Can a hunter take any elk in hunt area 83 with a general licence?

A Wyoming resident can hunt hunt area 83 on a general elk licence purchased over the counter with no draw required. A nonresident must draw a Region W general licence, which is valid in the general-licence hunt areas of that region and gives access to hunt area 83 as a general-licence area where any elk may be harvested during the designated seasons.

What do nonresident preference points look like for hunt area 83?

Three quarters of Region W's general-licence permits are awarded to nonresidents with the highest preference points, drawn top-down. The remaining quarter go to a random draw open to all nonresidents in the pool regardless of points. Nonresidents should expect significant point requirements for consistent access to the three-quarters pool.

Can a hunter access hunt area 83 by vehicle throughout the area?

No. Most hunting in hunt area 83 requires horseback or foot access because few motorized roads are open within the hunt area boundary. The Gros Ventre Road and Union Pass Road provide entry points, but hunters should consult the Bridger-Teton National Forest summer travel map to verify which roads are seasonally open before their hunt.

When do elk become easier to find in hunt area 83?

Elk are scattered at higher elevations early in the seasons but descend as snow accumulates in late October, becoming more accessible at middle and lower elevations. Migration through the area from the north and east increases as snow deepens, concentrating animals where hunters can find them more readily.

What wildlife hazards should a hunter expect in hunt area 83?

Grizzly bear densities are high in this hunt area and hunters should prepare to encounter bears on a regular basis. Mountain lions, wolves, and black bears also inhabit the area, so hunters should carry bear spray and use appropriate precautions for a high-bear-density landscape.

Wyoming Hunt Area 83 (Fish Creek) elk hunting

Licence

General licence area

Open public land

100%

Elevation

7,400–10,500 ft

Terrain

Steep

Elk region

Hunt area 83 spans roughly 161 square miles of terrain ranging from sagebrush-covered foothills and open valleys to high conifer forest, with elevations between 7,400 and 10,500 feet. The country is predominantly rolling to steep timbered hillsides cut through by large drainages that open into meadows and broad valleys. At lower elevations, sagebrush and aspen intersperse with lodgepole pine; at higher elevations, spruce and fir take over with whitebark pine near ridges. Slopes average around 13 degrees—a mix of gentle, moderate, and steep ground that generally offers good foot country despite the elevation.

Access to hunt area 83 is almost entirely through the Bridger-Teton National Forest via the Union Pass Road or Gros Ventre Road. Few motorized roads open within the area itself, so hunters rely on horseback or foot to reach elk. The Forest Service publishes seasonal travel maps showing which roads are passable; checking these before a hunt is essential because spring closures and snow can limit approaches. The lack of motorized access means most of the area requires time and effort to reach, but also keeps pressure manageable and lets hunters find elk in relatively undisturbed country.

Elk distribution shifts notably through the seasons. In September and early October, elk scatter across the higher elevations where they are cooler and less accessible. As October progresses and snow accumulates, they move downslope and become more huntable. Late-season snow often funnels migrating elk from the north and east through the hunt area, concentrating animals at middle and lower elevations. Grizzly bear densities are significant here; hunters should plan to encounter bears regularly and carry appropriate precautions.

Licence and how this hunt area is drawn

Hunt Area 83 (Fish Creek) 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 30
Type Gen — general licence · Antlered elk, spikes excluded
Regular October 1 – October 25

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)

Archery hunting in September works high country where elk are scattered across the upper elevations and less concentrated. The rut is in early stages through the month—elk are becoming active but not yet in the thick of the peak, which means bugling is starting and bulls are responsive. Temperatures are mild, with highs around 60 degrees and minimal snow, so foot work is straightforward but sparse cover makes stalking challenging and animals remain spread out. Access via horseback or foot into the high country is generally reliable. Hunters may take any elk during this season.

Type Gen — Antlered elk, spikes excluded (October)

The October regular season opens as the rut transitions from its primary phase into post-rut recovery, and snow accumulation begins to reshape where elk are found. Early October often still sees elk scattered in the higher elevations, but as the month progresses and snowfall increases to around 6 inches monthly, bulls and cows shift downslope to more accessible middle and lower elevations where they concentrate and become huntable. Temperatures cool significantly, dropping from the mid-40s to the low-40s, and snow improves travel into productive country. Access by horseback and foot remains the standard, though snow can open or close certain approaches. Hunters may take antlered elk only, and spikes are not legal.

Land and access

National Forest100%

Generally open to public hunting

About 100% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, roughly 161 square miles. Public ownership is not the same as easy entry: roads, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings all still apply.

Where elk are mapped

Summer Range68%

used in summer

Winter Range32%

used in winter

Crucial Winter Range31%

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

Parturition Areas12%

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

Sagebrush48%

Conifer44%

Riparian5%

Grass and meadow2%

Aspen1%

Mid elevations

Conifer62%

Sagebrush29%

Grass and meadow4%

Riparian4%

Aspen2%

Higher elevations

Conifer66%

Sagebrush27%

Grass and meadow5%

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	5°F	19 in
February	30°F	5°F	18.6 in
March	38°F	12°F	16.7 in
April	44°F	19°F	11.9 in
May	53°F	28°F	2.5 in
June	62°F	34°F	0.1 in
July	71°F	40°F	0 in
August	70°F	39°F	0 in
September	60°F	32°F	0.4 in
October	46°F	23°F	5.9 in
November	34°F	12°F	16.8 in
December	25°F	5°F	21.1 in

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

Common questions

Can a hunter take any elk in hunt area 83 with a general licence?: A Wyoming resident can hunt hunt area 83 on a general elk licence purchased over the counter with no draw required. A nonresident must draw a Region W general licence, which is valid in the general-licence hunt areas of that region and gives access to hunt area 83 as a general-licence area where any elk may be harvested during the designated seasons.
What do nonresident preference points look like for hunt area 83?: Three quarters of Region W's general-licence permits are awarded to nonresidents with the highest preference points, drawn top-down. The remaining quarter go to a random draw open to all nonresidents in the pool regardless of points. Nonresidents should expect significant point requirements for consistent access to the three-quarters pool.
Can a hunter access hunt area 83 by vehicle throughout the area?: No. Most hunting in hunt area 83 requires horseback or foot access because few motorized roads are open within the hunt area boundary. The Gros Ventre Road and Union Pass Road provide entry points, but hunters should consult the Bridger-Teton National Forest summer travel map to verify which roads are seasonally open before their hunt.
When do elk become easier to find in hunt area 83?: Elk are scattered at higher elevations early in the seasons but descend as snow accumulates in late October, becoming more accessible at middle and lower elevations. Migration through the area from the north and east increases as snow deepens, concentrating animals where hunters can find them more readily.
What wildlife hazards should a hunter expect in hunt area 83?: Grizzly bear densities are high in this hunt area and hunters should prepare to encounter bears on a regular basis. Mountain lions, wolves, and black bears also inhabit the area, so hunters should carry bear spray and use appropriate precautions for a high-bear-density landscape.

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