in November and 5.3 inches in December. This season is valid also in Area 22. Public access remains generally available across the northern areas, though accumulating snow and cold intensify the challenge of foot hunting and can complicate logistics.

Type 1 — Antlerless elk (December)

The December antlerless season, running from the 16th through the 31st, is a late-season hunt as elk occupy winter range in deep cold and snow. Average highs near 31 degrees and consistent snowfall make this a physically demanding hunt. This hunt is an antlerless-only opportunity, so hunters must pass bulls and focus on cows and calves on public lands primarily around the northern Seminoe and Bear Mountains where consistent access exists.

Type 2 — Antlered elk five (5) points or… (September–October)

The Type 2 archery season from September through early October spans the rut onset and primary rut phases, when bulls actively respond to calls and cow vocalizations. September draws highs around 70 degrees with negligible snowfall, offering stable conditions for glassing and stalking across the open ridges and foothills of the northern Seminoe complex. This season is for antlered elk with no more than five points on either antler, and October's increasingly variable weather—shifting between mild days and freezing cold with up to 2.3 inches of snow for the month—demands flexibility in tactics and logistics.

Type 4 — Antlerless elk (September–November)

The Type 4 antlerless archery season in early September and the regular-season extension through mid-November target a different phase progression: archery in early September encounters elk in pre-rut and early-rut activity, while the regular season through November spans the late rut into migration and early winter-range settlement as temperatures drop from 70 degrees in September to 41 degrees in November. Snow increases from negligible amounts early on to 4.7 inches average by November. Access remains generally available across the northern public lands, making this season most productive in the open sage hills and higher foothills where antlerless elk concentrate as the season advances.

Type 4 — Antlerless elk (November–December)

From mid-November through December, this antlerless extension hunts elk already deep into migration and on winter range, in cold conditions with average highs from 41 degrees in November to 31 degrees in December and monthly snowfall climbing from 4.7 to 5.3 inches. This hunt is valid also in Area 22. Elk are concentrated on winter grounds as the season progresses into the coldest month, and public access around the northern Seminoe and Bear Mountains remains the most reliable entry point, though snow and cold create hazardous foot-travel conditions.

Type 6 — Cow or calf (September–November)

The Type 6 archery season in early September and regular season through mid-November span the rut onset and primary rut into migration, with stable early-season weather and increasingly variable late-season conditions. September highs around 70 degrees allow effective calling and glassing, while by November average highs drop to 41 degrees and monthly snowfall reaches 4.7 inches. This hunt is limited to cow or calf, restricting hunters to female and young animals across the sagebrush foothills and open country of the Seminoe complex where these animals concentrate. The northern public-land access provides consistent entry during this extended hunt.

Type 6 — Cow or calf (November–December)

The late Type 6 season from mid-November through December hunts cow and calf on established winter range as temperatures plummet from 41-degree November highs to 31-degree December highs and snowfall intensifies to 5.3 inches average in December. This hunt is valid also in Area 22. Winter conditions make this a demanding hunt across the northern open country and Seminoe foothills, but concentrated elk on winter grounds offer focused hunting opportunity in areas where public access is most reliable.

Land and access

BLM49%

Generally open to public hunting

private land38%

Private

unclassified ownership6%

Ownership unclassified

State Trust Land6%

Generally open to public hunting

About 55% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — BLM, State Trust Land and State Wildlife Areas, roughly 510 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 65% 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 1 enrolled walk-in area. It also holds 1 Hunter Management Area. Both are private ground enrolled for public access, not public land. A Hunter Management Area requires a printed permission slip from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department before hunting it. 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 elk are mapped

Winter Range4%

used in winter

Summer Range4%

used in summer

Yearlong Range2%

the only layer that means year-round use

Crucial Winter Range1%

the part of Winter Range considered essential to the herd — inside Winter Range, not added to it

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

Habitat and cover

Across the unit

Sagebrush90%

Other cover5%

Grass and meadow2%

Riparian2%

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	31°F	14°F	4.8 in
February	33°F	15°F	5.6 in
March	43°F	22°F	5.5 in
April	51°F	28°F	4.2 in
May	62°F	37°F	0.1 in
June	74°F	45°F	0 in
July	82°F	53°F	0 in
August	80°F	51°F	0 in
September	70°F	43°F	0.3 in
October	55°F	32°F	2.3 in
November	41°F	22°F	4.7 in
December	31°F	14°F	5.3 in

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

Common questions

Is hunt area 111 a general-licence hunt or does a hunter need to draw a licence specifically?: Hunt area 111 is a limited-quota hunt area. A hunter must draw a licence for this area specifically and cannot rely on a region licence to hunt here. Both residents and nonresidents enter the draw for this area's licences.
How many preference points do Wyoming residents need for elk in this hunt area?: Wyoming residents do not earn or use preference points for elk hunting. The resident elk draw for this hunt area is random, with no points system involved. Nonresidents, by contrast, participate in a preference-point draw where most licences reward accumulated points.
How much of hunt area 111 can a hunter actually get onto?: Roughly 55 percent of the area—about 510 square miles—is dependably open across public land and enrolled access areas. The southern half is checkerboarded, with many public parcels inaccessible without crossing private ground. The northern portion around the Seminoe Mountains offers more consistent public access.
What private-land hunting opportunities are available in hunt area 111?: The Stone Creek Hunter Management Area is open to hunters who obtain a printed permission slip before hunting. Enrollment is renegotiated annually, so availability can vary. A walk-in area, Carbon County Walk-In Area 5, requires no permission slip and is open during its posted period.
When do each of the elk seasons run in this hunt area?: Type 1 any-elk archery runs September 1–30 and regular seasons October 1–31. Type 1 antlered seasons run November 15–December 15 (valid also in Area 22), with an antlerless December 16–31 season. Type 2, Type 4 and Type 6 seasons span September through December with varying start dates and animal restrictions, as shown in the season table.

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 elk hunt areas