Can a hunter use a Wyoming region elk licence to hunt in hunt area 40?

No. Hunt area 40 is a limited-quota area drawn for this hunt area specifically. A region licence covers only the general-licence hunt areas within its region, not limited-quota areas. A hunter must draw a licence specifically for hunt area 40 to hunt there.

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

Wyoming residents do not use preference points for any elk hunt. The resident elk draw is random with no point system. Nonresidents, however, do use preference points: three-quarters of nonresident licences are awarded by preference points (highest points first), and one-quarter go to a random draw open to all nonresidents in the pool.

What percentage of hunt area 40 is public ground a hunter can access?

About 82 percent of the area is public land on the BLM, National Forest, and State Trust Land—roughly 380 square miles. Private land makes up about 17 percent. Public ownership does not guarantee straightforward entry, as roads, trailheads, seasonal closures, and private inholdings all still apply.

Which seasons in hunt area 40 allow hunting any elk, and when do they occur?

Two seasons allow any elk: Type 9 (archery only) runs September 1–30, and Type 1 (any legal weapon) runs October 15–November 4. Type 4 (antlerless elk) runs October 15–November 30. Two additional Type 6 seasons allow cow or calf only: one valid off national forest September 1–November 4, and one valid area-wide November 5–30.

Wyoming Hunt Area 40 (Horse Creek) elk hunting

Licence

Limited quota — drawn

Open public land

82%

Elevation

3,600–10,200 ft

Terrain

Moderate

Hunt area 40 spreads across rolling basin country and steep mountain terrain in the Bighorn Basin and Bighorn Mountains. Elevation ranges from 3,600 to 10,200 feet, with typical ground around 4,800 feet. The terrain is moderate overall: 57 percent gentle slopes, 32 percent moderate, 10 percent steep, and 1 percent rugged. Lower elevations are dominated by sagebrush and grass meadow, mixed with riparian corridors. As elevation climbs into the foothills, mountain brush and curl leaf mahogany become more prevalent, then transition to increasing conifer stands in the higher mountains. The country is a mix of foot travel through open basins and steeper canyon and ridgeline work in the mountains.

About 82 percent of the area—roughly 380 square miles—is public ground on the BLM, National Forest, and State Trust Land, with the remainder private. The Yellowtail Hunter Management Area is enrolled for private access, though enrollment is renegotiated annually and a printed permission slip is required before hunting there. Public ownership does not guarantee easy entry; roads, trailheads, seasonal closures, and private inholdings all apply. Access rating for the area is good overall.

Elk typically use hunt area 40 as winter range, which means the timing of migration and weather patterns significantly shapes the hunt. If conditions have not pushed animals down from higher country, elk can be found outside the area. Because of this pattern, hunting pressure and elk availability typically improve as the season progresses and winter conditions settle in.

Licence and how this hunt area is drawn

Hunt Area 40 (Horse 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
Regular October 15 – November 4
Type 4 · Antlerless elk
Regular October 15 – November 30
Type 6 · Cow or calf valid off national forest
Regular September 1 – November 4
Type 6 · Cow or calf valid in the entire area
Regular November 5 – November 30
Type 9 · Any elk, archery only
Regular September 1 – September 30

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 9 — Any elk, archery only (September)

The September archery season arrives as bulls are coming into the rut and temperatures are mild—highs around 73 degrees with virtually no snow. Elk are actively calling and responsive to bugling, though the rut is just beginning. Access to public ground is generally good throughout the season. This licence allows any legal elk, making it attractive for archers willing to hike for opportunity in open and brushy country. The season runs September 1–30.

Type 1 — Any elk (October–November)

October and early November bring the latter stages of the rut into post-rut recovery and the migration transition as temperatures cool from the upper 50s toward the mid-40s. Elk begin shifting downslope, and because this area is primarily winter range, animals are increasingly present as the season progresses and weather patterns establish. October sees minimal snowfall, but November brings about 1.9 inches monthly, which can push elk to lower elevations and concentrate them. This any-elk licence allows pursuit of bulls or cows across the full hunt area and runs October 15–November 4.

Type 4 — Antlerless elk (October–November)

The antlerless season mirrors the late-rut and post-rut period as well as the migration transition from mid-October into November, with temperatures dropping from the upper 50s to the low 40s. Elk recovery from rut and shift downslope as winter approaches. By November, around 1.9 inches of snowfall per month can concentrate animals on lower ground. This licence is restricted to antlerless elk and runs October 15–November 30, allowing hunters a full month longer to pursue as fall transitions to winter.

Type 6 — Cow or calf valid off national… (September–November)

This cow-or-calf-only season spans September through early November, opening as the rut begins in early September and closing just as migration transition peaks. Temperatures start mild in the 70s and cool to the mid-50s and below. Snowfall is minimal in September and October but increases to around 1.9 inches in November. The hunt is valid off national forest only—not across the entire area—meaning hunting is restricted to lower-elevation basins and foothills below the National Forest boundary. The season runs September 1–November 4.

Type 6 — Cow or calf valid in the entire area (November)

The late-November cow-or-calf season occurs during the migration transition as winter settles in, with highs around 44 degrees and about 1.9 inches of monthly snowfall pushing elk to winter range. This licence is valid across the entire hunt area, including national forest ground. Unlike the earlier Type 6 season, hunters can pursue cows and calves anywhere within the area. The season runs November 5–30.

Land and access

BLM50%

Generally open to public hunting

National Forest29%

Generally open to public hunting

private land17%

Private

State Trust Land3%

Generally open to public hunting

About 82% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — BLM, National Forest and State Trust Land, roughly 380 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.

It also holds 1 Hunter Management Area. That is 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. Enrollment is renegotiated every year, so check current status before counting on either.

Where elk are mapped

Winter Range32%

used in winter

Summer Range19%

used in summer

Crucial Winter Range14%

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

Yearlong Range5%

the only layer that means year-round use

Parturition Areas4%

spring birthing ground, months before any hunting season

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

Sagebrush41%

Grass and meadow36%

Other cover16%

Riparian7%

Mid elevations

Sagebrush68%

Grass and meadow27%

Other cover5%

Higher elevations

Sagebrush49%

Conifer29%

Grass and meadow21%

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	10°F	4.9 in
February	36°F	13°F	3.6 in
March	48°F	23°F	1.9 in
April	56°F	30°F	0.4 in
May	66°F	40°F	0 in
June	76°F	48°F	0 in
July	85°F	55°F	0 in
August	84°F	52°F	0 in
September	73°F	43°F	0 in
October	57°F	32°F	0.6 in
November	44°F	20°F	1.9 in
December	33°F	11°F	4.2 in

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

Common questions

Can a hunter use a Wyoming region elk licence to hunt in hunt area 40?: No. Hunt area 40 is a limited-quota area drawn for this hunt area specifically. A region licence covers only the general-licence hunt areas within its region, not limited-quota areas. A hunter must draw a licence specifically for hunt area 40 to hunt there.
How many preference points do Wyoming residents need for an elk hunt in this area?: Wyoming residents do not use preference points for any elk hunt. The resident elk draw is random with no point system. Nonresidents, however, do use preference points: three-quarters of nonresident licences are awarded by preference points (highest points first), and one-quarter go to a random draw open to all nonresidents in the pool.
What percentage of hunt area 40 is public ground a hunter can access?: About 82 percent of the area is public land on the BLM, National Forest, and State Trust Land—roughly 380 square miles. Private land makes up about 17 percent. Public ownership does not guarantee straightforward entry, as roads, trailheads, seasonal closures, and private inholdings all still apply.
Can a hunter access the Yellowtail Hunter Management Area without permission?: No. The Yellowtail HMA is private ground enrolled for hunting access, and a printed permission slip is required before hunting there. Enrollment is renegotiated annually, so access cannot be assumed year to year.
Which seasons in hunt area 40 allow hunting any elk, and when do they occur?: Two seasons allow any elk: Type 9 (archery only) runs September 1–30, and Type 1 (any legal weapon) runs October 15–November 4. Type 4 (antlerless elk) runs October 15–November 30. Two additional Type 6 seasons allow cow or calf only: one valid off national forest September 1–November 4, and one valid area-wide November 5–30.

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