Wyoming Hunt Area 79 (Teton Park) elk hunting
Hunt area 79 occupies foothill-mountain terrain across 65 square miles between 6,700 and 7,900 feet, with typical ground near 7,000 feet. Lodgepole pine dominates the lower slopes, giving way to spruce and fir at higher elevations, while south-facing aspects support aspen and sagebrush. The area is cut by numerous small drainages and slopes average 7.5 degrees—almost entirely gentle terrain. Conifer forest covers about 55% of the area, sagebrush roughly 29%, and riparian ground 10%, with the remainder in other cover. This is foot country, and hunting requires either hiking or riding horseback; motorized access is not available.
Nearly all the land here is publicly owned, but 99% is administered by the National Park Service and closed to hunting. Only about 1% of the area—roughly the National Forest ground—is open to hunters on foot or horseback. Roads and trailheads exist, but the practical hunting ground is severely limited. Access routes into the open portion run via Highway 89, Pacific Creek Road, and Elk Ranch Road, though a hunter should verify current conditions and entry points before heading out.
The hunt area receives significant fall elk movement as animals migrate through, and numbers vary considerably year to year depending on snowfall timing. Grizzly bear densities are high throughout the area; a hunter should assume regular bear encounters and plan accordingly.
2026 season
This hunt area is CLOSED to elk hunting for 2026 by the Wyoming Game & Fish Department. There is no season and no licence to draw for it. Closures are reviewed annually, so check the Chapter 7 elk regulation before planning around this area either way.
Hunting each season
Type — Closed (1)
Hunt area 79 is currently closed to elk hunting. Hunters interested in this area should monitor the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's published season schedules for any future openings and check the specific rules and limitations that apply if the area reopens.
Land and access
About <1% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, roughly 0 square miles. Public ownership is not the same as easy entry: roads, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings all still apply.
the Wyoming Game & Fish Department publishes 95% 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 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
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
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 | 28°F | 6°F | 28.9 in |
| February | 33°F | 7°F | 19.3 in |
| March | 42°F | 15°F | 15.1 in |
| April | 49°F | 23°F | 4.6 in |
| May | 59°F | 31°F | 0.5 in |
| June | 69°F | 37°F | 0 in |
| July | 79°F | 42°F | 0 in |
| August | 78°F | 41°F | 0 in |
| September | 68°F | 34°F | 0 in |
| October | 53°F | 26°F | 1.3 in |
| November | 37°F | 15°F | 17 in |
| December | 27°F | 6°F | 28.1 in |
Snowfall is the monthly total, not depth lying on the ground.
Common questions
- Can a hunter in Wyoming 79 simply buy a general licence for this area?
- No. Hunt area 79 is limited-quota and must be drawn separately; a region or general licence does not cover it. Only hunters drawn specifically for this area in the random resident draw or the nonresident preference-point draw can legally hunt it.
- How much of this hunt area can a hunter actually access?
- Roughly 1% of the area is open to hunting on foot or horseback—mostly National Forest ground within the hunt area boundary. The remaining 99% is National Park Service land where hunting is prohibited. Access routes include Highway 89, Pacific Creek Road, and Elk Ranch Road, but a hunter should confirm entry points and conditions before arriving.
- Can a nonresident build preference points for an elk licence in Wyoming?
- Yes. Nonresidents must draw for hunt area 79, and preference points matter: three quarters of nonresident licences go to the point draw, awarded to the highest-point applicants first, while a quarter go to a random draw open to all nonresidents in the pool.
- When does hunting occur in this hunt area?
- As of the most recent published season schedule, hunt area 79 is closed. Hunters should check current WGFD seasons before applying or planning a hunt.
- What should a hunter know about bears in this area?
- Grizzly bear densities are high in hunt area 79, and encounters are a regular possibility. Hunters should come prepared with bear spray, know how to use it, and understand bear safety protocols before entering the area.
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.