Can a hunter use a general elk licence on hunt area 73?

Yes, a resident buys a general elk licence over the counter with no draw or points involved. A nonresident cannot obtain a general licence directly but must draw a Region W general licence, which is valid across the general-licence hunt areas of that region, including hunt area 73.

Does a nonresident need preference points to draw a Region general licence?

Nonresidents are entered into a pool where three quarters of the Region general licences are awarded by preference points, top-down, and the remaining quarter go to a random draw. Points do help, since the preference-point draw is competitive; however, a nonresident with few or no points still enters the random draw and has a chance.

Is hunt area 73 accessible without a guide?

A resident or a nonresident with a resident guide can access the open portions of the hunt area without hiring an outfitter. However, the designated wilderness areas—Jedediah Smith and Winegar Hole—legally require a nonresident to be accompanied by a licensed guide or a resident guide; a nonresident cannot legally hunt those areas alone.

What percentage of hunt area 73 is public land that a hunter can generally count on?

About 96% of the hunt area, roughly 368 square miles, is National Forest or BLM land. Access does depend on roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures, so not all public ground is equally reachable, but this is the dependable acreage available to hunters.

When do the elk seasons run on hunt area 73?

The Type Gen any-elk hunt runs archery September 1–19 and regular September 20–October 25. The Type 6 cow-or-calf hunt runs archery September 1–19. A separate Type 6 cow-or-calf hunt valid on private land runs August 15–January 31.

Wyoming Hunt Area 73 (Targhee-Alta) elk hunting

Licence

General licence area

Open public land

96%

Elevation

6,000–11,100 ft

Terrain

Steep

Elk region

Hunt area 73 spans terrain ranging from 6,000 feet to over 11,000 feet, with typical elevation around 7,600 feet and a mean slope of 16 degrees across ground that is 39% gentle, 38% moderate, 21% steep, and 3% rugged. The country is diverse: lower elevations support mixed conifer forest, sagebrush, riparian draws, and aspen; mid elevations are predominantly conifer with scattered sagebrush and aspen; higher elevations open into alpine sagebrush meadows and grass dotted with whitebark pine and subalpine fir. The area is cut by numerous drainages flowing from high cirque basins that border Grand Teton National Park. Dense forest cover at most elevations makes elk difficult to locate, though they scatter across the full range from low ground to alpine meadows. The northern hunt area sees more motorized traffic and carries high grizzly bear densities; the southern portion is largely reached on foot or horseback.

About 96% of hunt area 73 is National Forest or BLM land—roughly 368 square miles—with no private ground, but public ownership does not guarantee easy entry. Roads and trailheads reach into major drainage systems on the west side of the Teton Range, and foot and horse trails provide deeper access; however, seasonal closures, inholdings, and terrain still govern where a hunter can actually go. The upper elevations contain Jedediah Smith Wilderness and Winegar Hole Wilderness, both of which require a nonresident to hunt with a licensed guide or a resident guide. The Coco Belle Wildlife Habitat Management Area south of Alta, Wyoming offers additional hunting opportunity on private ground enrolled in a management agreement, though elk occupancy there varies by year.

Licence and how this hunt area is drawn

Hunt Area 73 (Targhee-Alta) 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 elk 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, elk region W, which is valid across the general-licence hunt areas of that region and nowhere else.

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 Gen — general licence · Any elk
Archery September 1 – September 19Regular September 20 – October 25
Type 6 · Cow or calf
Archery September 1 – September 19
Type 6 · Cow or calf valid on private land
Regular August 15 – January 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 Gen — Any elk (September–October)

The Type Gen any-elk hunt runs across two windows: archery from September 1–19, when bulls are transitioning into the rut and moving through mid-elevation drainages and meadows, followed by regular hunting September 20–October 25, as the primary rut peaks in mid-September and then fades into the post-rut period. September weather is mild, with highs near 63 degrees and no snow, but October cools rapidly, bringing highs from the 40s into the 30s and averaging 2.8 inches of snowfall per month. The northern hunt area has motorized road access to trailheads; the southern portion requires foot or horseback travel into the drainage systems that lead upslope. This hunt allows any elk—bull or cow—on public land.

Type 6 — Cow or calf (September)

The Type 6 cow-or-calf archery hunt runs September 1–19, spanning the rut onset and the opening weeks of the primary rut when bulls are active and cows are moving through lower and mid-elevation timber and drainages. September conditions are cool and mild, with highs around 63 degrees and no snow, making foot travel and glassing manageable across the forest. Motorized access is available in the northern hunt area; the southern portion requires foot or horseback approach to reach productive elk country. This hunt is limited to cow or calf, not bulls.

Type 6 — Cow or calf valid on private land (August–January)

The Type 6 cow-or-calf hunt valid on private land runs August 15–January 31, a long season that spans from late summer through deep winter. Early in the season—mid-August through September—elk are on high alpine meadows and in remote cirque basins; weather is warm in August (highs ~73 degrees) and gradually cools through September. As fall progresses and snow accumulates in October, elk begin shifting toward lower ground. By late fall and winter, snow deepens significantly—averaging 34.6 inches in January—and elk migrate off high country toward the state of Idaho and lower elevations. The Coco Belle Wildlife Habitat Management Area south of Alta offers opportunity on private ground where elk use varies seasonally. This hunt is limited to cow or calf.

Land and access

National Forest96%

Generally open to public hunting

unclassified ownership4%

Ownership unclassified

About 96% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — National Forest and BLM, roughly 368 square miles. Public ownership is not the same as easy entry: roads, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings all still apply.

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

Summer Range95%

used in summer

Winter Range2%

used in winter

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

Lower elevations

Conifer77%

Sagebrush7%

Riparian7%

Other cover6%

Aspen4%

Mid elevations

Conifer83%

Sagebrush13%

Aspen2%

Other cover1%

Higher elevations

Sagebrush45%

Conifer28%

Grass and meadow25%

Other cover2%

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	27°F	9°F	34.6 in
February	31°F	11°F	22.7 in
March	39°F	17°F	18.6 in
April	46°F	24°F	10 in
May	55°F	32°F	1 in
June	64°F	39°F	0 in
July	74°F	46°F	0 in
August	73°F	44°F	0 in
September	63°F	37°F	0 in
October	48°F	28°F	2.8 in
November	35°F	17°F	20.2 in
December	26°F	9°F	34.2 in

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

Common questions

Can a hunter use a general elk licence on hunt area 73?: Yes, a resident buys a general elk licence over the counter with no draw or points involved. A nonresident cannot obtain a general licence directly but must draw a Region W general licence, which is valid across the general-licence hunt areas of that region, including hunt area 73.
Does a nonresident need preference points to draw a Region general licence?: Nonresidents are entered into a pool where three quarters of the Region general licences are awarded by preference points, top-down, and the remaining quarter go to a random draw. Points do help, since the preference-point draw is competitive; however, a nonresident with few or no points still enters the random draw and has a chance.
Is hunt area 73 accessible without a guide?: A resident or a nonresident with a resident guide can access the open portions of the hunt area without hiring an outfitter. However, the designated wilderness areas—Jedediah Smith and Winegar Hole—legally require a nonresident to be accompanied by a licensed guide or a resident guide; a nonresident cannot legally hunt those areas alone.
What percentage of hunt area 73 is public land that a hunter can generally count on?: About 96% of the hunt area, roughly 368 square miles, is National Forest or BLM land. Access does depend on roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures, so not all public ground is equally reachable, but this is the dependable acreage available to hunters.
When do the elk seasons run on hunt area 73?: The Type Gen any-elk hunt runs archery September 1–19 and regular September 20–October 25. The Type 6 cow-or-calf hunt runs archery September 1–19. A separate Type 6 cow-or-calf hunt valid on private land runs August 15–January 31.

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