Wyoming Unit 106 Elk Hunting Guide
Overview: What Hunters Need to Know Before Applying
Wyoming Unit 106 elk hunting occupies a mid-elevation landscape spanning 468,276 total acres between 6,551 and 9,773 feet. The unit sits in a range that covers genuine elk country — enough vertical relief to hold animals across seasons, with terrain that transitions from lower sagebrush flats into timbered slopes and higher terrain approaching 10,000 feet. That elevation band is a classic elk zone: enough altitude to hold summer range, enough lower ground to funnel animals as weather pushes them off the high country.
The critical number hunters need to absorb upfront: only 25% of Unit 106 is public land. That means three out of every four acres in this unit is privately held. For hunters researching whether to invest points or application fees here, that figure is the single most important data point before anything else. DIY access will be significantly constrained, and hunters relying solely on public land will find themselves working a small fraction of the total unit. Private land access — whether through landowner permission or fee-access arrangements — shapes this unit's hunting reality as much as any other factor.
There is no designated wilderness within Unit 106, which simplifies logistics for nonresidents. Wyoming state law requires nonresidents to hire a licensed Wyoming outfitter when hunting in designated wilderness areas, but since Unit 106 carries zero wilderness designation, that requirement does not apply here. Nonresident hunters can pursue elk in this unit without mandatory guide services.
Harvest Success Rates
Unit 106 has posted consistent harvest success over the four most recent years of data, and the numbers tell a clear story about what hunters can expect.
| Year | Hunters | Harvested | Success Rate | |------|---------|-----------|-------------| | 2022 | 2,887 | 986 | 34% | | 2023 | 2,824 | 1,057 | 37% | | 2024 | 3,354 | 1,252 | 37% | | 2025 | 1,641 | 625 | 38% |
Three consecutive years of 37–38% success — with the 2025 partial-year figure trending slightly higher — represents a stable and reasonably productive unit by Wyoming standards. The unit is drawing significant hunter pressure: 2,800 to 3,354 hunters in three of the four years surveyed. That volume of hunter participation is not typical of a tight limited-entry draw with a handful of tags. This is a unit with broad access across multiple hunt types, and the harvest success holding at 34–38% across that pressure is an encouraging sign of herd health and elk distribution.
The 2025 figure — 1,641 hunters with 38% success — reflects a notably lower hunter count than 2023 and 2024. Whether that reflects a mid-season reporting cutoff, quota adjustments, or application trends, the per-hunter success rate remains in the same range. The consistency is the headline: hunters in Unit 106 have converted at 34–38% every year in this dataset, regardless of total pressure.
Herd Health & Population Trends
The wildlife survey data for Unit 106 is limited: a single survey recorded an average bull-to-cow ratio of 20:100. That figure comes from just one survey event, which means it should be interpreted cautiously rather than as a benchmark for herd health. A 20:100 bull-to-cow ratio is on the lower end of what most biologists consider a well-structured herd — healthy managed herds typically target 25:100 to 35:100 — but with only one survey on record in the available data, this number reflects a snapshot rather than a trend.
Hunters should not read excessive alarm into a single survey ratio. Ratios fluctuate based on when in the year surveys are conducted, which terrain gets surveyed, and post-hunt mortality patterns. What is more telling for Unit 106 is the sustained harvest success: 986 to 1,252 animals taken per year across a large hunter pool. That volume of harvest over multiple consecutive years would not be sustainable if the elk population were severely depleted. The harvest data and the single survey ratio paint somewhat different pictures, and the multi-year harvest trend is the more reliable signal of a functional population.
Hunters researching this unit should check Wyoming Game and Fish Department survey reports for more recent bull-to-cow data as it becomes available. A single data point is a starting reference, not a conclusion.
Trophy Quality
The counties overlapping Unit 106 carry a limited history of trophy-class elk production. Hunters targeting record-book quality animals will find this is not the unit that defines Wyoming's trophy elk reputation. That does not mean trophy bulls are absent — elk at the upper end of the quality spectrum have been taken from this area — but the historical record suggests those outcomes are the exception rather than the rule.
It is also worth noting, as a matter of record-keeping methodology, that trophy entries are logged by county rather than by hunt unit. Any entries associated with the counties overlapping Unit 106 are shared with neighboring units that cover the same county footprint. A trophy animal may have been taken in a different unit within those county boundaries. The trophy context here is a qualitative signal about the broader region, not a unit-specific guarantee.
For hunters whose primary goal is a trophy-class bull, Unit 106's limited trophy history and the 25% public land constraint would likely point toward other Wyoming units as better investments of preference points or nonresident application fees. For hunters seeking a realistic opportunity at a legal elk — where 37% success across several thousand annual hunters is a legitimate outcome — this unit merits serious consideration.
HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 106 Worth Applying For?
This unit is best understood as a high-volume opportunity unit rather than a trophy destination. The evidence:
The Case For Unit 106:
- Consistent 34–38% harvest success over four years is legitimate and sustainable
- No wilderness designation eliminates the mandatory outfitter requirement for nonresidents
- Tag quotas in the largest hunt bucket (Type 7) increased from 700 to 800 tags in 2026, signaling manager confidence in the herd
- Multiple hunt types exist across different tag fee tiers, giving hunters options based on hunt objectives and budget
The Case Against Unit 106 (for certain hunters):
- 25% public land is the defining limitation. Hunters without private land access will be hunting a constrained footprint
- The bull-to-cow ratio from available survey data suggests the herd's age structure may skew toward younger bulls
- Limited trophy history means hunters chasing a record-book caliber bull should look elsewhere
- The total hunter volume (2,800–3,300 in most years) means this is not a remote, solitude experience
The Bottom Line: Unit 106 makes the most sense for hunters who have private land access or can arrange it, residents looking for a realistic annual elk opportunity, and nonresidents willing to accept meat-hunting odds rather than trophy expectations. Hunters building points for a once-in-a-lifetime Wyoming trophy bull will likely find better returns investing those points in units with stronger trophy history and higher public land access.
For current draw odds and tag availability by hunt type, visit the HuntPilot Wyoming page.
Tag Quota Trends
Unit 106 structures its draw across multiple hunt types with meaningfully different tag allocations. The quota data from 2025 to 2026 shows:
- Type 1: 50 tags in both 2025 and 2026 — stable
- Type 4: 150 tags in both 2025 and 2026 — stable
- Type 7: 700 tags in 2025, increased to 800 tags in 2026 — a 14% increase of 100 additional tags
The Type 7 expansion is the most significant management signal in this data. A 14% quota increase in a single year reflects Wyoming Game and Fish confidence that the elk population can sustain additional harvest pressure. That is a positive indicator for herd trajectory, even if the single survey bull-to-cow ratio looks modest. Managers do not expand quotas on declining herds.
The tiered quota structure — from 50 tags at the most selective level to 800 at the broadest — reflects the range of hunting experiences Unit 106 offers. The limited Type 1 allocation represents a more exclusive draw opportunity; the large Type 7 pool is where the unit's volume-harvest character lives.
How to Apply
Wyoming elk draws operate on separate timelines for residents and nonresidents, and Unit 106 hunters need to track the correct deadline for their residency.
2026 Application Details
Nonresident hunters should note that 2026 applications opened January 2, 2026, with a deadline of February 2, 2026. The nonresident application fee is $15 regardless of hunt type. Tag fees vary by hunt type:
- Higher-tier tags: $1,950
- Mid-tier tags: $692
- Lower-tier tags: $288
The nonresident preference point fee is $52, and the point-only deadline for nonresidents is November 2, 2026. The license fee listed is $0.00, but hunters should confirm Wyoming's current license requirements before applying, as license prerequisites can change between regulation cycles.
Resident hunters have a significantly later deadline: 2026 applications opened January 2, 2026, with a deadline of June 1, 2026. Resident application fees are $5, with tag fees of $57 (higher-tier) or $43 (lower-tier).
2028 Application Calendar
For hunters planning further ahead, the 2028 draw carries a unified application deadline of March 1, 2028, with applications opening January 5, 2028. Note that this applies to all regular draw applications and represents the furthest-out confirmed data available.
Important: Dates and fees are subject to change. Always verify current application details at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website before submitting an application. Application deadlines are firm — missed deadlines mean waiting another year.
For the most current draw odds, tag allocations, and application links, visit HuntPilot's Wyoming page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the terrain like in Wyoming Unit 106?
Unit 106 spans 468,276 acres between 6,551 and 9,773 feet of elevation. The unit covers a range of habitat types typical of Wyoming mid-elevation elk country — sagebrush transitions at lower elevations giving way to timbered slopes and higher terrain as you climb toward the unit ceiling. The key access reality is that only 25% of the unit is public land. Hunters should map public parcels carefully before planning a trip, as the majority of the unit is privately held and access will require landowner arrangements or fee-access agreements on much of the huntable terrain.
What is harvest success in Wyoming Unit 106?
Unit 106 has posted 34–38% overall harvest success across 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. In 2024, 1,252 of 3,354 hunters were successful — the highest absolute harvest in the four-year dataset. In 2025, 625 of 1,641 hunters harvested elk for a 38% success rate. This is a consistent, repeatable success window for a unit drawing substantial hunter participation. Hunters should expect realistic but not exceptional odds — this is not a unit where 60%+ success rates occur, but consistent mid-30s performance is a credible expectation.
How big are the elk in Wyoming Unit 106?
The counties overlapping Unit 106 show limited trophy history compared to Wyoming's top-tier elk units. Trophy-class bulls have been taken from the area, but they are not a defining characteristic of this unit's production. Hunters whose primary goal is a large bull would be better served researching units with stronger trophy pedigrees. Unit 106's strength is its consistent harvest success, not its trophy ceiling.
Is Wyoming Unit 106 worth applying for?
It depends entirely on what a hunter is after. For residents seeking an annual elk opportunity with realistic harvest odds and no wilderness guide requirement, Unit 106 is a reasonable choice — particularly given the recent Type 7 quota expansion to 800 tags. For nonresidents prioritizing trophy quality or DIY public land access, the 25% public land figure and limited trophy history present real constraints. This is a unit best suited to hunters who have access to private land, are focused on putting elk in the freezer rather than chasing record-book bulls, and understand they will be sharing the field with a large pool of fellow hunters most years.
Do nonresidents need a guide to hunt Unit 106?
No. Unit 106 carries zero designated wilderness acreage. Wyoming's mandatory outfitter requirement for nonresidents applies only within designated wilderness boundaries. Since this unit has none, nonresident hunters can legally hunt Unit 106 without hiring a licensed Wyoming guide. That said, given the 25% public land limitation, working with a local guide or outfitter may still be practical for hunters without existing private land access in the area.