Wyoming Unit 122 Elk Hunting Guide

Wyoming Unit 122 is a limited-quota elk unit where every hunt available to applicants is draw-only — there is no general season to fall back on here. That makes Unit 122 a different kind of proposition than Wyoming's OTC-style general elk areas: hunters applying for this unit are competing for a controlled number of tags across antlered and either-sex opportunities, and the data behind those tags tells a fairly consistent story of solid harvest success over the past four seasons. For hunters researching Wyoming Unit 122 elk hunting specifically, understanding the hunt structure, the harvest trends, and the access realities on the ground is the difference between a well-planned application and a wasted point.

Covering 817,023 acres with elevations ranging from 4,822 to 6,311 feet, Unit 122 sits at the lower end of Wyoming's elevation spectrum for elk country — rolling, lower-relief terrain rather than high alpine basin hunting. Only 26% of the unit is public land, which is a critical number for anyone planning a DIY approach. With no wilderness acreage reported in this unit, there are no Wyoming wilderness-area guide requirements to worry about here, but the low public land percentage means access planning and landowner relationships (or leased access) will matter more than terrain difficulty for most applicants.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 122 Worth Applying For?

The harvest numbers for Unit 122 are the strongest argument in its favor. Over the last four seasons tracked in HuntPilot's data, hunter success has run between 52% and 72%: 288 of 449 hunters succeeded in 2025 (64%), 310 of 428 succeeded in 2024 (72%), 187 of 360 succeeded in 2023 (52%), and 204 of 307 succeeded in 2022 (66%). That's a four-year average solidly in the 60s — well above what most Wyoming hunters can expect in general or lightly-controlled units. For a limited-quota unit, this level of consistency across varying hunter numbers (ranging from 307 to 449 participants per year) suggests a healthy, huntable elk population and tags that aren't being handed out faster than the herd can support.

The trade-off is access. At 26% public land, the majority of Unit 122 is private property. This isn't a unit where a nonresident can show up, park at a trailhead, and walk into unlimited public ground. Successful hunters here are likely leveraging a mix of the available public parcels, walk-in access areas if applicable, or private land arrangements. Anyone applying for Unit 122 should build their access plan before they draw, not after.

On trophy quality, the counties overlapping Unit 122 show a moderate history of trophy-class elk in the record books. This isn't a unit with a reputation for producing serial record-book bulls, but it has produced trophy-class animals historically, and that history should be read as a baseline indicator of genetic and age potential in the area rather than a promise of what any individual hunter will find. The bull:cow ratio from survey data averaged 44:100 across the monitored years — a ratio drawn from a single survey effort, so it should be treated as a snapshot rather than a long-term trend. A 44:100 ratio is within normal range for a hunted elk herd and indicates a reasonable number of mature bulls persist after hunting pressure, supporting the idea that this unit can produce solid, mature bulls even if it isn't a trophy factory.

Put together: Unit 122 is worth applying for if a hunter values high odds of filling a tag and is comfortable navigating the access challenge posed by majority-private land. It's less compelling for someone chasing a wall-hanger above all else, though moderate trophy history means it's not out of the question either.

Harvest Success Rates

Harvest success in Unit 122 has been consistently strong relative to typical Wyoming elk hunting, though it has fluctuated year to year:

• 2025: 449 hunters, 288 harvested — 64% success
• 2024: 428 hunters, 310 harvested — 72% success
• 2023: 360 hunters, 187 harvested — 52% success
• 2022: 307 hunters, 204 harvested — 66% success

The dip to 52% in 2023 stands out against the other three years, which all cleared 60%. That kind of year-to-year variance is normal in elk hunting and can be driven by weather, elk distribution, or hunter effort shifts rather than a change in herd health. The more important takeaway is that three of the last four years have produced success rates north of 60%, and the unit has not shown a declining trend — 2024's 72% success rate is actually the high mark of the period. Hunters drawing a tag here should view these numbers as evidence that putting in the effort translates to a high likelihood of putting an elk on the ground.

Trophy Quality

Trophy records from the counties overlapping Unit 122 reflect a moderate trophy history — meaning the area has produced trophy-class bulls over time, but it is not among the handful of Wyoming units with an exceptional or heavily weighted trophy pedigree. Hunters should treat this as a realistic expectation-setter: mature bulls are present and the unit's harvest data supports the idea that hunters are connecting on elk consistently, but a once-in-a-lifetime record-book bull should be considered a bonus outcome rather than the norm.

The survey data showing a 44:100 bull:cow ratio supports this moderate assessment. That ratio indicates a reasonable bull segment survives each season, which is consistent with a unit that can produce mature, respectable bulls without being defined by trophy-class production. Because this ratio comes from a single survey year rather than a multi-year average, it should be read as a general indicator of herd structure rather than a precise, repeatable metric.

Herd Health & Population Trends

Survey data available for Unit 122 covers the 2021–2024 period and shows an average bull:cow ratio of 44:100, based on one recorded survey. A ratio in this range is a normal, sustainable figure for a hunted elk population — it reflects a herd where bulls are not being over-harvested relative to the cow segment, while still allowing for consistent hunting opportunity.

Because the underlying survey sample is limited to a single data point within that window, hunters shouldn't read too much into year-over-year change from this number alone. What can be said with more confidence is that the harvest trend data — steady hunter participation in the 300-450 range and success rates mostly in the 60-70% band — points to a herd that is holding up well under current tag allocations. There's no indication in the available data of a population in decline or a unit being overrun with pressure.

Access & Terrain

Unit 122 sits at a relatively low elevation band for Wyoming elk country, running from 4,822 to 6,311 feet across its 817,023 acres. This is rolling, lower-relief terrain rather than the steep, high-alpine basins found in Wyoming's higher mountain units — a factor that can make for more physically approachable hunting conditions, though vegetation and distance between water and cover will still shape day-to-day hunting strategy.

The defining access characteristic of this unit is its land ownership breakdown: only 26% of Unit 122 is public land, meaning the majority — roughly three-quarters — of the unit is privately held. This is below the threshold where a unit can be considered broadly DIY-friendly. Hunters without existing access arrangements or local connections should expect the public parcels to see concentrated pressure, particularly during peak draw-hunt periods. Scouting public land boundaries carefully — using mapping tools to identify exactly where public ground starts and stops relative to private inholdings — is essential homework before showing up to hunt. HuntPilot's public land overlay and mapping tools are useful here for identifying the specific parcels worth focusing on before the season, since generic "there's public land in the unit" assumptions won't hold up against a 26% public composition.

With 0% wilderness acreage reported for this unit, there are no Wyoming wilderness-guide requirements triggered here — nonresidents are not legally required to hire an outfitter to hunt Unit 122 on public land, unlike Wyoming's wilderness-heavy units. That said, given the private land dominance, many hunters still choose to work with a local outfitter or landowner for access reasons rather than legal ones.

How to Apply

Every elk hunt in Unit 122 is allocated through Wyoming's limited-quota draw system — there is no general season here, so hunters cannot simply buy an OTC tag and show up. All applicants, resident and nonresident alike, must apply through the draw for a chance at a tag, and the hunts available include antlered and either-sex opportunities.

Wyoming nonresidents applying for elk do not accumulate preference points the way they do for species like deer or pronghorn — elk draws for residents are handled differently, and nonresidents compete within Wyoming's elk-specific point system that differs from the state's other species. Because draw structures and point mechanics can be nuanced and allocation rules shift between cycles, hunters should review the current application rules directly before applying.

Given the private-land-dominant nature of Unit 122, hunters should start thinking about access — whether through public parcels, landowner permission, or outfitter arrangements — well before they draw a tag, since scrambling for access after drawing wastes valuable preparation time.

Application dates, fees, and current draw odds for Unit 122 change every cycle. For the most current deadlines, costs, and draw statistics, see HuntPilot's Wyoming page at /states/wy and the Unit 122 page on HuntPilot for the latest data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is harvest success like in Wyoming Unit 122? Harvest success in Unit 122 has ranged from 52% to 72% over the last four recorded seasons (2022–2025), with three of those four years exceeding 60%. The 2024 season posted the strongest results at 72% (310 of 428 hunters), while 2023 was the softest year at 52%. Overall, this unit produces above-average fill rates for a Wyoming limited-quota elk hunt.

Is Wyoming Unit 122 worth applying for? Based on available data, yes — with a caveat. The harvest success rates are consistently strong and the herd appears stable based on survey data, making it a solid option for hunters prioritizing a high likelihood of harvesting an elk. The caveat is access: with only 26% public land, hunters need a concrete access plan (public parcel scouting, landowner permission, or an outfitter) before applying, since the majority of the unit is private ground.

What is the terrain like in Unit 122? Unit 122 ranges from 4,822 to 6,311 feet in elevation across 817,023 acres, placing it in Wyoming's lower-elevation elk country rather than steep alpine terrain. There is no designated wilderness in the unit, which also means no Wyoming wilderness-guide requirement applies to nonresident hunters here.

How big are the elk in Unit 122? Trophy records from the counties overlapping Unit 122 show a moderate trophy history — the area has produced trophy-class bulls over time, though it isn't known as one of Wyoming's premier record-book units. Combined with a bull:cow ratio averaging 44:100 in available survey data, hunters can expect a reasonable population of mature bulls, with an above-average record-book bull being a possible but not expected outcome.

Does Unit 122 have a general elk season? No. Every elk hunt in Unit 122 is limited-quota and allocated through Wyoming's draw system, including antlered and either-sex tags. Hunters cannot hunt this unit on an over-the-counter general license — a draw tag is required regardless of residency.