Wyoming Unit 106 Mule Deer Hunting Guide
Wyoming Unit 106 sits among the state's most demanding mule deer hunts, combining massive elevation swings, near-total public land access, and a substantial wilderness component that shapes how — and whether — nonresidents can hunt it. For hunters researching Wyoming Unit 106 mule deer hunting opportunities, this unit offers a genuine backcountry experience rather than a roadside hunt, and the numbers behind it tell a story of a herd and hunter base that have both been growing.
Spanning elevations from 5,396 feet up to 12,226 feet across 312,472 acres, Unit 106 is entirely public land — 100% by the numbers — which is rare in Wyoming's mule deer country and makes this a unit worth serious consideration for DIY hunters willing to put in the physical work. But that opportunity comes with a catch: 57% of the unit falls inside designated wilderness, a detail that carries real legal weight for nonresident hunters in Wyoming.
Herd Health & Population Trends
The wildlife survey data available for Unit 106 covers four survey years between 2021 and 2024, with an average buck:doe ratio of 28:100 across eight surveys. That ratio sits well below the levels seen in many managed mule deer units and reflects a herd carrying relatively low buck numbers relative to does — a pattern that is common in units with heavy hunting pressure or challenging winter survival, though the specific cause isn't identified in the available data. Hunters should treat this ratio as an indicator of a herd that is not flush with mature bucks, rather than as a knock against the unit's overall deer numbers, which the harvest trend below suggests are trending upward.
Harvest Success Rates
Harvest data for Unit 106 shows a clear multi-year climb in both hunter participation and success. In 2022, 312 hunters harvested 66 animals for a 21% success rate. That number improved to 28% in 2023 with 384 hunters and 106 harvested. By 2024, 428 hunters achieved a 31% success rate with 132 deer taken. The most recent data, from 2025, shows 616 hunters and 228 harvested for a 37% success rate — the best mark in the four-year window and a meaningful jump in both participation and results.
This upward trend across four consecutive years is notable. It suggests either an improving herd, better hunter effort, or both. Hunters should note these are unit-total figures across all hunt types and residencies, not broken out by weapon or tag class, but the trajectory is consistent and worth factoring into any decision to apply.
Trophy Quality
Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 106 reflect a moderate history of trophy production. This isn't a unit with a deep, decades-long reputation for exceptional bucks, but it has produced trophy-class animals over time. Given the county-level nature of record-book attribution, these entries are shared with neighboring units and don't necessarily reflect bucks taken specifically inside Unit 106's boundaries. Combined with the modest buck:doe ratio noted above, hunters should set realistic expectations: this is a unit that can produce a good buck for a patient, mobile hunter, but it is not positioned as an elite trophy destination based on the data available.
Access & Terrain
Unit 106's terrain is defined by extremes. The elevation range — nearly 6,800 vertical feet from bottom to top — means hunters can encounter everything from lower-elevation sagebrush and foothill country to high alpine basins above 12,000 feet within the same unit boundary. That range demands versatility in scouting and hunting strategy, and it rewards hunters willing to go deep and high to find deer away from easier access points.
With 100% public land, access itself is not the limiting factor here that it is in many Wyoming deer units — there's no need to negotiate trespass fees or private land permission to hunt the vast majority of this unit's acreage. What does limit access is the 57% wilderness designation. For Wyoming residents, this is simply rugged country requiring solid physical preparation and often pack-in logistics. For nonresidents, it's a legal requirement: Wyoming law mandates that nonresidents hunting in designated wilderness areas must hire a licensed Wyoming outfitter or guide. With more than half of Unit 106 falling inside wilderness, nonresident hunters planning a do-it-yourself trip need to think carefully about which portions of the unit they can legally access unguided, and many will find that hiring a guide is the practical — and in wilderness areas, mandatory — path to hunting the unit's best terrain.
HuntPilot Analysis
Is Unit 106 worth applying for? Based on data compiled by HuntPilot, the answer depends heavily on what a hunter is looking for. The harvest trend is genuinely encouraging — success rates climbing from 21% to 37% over four years, alongside rising hunter numbers, suggests a unit that is producing more consistently than it was just a few seasons ago. That's a meaningful data point for hunters weighing where to spend points or apply fresh.
On the trophy side, expectations should be tempered. The moderate trophy history in the surrounding counties combined with a below-average buck:doe ratio points to a unit better suited to hunters seeking a solid, huntable mule deer experience in genuinely wild, 100% public country rather than a unit chasing record-book bucks. The terrain itself — massive elevation range, majority wilderness — is the unit's biggest asset and its biggest obstacle simultaneously. It filters out casual pressure and rewards hunters who can get into the backcountry, but it also means nonresident DIY hunters face a hard legal wall in the wilderness-designated portions.
Tag quota data adds another wrinkle worth watching. Type 1 tags jumped from 25 in 2025 to 50 in 2026, a full doubling of quota, while Type 8 tags have held steady at 50 across 2024, 2025, and 2026. That Type 1 increase is a significant shift and could signal a management decision to open up more opportunity as the herd and harvest trend upward — hunters should check HuntPilot's Unit 106 page for current draw odds tied to these updated quotas, since odds will shift with quota size.
Overall, Unit 106 earns a recommendation for hunters prioritizing rugged, all-public backcountry hunting with improving harvest trends, but it's a harder sell for hunters whose primary goal is a big-antlered buck, and nonresidents need to factor guide costs into their planning given the wilderness percentage.
How to Apply
Fee structure varies significantly by residency and tag type.
Given the tag quota increase for Type 1 tags heading into 2026, and the general upward trend in unit harvest, hunters interested in Unit 106 should check HuntPilot's Wyoming state page and the Unit 106 unit page directly for current draw odds tied to these quotas, since draw competitiveness will move with quota changes.
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 106? Unit 106 covers an extreme elevation range from 5,396 feet to 12,226 feet, meaning hunters can move from lower sagebrush and foothill terrain up into high alpine basins within the same unit. More than half the unit — 57% — is designated wilderness, so much of the best habitat is rugged, remote, and physically demanding to access.
What is harvest success like in Unit 106? Harvest success has trended upward over the past four recorded years: 21% in 2022, 28% in 2023, 31% in 2024, and 37% in 2025. Hunter numbers have grown alongside success rates, from 312 hunters in 2022 to 616 in 2025, suggesting a unit that is producing more consistently as both effort and results climb.
How big are the mule deer in Unit 106? Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 106 show a moderate history of trophy production, shared with neighboring units at the county level. Combined with a relatively low average buck:doe ratio of 28:100 recorded across recent surveys, hunters should expect a solid mule deer hunting experience rather than a unit known for producing exceptional record-book bucks.
Is Unit 106 worth applying for? For hunters who value wild, 100% public-land country and want to hunt a unit with an improving harvest trend, yes — the four-year climb from 21% to 37% success is a strong indicator. For hunters chasing trophy-class bucks specifically, the data suggests moderate rather than exceptional trophy potential, so expectations should be calibrated accordingly. Nonresidents also need to weigh the cost and logistics of a required guide given the 57% wilderness designation.
Do nonresidents need a guide to hunt Unit 106? Wyoming law requires nonresidents to hire a licensed Wyoming outfitter or guide to hunt in designated wilderness areas. Since 57% of Unit 106 is wilderness, nonresident hunters planning to access those portions of the unit must arrange for a licensed guide — this is not optional. Wyoming residents are not subject to this requirement and can hunt wilderness areas in the unit unguided.