Do Wyoming residents need elk preference points to draw a licence for area 61?

No. Wyoming residents do not have elk preference points at all. The resident draw for area 61 is random. Only nonresidents use preference points; in the nonresident draw, three quarters of licences go to applicants ranked by points, and a quarter go to a random draw.

Can a nonresident hunt designated wilderness in area 61 alone?

No. Wyoming law requires a nonresident to be accompanied by a licensed guide or a resident guide in designated wilderness. The Washakie Wilderness in this area is designated, so a nonresident planning to hunt that country must arrange for a guide.

How much of hunt area 61 is public land a hunter can count on?

About 69 percent of the area—roughly 267 square miles—is public ground: National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, and State Trust Land. Private land makes up the remaining 31 percent. Public ownership does not guarantee easy access; roads, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings all still apply.

When do the main bull-hunting seasons run in area 61?

Type 9 archery runs September 1 to 30. Type 1 archery runs September 1 to 30; Type 1 regular rifle runs October 1 to 31. Type 2 archery runs September 1 to 30; Type 2 regular rifle runs October 7 to November 15. The majority of regular-season bull hunting occurs in October.

Wyoming Hunt Area 61 (North Greybull River) elk hunting

Licence

Limited quota — drawn

Open public land

69%

Elevation

5,500–12,600 ft

Terrain

Steep

Hunt area 61 sprawls across foothill and mountainous terrain between 5,500 and 12,600 feet, with typical ground around 8,000 feet. The lower elevations are sagebrush country—93 percent sagebrush with scattered grass, riparian strips and other cover—rolling terrain that hunters can cover on foot. Higher elevations transition into a mosaic of sagebrush, grass meadows and conifer stands, steeper in places but still hikeable; the Washakie Wilderness in the upper country presents rugged, mountainous terrain that requires more effort to penetrate. Across the area, terrain averages 15 degrees of slope, with 42 percent gentle ground, 36 percent moderate slopes and 20 percent steep pitches. Snow and weather shape the seasons dramatically—September brings cool mornings around 39 degrees and mild afternoons near 60 degrees with negligible snow, but by October conditions shift sharply to freezing nights around 28 degrees and afternoons near 47 degrees, with nearly 6 inches of monthly snowfall. November and December grow steadily colder, with snowfall of 6+ inches each month and highs dropping to the low 30s.

About 69 percent of hunt area 61 is public ground—National Forest, Bureau of Land Management and State Trust Land—totaling roughly 267 square miles. The remaining 31 percent is private land. Public ownership alone does not guarantee easy access; roads, trailheads and seasonal closures all apply, and private inholdings fragment the public ground. The Pitchfork Hunter Management Area, enrolled on private land, offers a defined access option where hunters can hunt by obtaining a printed permission slip. The hunt area contains designated Washakie Wilderness; Wyoming law requires a nonresident to be accompanied by a licensed guide or a resident guide in designated wilderness. The overall access rating for this ground is fair—reliable but not straightforward.

This is a limited-quota hunt area drawn for this ground alone, and a region licence does not cover it. Residents enter a random draw regardless of any preference points, which do not exist in Wyoming's resident elk system. Nonresidents compete in a preference-point draw where three quarters of licences go to the highest-point applicants, with a quarter reserved for a random draw. The seasons here are stacked and varied—multiple licence types with different legal animals, archery and rifle windows, and season dates spread across fall and winter. Bull hunting concentrates in September through October on the archery and regular-season Type 1, Type 2 and Type 9 licences, while cow and calf seasons stretch from September through January on the Type 4, Type 6 and Type 7 licences, with different area restrictions and legal animals on each.

Licence and how this hunt area is drawn

Hunt Area 61 (North Greybull River) 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; also valid in that portion of Area 62 within the Washakie Wilderness south of Avalanche Creek
Archery September 1 – September 30
Type 1 · Any elk valid within the Washakie Wilderness; also valid in that portion of Area 62 within the Washakie Wilderness south of Avalanche Creek
Regular October 1 – October 31
Type 2 · Any elk
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 7 – November 15
Type 4 · Antlerless elk
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular October 15 – December 21
Type 6 · Cow or calf
Archery September 1 – September 30Regular November 7 – December 21
Type 7 · Cow or calf valid on or within one-half (1/2) mile of irrigated land or north of and including the Rawhide Creek drainage
Regular September 1 – January 15
Type 9 · Any elk, archery only; also valid in that portion of Area 62 within the Washakie Wilderness south of Avalanche Creek
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)

Archery-only hunters drawing Type 9 enter during the rut onset and primary rut in early September, when bulls are beginning to gather and vocalize actively. September weather favors foot hunters—cool mornings in the upper 30s and mild afternoons near 60 degrees, with virtually no snow—making long stalks across sagebrush foothills and into conifer country feasible. Public access to National Forest and BLM ground is open during this period, as is the Pitchfork HMA with a printed permission slip; private land elsewhere remains limited. This licence allows any elk, giving archery hunters the full range of targets.

Type 1 — Any elk (September)

Rifle and archery hunters on Type 1 licences have two separate windows: archery September 1 to 30 coincides with rut onset and primary rut, and regular rifle October 1 to 31 falls in late rut and early post-rut recovery when bulls are exhausted and moving shorter distances. September conditions are mild and dry, favoring foot hunters working sagebrush and lower forests, but October brings sharp cold and heavy snow—nearly 6 inches for the month, with nights dropping below freezing—concentrating elk into lower country and making higher elevations harder to hunt. The October regular season is restricted to the Washakie Wilderness, where nonresidents must be accompanied by a licensed guide or a resident guide. This licence allows any elk.

Type 1 — Any elk valid within the Washakie… (October)

The October regular-season Type 1 hunt is restricted to the Washakie Wilderness—a mountainous country where terrain steepens and conifer cover increases, requiring technical foot travel and more time to cover ground. Late October conditions are cold and snowy, with temperatures dropping into the 20s and significant snowfall pushing hunters to work methodically through difficult terrain. This wilderness area requires a nonresident to hunt with a licensed guide or a resident guide by Wyoming law. The hunt allows any elk, but the rugged country and high-elevation setting mean success depends heavily on mountain skills and willingness to spend days in steep terrain.

Type 2 — Any elk (September–November)

Type 2 hunters have two separate seasons: archery September 1 to 30 and rifle October 7 to November 15, spanning rut onset through the tail end of migration. The early archery window falls into early rut with cool, dry September weather favoring long stalks through sagebrush; the rifle season extends from late rut through post-rut recovery into early winter migration, when bulls are moving and weather deteriorates steadily—October brings nearly 6 inches of snow, and November adds another 6+ inches as highs fall to the mid-30s. Throughout, hunters can access public National Forest and BLM ground, plus the Pitchfork HMA with permission, though private land dominates much of the area. This licence allows any elk.

Type 4 — Antlerless elk (September–December)

Antlerless hunters on Type 4 draw a long season split into archery (September 1 to 30) and rifle (October 15 to December 21), spanning rut onset into deep winter range. Early September is mild and dry, favoring foot hunting over sagebrush and foothill terrain, but the rifle season extends from late rut through post-rut recovery and well into winter—October and November snow totals of 6+ inches each month, with temperatures dropping steadily from the high 40s to near 30 degrees—concentrate elk into lower country and put snow on the ground that makes travel harder. Hunters can use public land and the Pitchfork HMA throughout. This licence allows antlerless elk only, meaning cows and calves but not bulls.

Type 6 — Cow or calf (September–December)

Cow and calf hunters on Type 6 are restricted to archery September 1 to 30 and rifle November 7 to December 21, catching the primary rut in September and the migration transition into winter range in late fall. September hunting is cool and dry with elk still at higher elevations during the rut, but November and December bring heavy snow—6+ inches per month—and deep cold, pushing elk lower and requiring hunters to adapt to snowy, difficult terrain as the seasons progress. Access to public ground and the Pitchfork HMA is open, though much of the area is private. This licence allows cow or calf only, so bulls are off-limits.

Type 7 — Cow or calf valid on or within… (September–January)

Type 7 hunters have the longest season, running September 1 to January 15 as a rifle hunt valid on or within one-half mile of irrigated land or north of and including the Rawhide Creek drainage—a specific geographical restriction that limits hunting to irrigated valleys and a defined drainage on the northern side of the area. This restriction means hunters cannot hunt everywhere in the hunt area; they must stay within the specified ground. Early season (September) offers cool, dry conditions for foot hunters working lowland terrain, but the season extends deep into winter with monthly snowfall climbing from 6 to 6+ inches in November and December and temperatures dropping to the high 20s by year's end. Heavy snow and cold by late December and January make terrain navigation difficult but may concentrate elk into accessible country. This licence allows cow or calf only.

Land and access

National Forest40%

Generally open to public hunting

private land31%

Private

BLM17%

Generally open to public hunting

State Trust Land13%

Generally open to public hunting

About 69% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, BLM and State Trust Land, roughly 267 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.

This hunt area includes designated wilderness. Wyoming law requires a nonresident to be accompanied by a licensed guide or a resident guide in designated wilderness.

Where elk are mapped

Winter Range43%

used in winter

Crucial Winter Range40%

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

Summer Range21%

used in summer

Parturition Areas14%

spring birthing ground, months before any hunting season

Yearlong Range3%

the only layer that means year-round use

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

Sagebrush93%

Other cover4%

Riparian2%

Grass and meadow2%

Mid elevations

Sagebrush89%

Conifer8%

Riparian1%

Other cover1%

Higher elevations

Sagebrush64%

Grass and meadow13%

Conifer13%

Other cover10%

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	30°F	12°F	4.4 in
February	31°F	12°F	7.8 in
March	40°F	19°F	8.3 in
April	45°F	24°F	10.8 in
May	53°F	33°F	1.1 in
June	62°F	41°F	0 in
July	71°F	48°F	0 in
August	69°F	47°F	0 in
September	60°F	39°F	0.9 in
October	47°F	28°F	5.9 in
November	36°F	19°F	6.4 in
December	29°F	12°F	6 in

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

Common questions

Can a hunter use a region licence to hunt area 61?: No. Hunt area 61 is limited-quota and drawn for this specific ground. A region licence is valid only in the general-licence areas of its region, never in a limited-quota area. A hunter must draw a licence for area 61 itself.
Do Wyoming residents need elk preference points to draw a licence for area 61?: No. Wyoming residents do not have elk preference points at all. The resident draw for area 61 is random. Only nonresidents use preference points; in the nonresident draw, three quarters of licences go to applicants ranked by points, and a quarter go to a random draw.
Can a nonresident hunt designated wilderness in area 61 alone?: No. Wyoming law requires a nonresident to be accompanied by a licensed guide or a resident guide in designated wilderness. The Washakie Wilderness in this area is designated, so a nonresident planning to hunt that country must arrange for a guide.
How much of hunt area 61 is public land a hunter can count on?: About 69 percent of the area—roughly 267 square miles—is public ground: National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, and State Trust Land. Private land makes up the remaining 31 percent. Public ownership does not guarantee easy access; roads, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings all still apply.
When do the main bull-hunting seasons run in area 61?: Type 9 archery runs September 1 to 30. Type 1 archery runs September 1 to 30; Type 1 regular rifle runs October 1 to 31. Type 2 archery runs September 1 to 30; Type 2 regular rifle runs October 7 to November 15. The majority of regular-season bull hunting occurs in October.

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