Is hunt area 120 drawn with a region licence or does it require its own draw?

Hunt area 120 is a limited-quota area that must be drawn for specifically—neither a region licence nor a general licence covers it. Each resident and nonresident must draw for this hunt area individually. A region or general licence is valid only in the general-licence areas of its region, never in a limited-quota area.

Do Wyoming residents need preference points for an elk draw in this area?

Wyoming residents have no elk preference points at all and do not build, bank, or burn them. The resident elk draw for hunt area 120 is random, with no point cutoff and no preference given to applicants based on prior applications.

How many preference points does a nonresident need for hunt area 120?

The number of preference points needed varies by year and is not given here, but nonresidents should expect draw competition to be substantial. For nonresidents, three quarters of the available licences go to the preference-point draw, awarded top-down by points, and a quarter go to a random draw open to everyone in the pool; preference points therefore matter significantly for nonresidents in this hunt area.

Can a hunter walk into the walk-in areas without applying or obtaining permission?

Yes. Walk-in areas require no application or permission slip—a hunter may walk in during the posted open period, subject to the walk-in area's rules. Enrollment is renegotiated annually, so specific walk-in areas should be verified before the hunt.

When do the different elk seasons run in hunt area 120?

Four elk seasons are open: Type 6 (cow or calf) runs archery September 1–30 and regular October 9–December 15; Type 1 any elk runs archery and regular September 1–30 and October 9–31; Type 1 antlerless elk runs November 1–December 15; and Type 4 antlerless elk runs archery September 1–30 and regular October 9–December 15. Each season is drawn separately.

Wyoming Hunt Area 120 (Buffalo Creek) elk hunting

Licence

Limited quota — drawn

Open public land

61%

Elevation

4,800–9,100 ft

Terrain

Gentle

Hunt area 120 spans 1,453 square miles of mixed country in the South Bighorn herd unit, running from sagebrush grasslands in the center to irrigated agricultural land in the southeast and rougher terrain in the northwest that rises toward the southern slopes of the Bighorn Mountains. Elevation ranges from 4,800 to 9,100 feet, with typical ground around 5,600 feet and terrain graded entirely gentle to moderate—84% gentle slope, 15% moderate, 1% steep. The landscape across these elevations is dominated by sagebrush and grass; at lower elevations sagebrush covers 63% and grass 31%, while mid-elevation areas run 85% sagebrush and 14% grass, and higher ground transitions to 73% sagebrush, 24% grass, and 2% conifer. Elk are found primarily in high-elevation conifer and meadow country, but shift downslope and into more open country through fall and winter, and can also occur along rocky ridgelines in the north-central and northeastern portions of the hunt area, though their distribution there is less predictable.

About 61% of the hunt area—roughly 885 square miles—is public land (BLM and State Trust Land) that a hunter can generally count on, while 34% is private. However, public ownership does not guarantee easy entry; roads, trailheads, seasonal closures, and private inholdings all still apply, and road conditions can deteriorate quickly during wet or snowy weather. Seven walk-in areas are enrolled throughout the hunt area and provide additional access on private land during their open periods. The northwestern portion, particularly along drainages on the southern slopes of the Bighorn Mountains, concentrates both elk and hunting pressure; those drainages include Sanchez, Willow, and Pine Creeks, and these areas see the majority of hunter activity, especially on opening day. Hunters new to the area should plan on using maps and GPS, as private and public parcels are interspersed across much of the hunt area.

Licence and how this hunt area is drawn

Hunt Area 120 (Buffalo Creek) 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 9 – October 31
Type 1 · Antlerless elk
Regular November 1 – December 15
Type 4 · Antlerless elk
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 9 – December 15
Type 6 · Cow or calf
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 9 – December 15

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 6 — Cow or calf (September–December)

Archery hunting for cow or calf from September 1 through 30 coincides with the rut onset and primary rut, when bulls are active and cows move in predictable patterns; this early season offers potentially better access to high-elevation conifer and meadow country before pressure increases. Early September weather is mild, with highs near 74 degrees and minimal snow. Regular rifle hunting for cow or calf from October 9 through December 15 spans the late rut, post-rut recovery, migration transition, and winter range phases, when elk shift downslope into more open sagebrush and grass country; snow and cold increase through the period, with October highs around 59 degrees, November highs around 45 degrees, and December highs near 35 degrees, while November averages 2.9 inches of snow and December 5 inches. Public land access is widespread throughout this stretch, though private inholdings require map and GPS knowledge. This hunt is limited to cow or calf, not bulls.

Type 1 — Any elk (September–October)

Archery for any elk from September 1 through 30 falls during the rut onset and primary rut, when bulls are bugling and accessible and cows are concentrated in predictable areas, particularly in the conifer and meadow country of the northwestern slopes. Early-season weather favors foot hunting, with September highs near 74 degrees and virtually no snow. Rifle hunting for any elk from October 9 through 31 covers the late rut and post-rut recovery phases, when bull movement slows but animals remain on higher ground before the winter transition; temperatures drop into the 50s by late October, and snowfall averages 0.9 inches for the month. The northwestern drainages remain the primary focal point, and the region can see heavy pressure on opening day.

Type 1 — Antlerless elk (November–December)

Antlerless rifle hunting from November 1 through December 15 spans the migration transition and winter range phases, when elk have moved downslope and into more open country and hunting pressure has eased. Weather deteriorates steadily through the season: November highs average 45 degrees and bring 2.9 inches of snow, while December highs drop to 35 degrees with 5 inches of snowfall. Road conditions can become treacherous on muddy or snowy surfaces, and hunters should proceed with caution. Public land access remains widespread, though the shift to lower elevations and more open sagebrush and grass country makes navigation straightforward where roads are passable.

Type 4 — Antlerless elk (September–December)

Archery hunting for antlerless elk from September 1 through 30 falls during the rut onset and primary rut, when cows and calves are active and concentrated in high-elevation conifer and meadow habitat; early-season conditions with highs near 74 degrees and no snow favor foot hunting and extended range. Rifle hunting from October 9 through December 15 spans the late rut, post-rut recovery, migration transition, and winter range phases, as animals progressively shift downslope into sagebrush and grassland; temperatures and snow increase substantially, with October highs near 59 degrees, November averaging 2.9 inches of snow at highs around 45 degrees, and December bringing 5 inches of snow and highs near 35 degrees. This extended season offers flexibility to adjust to changing conditions and elk distribution, and pressure remains lower later in the year.

Land and access

BLM48%

Generally open to public hunting

private land34%

Private

State Trust Land13%

Generally open to public hunting

unclassified ownership5%

Ownership unclassified

About 61% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — BLM and State Trust Land, roughly 885 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 7 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 elk are mapped

Yearlong Range8%

the only layer that means year-round use

Winter Range4%

used in winter

Crucial Winter Range4%

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

Lower elevations

Sagebrush63%

Grass and meadow31%

Other cover6%

Mid elevations

Sagebrush85%

Grass and meadow14%

Other cover1%

Higher elevations

Sagebrush73%

Grass and meadow24%

Conifer2%

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	35°F	14°F	3.8 in
February	37°F	15°F	4.8 in
March	48°F	23°F	3 in
April	55°F	29°F	1.8 in
May	66°F	38°F	0 in
June	78°F	47°F	0 in
July	87°F	54°F	0 in
August	85°F	52°F	0 in
September	74°F	43°F	0 in
October	59°F	32°F	0.9 in
November	45°F	22°F	2.9 in
December	35°F	14°F	5 in

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

Common questions

Is hunt area 120 drawn with a region licence or does it require its own draw?: Hunt area 120 is a limited-quota area that must be drawn for specifically—neither a region licence nor a general licence covers it. Each resident and nonresident must draw for this hunt area individually. A region or general licence is valid only in the general-licence areas of its region, never in a limited-quota area.
Do Wyoming residents need preference points for an elk draw in this area?: Wyoming residents have no elk preference points at all and do not build, bank, or burn them. The resident elk draw for hunt area 120 is random, with no point cutoff and no preference given to applicants based on prior applications.
How many preference points does a nonresident need for hunt area 120?: The number of preference points needed varies by year and is not given here, but nonresidents should expect draw competition to be substantial. For nonresidents, three quarters of the available licences go to the preference-point draw, awarded top-down by points, and a quarter go to a random draw open to everyone in the pool; preference points therefore matter significantly for nonresidents in this hunt area.
Can a hunter walk into the walk-in areas without applying or obtaining permission?: Yes. Walk-in areas require no application or permission slip—a hunter may walk in during the posted open period, subject to the walk-in area's rules. Enrollment is renegotiated annually, so specific walk-in areas should be verified before the hunt.
When do the different elk seasons run in hunt area 120?: Four elk seasons are open: Type 6 (cow or calf) runs archery September 1–30 and regular October 9–December 15; Type 1 any elk runs archery and regular September 1–30 and October 9–31; Type 1 antlerless elk runs November 1–December 15; and Type 4 antlerless elk runs archery September 1–30 and regular October 9–December 15. Each season is drawn separately.

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