Wyoming Unit 105 Mule Deer Hunting Guide

Wyoming Unit 105 sits in a large, elevation-diverse block covering 228,963 acres, with terrain ranging from 4,011 feet at its lowest points up to 11,428 feet in the high country. For hunters researching Wyoming Unit 105 mule deer hunting, this unit offers a genuine mix of accessible foothill country and rugged high-elevation terrain, backed by public land access that makes it a realistic option for do-it-yourself hunters.

With 84% of the unit in public ownership and 10% designated wilderness, Unit 105 gives hunters plenty of room to roam without needing to negotiate private land access for the bulk of their hunt. That combination of public access and vertical relief — nearly 7,400 feet of elevation change from valley floor to alpine ridge — is what draws both resident and nonresident applicants to this unit year after year. The question most hunters actually want answered, though, is whether the deer numbers and trophy potential justify the investment of points and planning. Here's what the data shows.

Harvest Success Rates

Recent harvest figures for Unit 105 show a unit that produces respectable, if not eye-popping, success rates for its mule deer hunters. In 2025, 544 hunters harvested 175 animals for a 32% success rate. That followed a stronger 2024, when 591 hunters posted 209 harvests for a 35% success rate — the best mark in the four-year window provided. Going back further, 2023 saw 338 hunters harvest 108 deer (32% success), and 2022 recorded 430 hunters with 125 harvests (29% success).

The trend across these four years is a hunter base that has fluctuated in size — from a low of 338 hunters in 2023 up to 591 in 2024 — while success rates have held in a fairly tight band between 29% and 35%. That consistency is a meaningful signal: Unit 105 isn't a boom-or-bust unit where success swings wildly year to year. Hunters heading in with realistic expectations of roughly one-in-three odds of tagging out are working with data that has held up across multiple seasons.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The wildlife survey data available for Unit 105 covers four survey years between 2021 and 2024, drawn from eight total surveys, and shows an average buck-to-doe ratio of 28:100. That ratio sits on the lower end for mule deer herds and is worth taking seriously — it suggests a buck segment that is proportionally thin relative to the doe population, which can be a byproduct of hunting pressure, winter mortality, or a combination of both over the survey window.

Unlike some units where a single anomalous survey year skews the picture, this 28:100 figure is described as an average across multiple survey years, which makes it a more reliable indicator of the herd's general condition than a one-off count would be. Hunters should read this as a signal that buck numbers, while present, are not abundant relative to the doe population — reinforcing that this is a unit where patience and realistic expectations matter more than assuming buck-behind-every-bush conditions.

Trophy Quality

Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 105 point to a moderate history of trophy production. This isn't a unit with a deep, decades-long pedigree of chasing record-book bucks, but it isn't a blank slate either — moderate trophy potential means hunters have a realistic, if not exceptional, chance at encountering a mature buck worth pursuing, without the unit carrying a reputation as a go-to trophy destination.

It's worth noting that trophy records are logged at the county level, not unit-by-unit, so any trophy-class bucks attributed to the counties overlapping Unit 105 are shared credit with neighboring units in those same counties. The animals behind those records may have come from anywhere within the shared county boundaries, not necessarily from within Unit 105's specific footprint. Given the buck:doe ratio data discussed above, hunters chasing genuine trophy quality here should treat this as a unit where a mature buck is achievable with effort and time in the field, not a unit where trophy bucks are the norm.

Access & Terrain

Unit 105's terrain profile is defined by its dramatic elevation range — from 4,011 feet to 11,428 feet — meaning hunters can encounter everything from lower-elevation sagebrush and foothill country to true alpine basins within the same unit boundary. That range gives mule deer plenty of seasonal habitat options, and it gives hunters the flexibility to hunt lower-elevation terrain early and push higher as conditions dictate.

With 84% public land, the vast majority of Unit 105 is open to hunters without needing special access arrangements or landowner permission, which is a significant advantage for DIY hunters planning their own trip. The 10% wilderness designation within the unit is also a factor nonresident hunters need to understand: Wyoming state law requires nonresidents to hire a licensed Wyoming outfitter or guide to hunt in any designated wilderness area. At 10% wilderness, the large majority of Unit 105's public land is not wilderness-restricted, meaning nonresident DIY hunters still have substantial unguided terrain to work with — but any plans to push into that wilderness fraction will require a licensed guide for nonresidents. Wyoming residents are not subject to this requirement and can hunt the wilderness portion without a guide.

Given the elevation spread, hunters should plan for genuinely different hunting conditions depending on where in the unit they focus — lower terrain is more accessible and less physically demanding, while the higher alpine country near 11,000+ feet will require more conditioning and more remote-country logistics.

HuntPilot Analysis

Is Unit 105 worth applying for? Based on the data available through HuntPilot, this is a solid, not spectacular, mule deer unit — and that's a meaningful distinction for hunters trying to decide where to spend points or apply as a first-choice.

The case for the unit: high public land access at 84%, a huge elevation range that supports diverse habitat and hunting strategies, and success rates that have held consistently between 29% and 35% over four straight years. That kind of consistency is valuable — hunters can plan a trip here with reasonable confidence about what kind of odds they're working with, rather than gambling on a unit with wildly inconsistent harvest data.

The case for tempered expectations: the 28:100 buck:doe ratio suggests the herd's buck segment isn't deep, and the moderate trophy history means Unit 105 isn't positioned as a marquee trophy unit within the state. Tag quota trends add a wrinkle worth watching — Type 1 tags jumped from 25 in 2025 to 50 in 2026, a 100% increase, while Type 8 tags have held steady at 75 for 2026 after climbing from 50 in 2024. That Type 1 increase could mean more opportunity flowing into the draw pool for that hunt type, which is worth monitoring for hunters weighing their application strategy, though HuntPilot's unit page should be checked for current draw odds tied to these quota levels.

Overall, Unit 105 fits best for hunters who want a dependable, public-land-heavy mule deer hunt with real physical variety in terrain, and who are not specifically chasing a top-tier trophy unit. It's a legitimate option worth applying for on those terms — just not one to bank on for a wall-hanger buck above all else.

How to Apply

This is the most current full application calendar provided for Unit 105 and should be the primary reference point for hunters planning ahead.

For the 2026 season, Wyoming has published more granular fee detail by tag type and residency:

Application dates and fees change every draw cycle. For the current deadlines, fees, and draw odds, see HuntPilot's Wyoming page at /states/wy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Wyoming Unit 105? Unit 105 spans an unusually wide elevation range, from 4,011 feet up to 11,428 feet, giving hunters access to everything from lower foothill and sagebrush terrain to high alpine basins within the same unit. With 84% public land, most of that terrain is accessible without needing private landowner permission, and a 10% wilderness component adds a remote, backcountry option for hunters equipped (or guided, in the case of nonresidents) to reach it.

What is harvest success like in Unit 105? Success rates have ranged from 29% to 35% over the past four years (2022-2025), with the most recent 2025 season posting a 32% success rate on 544 hunters. That's a fairly consistent track record, meaning hunters can plan around roughly one-in-three odds of harvesting a deer based on recent seasons.

How big are the mule deer in Unit 105? Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping this unit point to moderate trophy potential — some trophy-class bucks have come from the broader area, but it isn't known as a premier trophy destination within Wyoming. Combined with a survey-average buck:doe ratio of 28:100, hunters should expect a real chance at a mature buck with effort, rather than an abundance of big bucks throughout the unit.

Is Wyoming Unit 105 worth applying for? Based on available data, yes — with realistic expectations. The unit combines strong public land access (84%), diverse terrain across a huge elevation range, and dependable harvest success in the low-to-mid 30% range across multiple years. It's better suited to hunters prioritizing a reliable public-land hunt over those chasing a top-tier trophy unit specifically.

Are nonresidents required to hire a guide to hunt Unit 105? Only within the unit's designated wilderness area, which makes up 10% of Unit 105. Wyoming state law requires nonresidents to hunt with a licensed Wyoming outfitter or guide inside wilderness boundaries. The remaining 90% of the unit, including the majority of its 84% public land, is open to nonresident DIY hunters without a guide requirement.