Can a hunter take elk on a general licence in hunt area 86?

Yes. General-licence elk hunts can be pursued with a general elk licence, valid across all general-licence hunt areas in the region and nowhere else. Wyoming residents buy a general licence over the counter with no draw or preference points involved. Nonresidents cannot buy one; instead a nonresident must draw a Region general licence to hunt general-licence areas in Wyoming.

How much of hunt area 86 is actually open to public hunting?

About 97 percent of the area—roughly 112 square miles—is National Forest land where a hunter can generally count on access. Private land makes up the remaining 3 percent, mostly along the Upper Hoback River drainage and near Highway 189/191. Even so, roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures still apply, and access is not guaranteed.

What does the terrain of hunt area 86 demand of a hunter?

The country is steep and roadless. Mean slope runs 17.6 degrees with half the ground moderate and a quarter steep, and there are almost no roads open to motorized vehicles on the National Forest lands. Horseback and backpack hunts are the practical approach for most hunters.

Does hunt area 86 have elk during the general archery and regular seasons?

Elk are mapped across the hunt area throughout the general seasons. Early in the season elk hold to high basins above 8,500 feet, especially on north-facing slopes. As the rut progresses and hunting pressure increases, herds move into timbered habitats at middle elevations, and heavy snow can push them lower still to more accessible ground.

When does snow become a factor for hunters in hunt area 86?

September weather brings highs near 63 degrees and almost no snow. October cools to highs near 49 degrees and averages 2.3 inches of snowfall. November drops sharply to highs near 35 degrees with about 16.5 inches of snow, which can push elk downslope to more accessible areas.

Wyoming Hunt Area 86 (Monument Ridge) elk hunting

Licence

General licence area

Open public land

97%

Elevation

6,400–10,900 ft

Terrain

Steep

Elk region

Hunt area 86 spans 116 square miles across the high Wyoming Range, rising from 6,400 feet near major valley bottoms to 10,900 feet at alpine ridges. The country is steep enough to slow a hunter's pace—mean slope runs 17.6 degrees, with half the ground moderate and a quarter steep. Lower elevations carry sagebrush and conifer in roughly equal shares, with pockets of aspen. Higher basins are dominated by conifer forest, chiefly spruce and fir, cut by productive south-facing slopes. The terrain climbs steeply from the private agricultural land that lines Highway 189/191 and the Upper Hoback River drainage, pushing any hunter on foot into genuine backcountry fast. There are almost no roads open to motorized use on the National Forest lands that make up most of the area, so horseback and backpack hunts are the practical approach. Elk occur throughout the hunt area, with strong populations holding to the colder north-facing basins above 8,500 feet when undisturbed. Herds shift downslope to lower-elevation timber and more accessible ground when snow accumulates heavily or when hunting pressure pushes them. The ground is open—97 percent of the area is National Forest where a hunter can generally count on access, though roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures still apply. The main entry routes come from Cliff Creek Road, Clark Draw, the Upper Hoback River Road, and Merna North Beaver Road, each opening onto different sections of public land. Private inholdings along the river drainages and lower valleys remain closed to public hunting. This setup makes for a backcountry hunt where success depends on fitness, navigation, and the ability to read the country as elk respond to pressure and weather.

Licence and how this hunt area is drawn

Hunt Area 86 (Monument Ridge) 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 25Regular September 26 – October 31
Type Gen — general licence · Antlerless elk
Regular November 1 – November 20
Type 6 · Cow or calf
Archery September 1 – September 25Regular September 26 – November 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 Gen — Any elk (September–October)

The general any-elk season opens with archery from September 1–25, overlapping the rut onset and primary rut when bulls are vocal and actively seeking cows. Elk at this stage hold high in conifer-dominated basins, especially on cooler north-facing terrain where bulls establish rutting territories. September weather is mild, with highs near 63 degrees and little snow. Archery hunters must move quietly through timber and be prepared to glass distant slopes and listen for bugling. The season continues with the regular hunt from September 26–October 31, spanning the late rut and early post-rut as bulls grow weary and begin moving between elevations. October weather deteriorates steadily, with highs dropping to near 49 degrees and snowfall averaging 2.3 inches. Access onto National Forest remains consistent, though early snow can make higher routes harder to reach. The legal animal is any elk—bull or cow.

Type Gen — Antlerless elk (November)

Hunting antlerless elk runs November 1–20, a stretch that spans the migration transition when elk movements become unpredictable in response to snow and early-winter conditions. November weather is cold and snowy, with highs averaging 35 degrees and about 16.5 inches of snow accumulating through the month. Significant snow can push elk from high country to lower elevations and more accessible timbered habitats where hunter success typically improves. Access to National Forest roads and trailheads may be complicated by snow or seasonal closures. Only antlerless elk—cows and calves—are legal.

Type 6 — Cow or calf (September–November)

The Type 6 cow-or-calf hunt runs September 1–November 30, combining the earliest rut phase with the entire span through post-rut recovery and migration. Archery opens September 1–25 during rut onset and the primary rut, when elk are actively moving and bulls are vocal, though only cows and calves are legal. The regular season from September 26–November 30 stretches from the late rut through post-rut recovery and into the migration transition, tracking elk as they respond to cooling weather and accumulating snow. Weather ranges from mild in September (highs near 63 degrees) to cold and snowy in November (highs near 35 degrees, about 16.5 inches of snow). Access to National Forest is consistent, though snow accumulation in November may restrict higher routes. Only cows and calves—no bulls—are legal quarry.

Land and access

National Forest97%

Generally open to public hunting

private land3%

Private

About 97% of this hunt area is ground a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, roughly 112 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 Range60%

used in summer

Parturition Areas46%

spring birthing ground, months before any hunting season

Winter Range40%

used in winter

Crucial Winter Range34%

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

Lower elevations

Sagebrush46%

Conifer40%

Grass and meadow6%

Riparian5%

Other cover2%

Mid elevations

Conifer50%

Sagebrush31%

Grass and meadow18%

Other cover1%

Higher elevations

Sagebrush48%

Conifer34%

Grass and meadow18%

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	7°F	27.3 in
February	31°F	7°F	21.7 in
March	39°F	15°F	15.7 in
April	46°F	22°F	6.5 in
May	55°F	30°F	0.9 in
June	64°F	36°F	0 in
July	74°F	42°F	0 in
August	73°F	41°F	0 in
September	63°F	34°F	0 in
October	49°F	26°F	2.3 in
November	35°F	15°F	16.5 in
December	26°F	7°F	28.6 in

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

Common questions

Can a hunter take elk on a general licence in hunt area 86?: Yes. General-licence elk hunts can be pursued with a general elk licence, valid across all general-licence hunt areas in the region and nowhere else. Wyoming residents buy a general licence over the counter with no draw or preference points involved. Nonresidents cannot buy one; instead a nonresident must draw a Region general licence to hunt general-licence areas in Wyoming.
How much of hunt area 86 is actually open to public hunting?: About 97 percent of the area—roughly 112 square miles—is National Forest land where a hunter can generally count on access. Private land makes up the remaining 3 percent, mostly along the Upper Hoback River drainage and near Highway 189/191. Even so, roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures still apply, and access is not guaranteed.
What does the terrain of hunt area 86 demand of a hunter?: The country is steep and roadless. Mean slope runs 17.6 degrees with half the ground moderate and a quarter steep, and there are almost no roads open to motorized vehicles on the National Forest lands. Horseback and backpack hunts are the practical approach for most hunters.
Does hunt area 86 have elk during the general archery and regular seasons?: Elk are mapped across the hunt area throughout the general seasons. Early in the season elk hold to high basins above 8,500 feet, especially on north-facing slopes. As the rut progresses and hunting pressure increases, herds move into timbered habitats at middle elevations, and heavy snow can push them lower still to more accessible ground.
When does snow become a factor for hunters in hunt area 86?: September weather brings highs near 63 degrees and almost no snow. October cools to highs near 49 degrees and averages 2.3 inches of snowfall. November drops sharply to highs near 35 degrees with about 16.5 inches of snow, which can push elk downslope to more accessible areas.

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