Can a Wyoming resident hunt area 84 on a general elk licence without drawing?

Yes. A resident buys a general elk licence over the counter from mid-July with no draw and no preference points involved in the process. The licence is valid statewide, including hunt area 84.

What licence does a nonresident need for area 84?

A nonresident must draw a Region W general licence. The licence is valid across all general-licence hunt areas in the region. Nonresident applicants who hold preference points for elk compete in a separate draw pool where three quarters of the licences go to the highest point holders; the remaining quarter are awarded to a random draw that all applicants enter.

How much of hunt area 84 can a hunter actually get onto?

About 92% of the area is public land on National Forest, State Wildlife Areas, State Trust Land, and BLM. However, access depends on trailheads, seasonal closures, and road conditions — public ownership does not guarantee easy entry. Roads are sparse, and much of the ground is accessed on foot or horseback rather than by vehicle.

Which seasons on hunt area 84 allow hunting bulls, and when do they run?

Two general-licence seasons hunt any elk: archery from September 1 to 25 and rifle from September 26 to October 31, spikes excluded. A Type 1 licence hunts any elk on private land west of Highway 191 and north and east of the Snake River from November 1 to January 31. Both bull seasons fall during or after the rut when elk are moving and pressure is active on the ground.

Wyoming Hunt Area 84 (Lower Hoback) elk hunting

Licence

General licence area

Open public land

92%

Elevation

5,800–11,400 ft

Terrain

Rugged

Elk region

Hunt area 84 is characterized by steep and rugged mountains dominated by aspen and coniferous forest. Much of the ground is foothill and backcountry country — roads are sparse, and hunters typically access the area on foot or horseback. North-facing slopes tend toward dense spruce-fir forest, while south and southwest exposures support aspen stands, mountain shrubs, and diverse herbaceous vegetation. The terrain grades as 21% gentle, 43% moderate, 34% steep, and 3% rugged, with a typical elevation around 7,700 feet and a range from 5,800 to 11,400 feet. Summer range covers 72% of the area, and winter range 28%; seasonal shifts are pronounced but do not define the whole hunt.

About 92% of the area is publicly managed ground on the National Forest, State Wildlife Areas, State Trust Land, and BLM — roughly 364 square miles. Private land comprises 8%. Access to public ground depends on specific entry points, trailheads, and seasonal road conditions; roads and closures still control how much ground a hunter can actually reach. The Granite Creek and Cliff Creek drainages provide foot and horseback access, and Highway 189-191 borders the area. Hunt area 84 contains designated wilderness in the headwaters of Granite Creek, Little Granite Creek, and Horse Creek; nonresidents must be accompanied by a licensed guide or a resident guide to hunt those sections. Hunters planning a trip should map the terrain and access routes beforehand, as the lack of motorized trails means success depends on willingness to cover ground on foot or by stock.

The area supports longer rifle seasons that extend into the post-rut period, bringing increased hunting pressure on antlered elk. Bulls respond by moving into heavily timbered country, particularly on north-facing slopes where dense cover offers refuge. Hunters willing to venture into remote backcountry away from trails have better prospects, while those relying on easier access face concentrated pressure later in the season. Success depends as much on fitness and backcountry skill as on timing.

Licence and how this hunt area is drawn

Hunt Area 84 (Lower Hoback) 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 25
Type Gen — general licence · Any elk, spikes excluded
Regular September 26 – October 31
Type Gen — general licence · Antlerless elk
Regular November 1 – November 15
Type 1 · Any elk valid on private land west of U.S. Highway 191 and north and east of the Snake River starting at the South Park Bridge
Regular November 1 – January 31
Type 6 · Cow or calf; except that portion of Area 84 east and south of Shoal Creek to the Hoback River shall be closed after Nov. 20
Archery September 1 – September 25Regular September 26 – November 30
Type 6 · Cow or calf valid south of the Hoback River
Regular December 1 – December 31
Type 7 · Cow or calf valid on private land in Area 84; also valid in that portion of Area 85 on or within 200 yards of irrigated land north of Fall Creek
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)

Archery hunting for any elk on a general licence runs from September 1 to 25, falling during rut onset and the primary rut when bulls are responsive to calls and competing for cows. September weather brings highs around 62 degrees and lows around 34 degrees with little snow, making the mountains accessible on foot. Access to public ground depends on trailheads and entry points established beforehand; a hunter should scout routes and locate water sources prior to the season. This hunt allows any bull or cow, giving hunters flexibility in pursuit.

Type Gen — Antlerless elk (November)

The November general-licence hunt runs from November 1 to 15 and targets antlerless elk during the migration transition phase when animals are shifting between summer and winter ranges. Temperatures drop sharply through the month, with November bringing lows around 15 degrees and an average of 20 inches of snowfall. Early snow can push animals down and consolidate them, but deepening cover also makes location harder. Public-land access remains constrained by trailheads and seasonal conditions; roads and high-country closures may limit entry by late month.

Type 1 — Any elk valid on private land west… (November–January)

The Type 1 hunt is valid only on private land west of Highway 191 and north and east of the Snake River starting at the South Park Bridge, with a rifle season from November 1 to January 31. This hunt opens during the primary rut in early November and extends well into winter range. As December arrives, weather deteriorates to highs around 25 degrees and lows around 6 degrees with 33 inches of snowfall typical for the month; January is even colder with 32 inches of snow. Access is restricted to private land within the specified boundary, so hunters must arrange permission beforehand. The hunt allows any bull or cow.

Type 6 — Cow or calf (September–November)

The Type 6 archery and rifle hunt for cow or calf runs from September 1 to November 30, with archery from September 1 to 25 and rifle from September 26 to November 30; one portion of the area east and south of Shoal Creek to the Hoback River closes after November 20. Archery hunting coincides with rut onset and the primary rut, when cow elk are generally more accessible despite bulls competing for attention. The rifle portion spans the late rut, post-rut recovery, and migration transition as elk move off summer ground. September and early October offer moderate temperatures and sparse snow, but November deteriorates to lows around 15 degrees and heavy snow around 20 inches. A specific area closure after November 20 means hunters must be aware of the Shoal Creek and Hoback River boundary before that date.

Type 6 — Cow or calf valid south of the… (December)

The Type 6 hunt valid south of the Hoback River runs from December 1 to 31 and targets cow or calf during the winter range phase. This late-season hunt coincides with the coldest months — December brings lows around 6 degrees with 33 inches of snowfall. Snow depth and extreme cold make high-country hunting difficult; elk concentrate at lower elevations where access depends on road conditions and thawed-out entry points. The hunt is restricted to the area south of the Hoback River, so hunters must know the boundary. This season allows cow or calf only.

Type 7 — Cow or calf valid on private land… (August–January)

The Type 7 hunt is valid on private land in hunt area 84 and also on irrigated private land within 200 yards of Fall Creek in the adjacent area 85, with a rifle season from August 15 to January 31. This extended hunt spans the entire rut cycle and into deep winter, beginning in late summer when bulls are still in velvet and extending through migration transition and the full winter range phase. Early-season hunting in August brings warm highs around 72 degrees with no snow, making access straightforward. By late season, December and January temperatures plummet to lows around 6 degrees with 31 to 33 inches of monthly snowfall, concentrating elk on private ground where access is permissive. This hunt is restricted to enrolled private land, so hunters must identify and obtain access to eligible properties beforehand.

Type Gen — Any elk, spikes excluded (September–October)

The September-to-October general-licence hunt for any elk, spikes excluded, runs from September 26 to October 31 with a rifle. This hunt straddles the late primary rut and the post-rut recovery phase, when bulls are still active but beginning to retreat from hard use and competition. Early October brings moderate highs around 48 degrees and lows around 25 degrees with minimal snow, but by late month conditions cool to around 3.7 inches of snowfall and increasing wind. Access across public land remains dependent on trailheads and road conditions. The spike exclusion limits the hunt to antlered bulls with branched points on at least one antler, ruling out young bulls but allowing cows.

Land and access

National Forest91%

Generally open to public hunting

private land8%

Private

About 92% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, State Wildlife Areas, State Trust Land and BLM, roughly 364 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.

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 Range72%

used in summer

Winter Range28%

used in winter

Parturition Areas27%

spring birthing ground, months before any hunting season

Crucial Winter Range18%

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

Yearlong Range6%

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

Across the unit

Conifer45%

Sagebrush39%

Grass and meadow10%

Riparian3%

Other cover3%

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	6°F	31.6 in
February	30°F	7°F	27 in
March	39°F	15°F	19.4 in
April	46°F	22°F	8.5 in
May	55°F	30°F	0.6 in
June	63°F	37°F	0 in
July	73°F	42°F	0 in
August	72°F	41°F	0 in
September	62°F	34°F	0 in
October	48°F	25°F	3.7 in
November	35°F	15°F	20.4 in
December	25°F	6°F	33.1 in

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

Common questions

Can a Wyoming resident hunt area 84 on a general elk licence without drawing?: Yes. A resident buys a general elk licence over the counter from mid-July with no draw and no preference points involved in the process. The licence is valid statewide, including hunt area 84.
What licence does a nonresident need for area 84?: A nonresident must draw a Region W general licence. The licence is valid across all general-licence hunt areas in the region. Nonresident applicants who hold preference points for elk compete in a separate draw pool where three quarters of the licences go to the highest point holders; the remaining quarter are awarded to a random draw that all applicants enter.
Does hunt area 84 contain wilderness where nonresidents need a guide?: Yes. The area contains designated wilderness in the headwaters of Granite Creek, Little Granite Creek, and Horse Creek. A nonresident hunting those sections must be accompanied by a licensed guide or a resident guide. Nonresidents planning to hunt this area should confirm whether their intended hunting ground falls inside or outside those wilderness boundaries.
How much of hunt area 84 can a hunter actually get onto?: About 92% of the area is public land on National Forest, State Wildlife Areas, State Trust Land, and BLM. However, access depends on trailheads, seasonal closures, and road conditions — public ownership does not guarantee easy entry. Roads are sparse, and much of the ground is accessed on foot or horseback rather than by vehicle.
Which seasons on hunt area 84 allow hunting bulls, and when do they run?: Two general-licence seasons hunt any elk: archery from September 1 to 25 and rifle from September 26 to October 31, spikes excluded. A Type 1 licence hunts any elk on private land west of Highway 191 and north and east of the Snake River from November 1 to January 31. Both bull seasons fall during or after the rut when elk are moving and pressure is active on the ground.

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