Wyoming Unit 124 Elk Hunting Guide
A High-Success Limited-Entry Unit Worth Understanding
Wyoming Unit 124 elk hunting sits in the conversation for any serious elk hunter evaluating the state's draw system. Spanning nearly 1.84 million acres across an elevation band of 6,059 to 8,743 feet, Unit 124 is substantial country — diverse enough in terrain to hold elk through multiple seasons and large enough to absorb hunting pressure without becoming burned out. With 71% of that acreage in public ownership and zero designated wilderness, hunters have genuinely accessible ground to work without the logistical and legal complications that define Wyoming's more remote wilderness draws.
What distinguishes Unit 124 from many Wyoming elk units isn't size or scenery alone — it's the harvest numbers. Data compiled by HuntPilot shows a unit that has delivered consistently strong success rates over recent years, peaking at 82% in 2024 and sitting at 80% in 2025. For a state known for its difficult nonresident draws and demanding elk country, those numbers deserve serious attention from hunters weighing where to invest their application.
Harvest Success Rates
The harvest data for Unit 124 tells a compelling story — particularly when viewed as a multi-year trend rather than a single snapshot.
| Year | Hunters | Harvested | Success Rate | |------|---------|-----------|--------------| | 2022 | 153 | 114 | 75% | | 2023 | 160 | 102 | 64% | | 2024 | 198 | 162 | 82% | | 2025 | 276 | 220 | 80% |
The 2023 dip to 64% stands out as the outlier in an otherwise strong performance window. A single year of lower success in an otherwise high-performing unit is typically attributable to weather variation, late-season migration timing, or a shift in hunt structure — not a fundamental change in elk numbers. What's notable is how sharply the unit rebounded: 2024 brought 82% success across 198 hunters, and 2025 maintained 80% success across a meaningfully larger field of 276 hunters. Sustaining that level of success while nearly doubling the hunter count from 2022 to 2025 is a sign of a healthy elk population.
Hunters evaluating these numbers should also note that Wyoming's limited-entry draw system is not designed for marginal herds. Units receiving significant tag allocations that sustain 75–82% success rates are units where elk are present in reliable numbers and the management structure is working.
Trophy Quality
Counties overlapping Unit 124 carry a moderate history of trophy records for elk. This is not one of Wyoming's marquee trophy units in the way that some long-point-investment draws are — hunters targeting world-class bulls will find units with stronger trophy pedigrees elsewhere in the state. That said, "moderate" in Wyoming's context still means the area has produced legitimate record-book animals historically, and any limited-entry unit at this elevation band has the habitat to hold mature bulls.
The practical takeaway: Unit 124 is not a unit hunters should apply for on trophy speculation alone. The honest appeal here is the combination of reasonable draw accessibility and the consistently high harvest success rates documented above. Hunters who draw and put in the time should feel confident about getting an elk on the ground. Whether that elk is a trophy-class bull depends heavily on the specific hunt type drawn and the individual hunter's selectivity.
Herd Health & Population Trends
The tag quota data provides the clearest window into what Wyoming Game and Fish is observing in Unit 124's elk population. Two hunt types with known quota data tell different stories:
Type 1 tags remained stable at 100 tags in both 2025 and 2026 — a sign that managers are satisfied with current bull management and see no need to pull back on opportunity. Stability is a positive signal; it means the harvest hasn't been outpacing recruitment.
Type 4 tags increased from 150 in 2025 to 200 in 2026 — a 33% increase in a single year. This kind of quota expansion typically reflects one of two things: a population that has grown beyond carrying capacity targets and needs additional harvest pressure, or a management decision to expand opportunity in a unit where elk numbers support it. Either way, a 50-tag increase in a single cycle is a substantial move and signals that Wyoming Game and Fish has confidence in the elk population's resilience.
Combined with the 2024–2025 harvest success data, these quota trends suggest a unit in good standing with a population that is holding or growing under current management. Hunters shouldn't read the Type 4 expansion as a warning sign — paired with 80%+ success rates, it reads more like a healthy population absorbing increased harvest efficiently.
Access & Terrain
At 71% public land across 1.84 million acres, Unit 124 offers DIY hunters genuinely workable access. The majority of the unit is public ground, meaning hunters without landowner connections or outfitter contracts can realistically plan a self-guided hunt without spending the entire trip searching for legal places to park and glass.
The elevation range of 6,059 to 8,743 feet tells a story about terrain character. The unit's lower reaches — the 6,000-foot range — are likely to feature open sagebrush parks, rolling foothills, and transitional habitat where elk feed in early morning and evening. The upper reaches approaching 8,700 feet push into timbered ridgelines and higher alpine meadows where bulls summer and stage for the rut. This kind of vertical diversity means Unit 124 holds elk across multiple habitat types, and hunters willing to move with the animals through the season have options.
The complete absence of designated wilderness in Unit 124 is practically significant for Wyoming nonresidents. Wyoming law requires all nonresidents hunting in designated wilderness areas to employ a licensed Wyoming outfitter or guide — a requirement that adds substantial cost and planning complexity to any hunt. Because Unit 124 contains zero wilderness acreage, nonresident hunters can run fully self-guided DIY operations on the public land within the unit without triggering that requirement. For budget-conscious nonresidents, this matters considerably when evaluating which Wyoming draw unit to target.
Road-accessible public land at these elevations in Wyoming often means hunters can glass from elevated vantage points without committing to full backpack infrastructure. That said, the upper reaches of the unit's terrain demand physical preparation — 8,700-foot country with real topographic relief will punish hunters who underestimate it, especially during pack-out.
HuntPilot Analysis: Is Wyoming Unit 124 Worth Applying For?
The case for Unit 124 is straightforward: it's a high-success, accessible elk unit in a state where high-success, accessible elk units are genuinely rare.
The 80–82% success rate in 2024 and 2025 is exceptional by any standard. Most western elk units that hunters can realistically draw — not decade-long point investments — produce success rates in the 30–55% range. Unit 124's numbers are operating in a different tier. Combine that with 71% public land, zero wilderness (critical for nonresident DIY hunters), and a tag base that appears to be expanding based on the Type 4 quota increase, and the unit checks most of the boxes hunters should care about.
The honest cautions: Trophy potential here is moderate, not exceptional. Hunters whose primary goal is a record-book bull may find more targeted trophy production in other Wyoming limited-entry units — though those units come with much steeper point requirements or far lower draw odds. For hunters whose priority is a high-probability elk harvest in good country without mandatory outfitter costs, Unit 124 makes a strong case.
The 2023 success rate of 64% deserves acknowledgment — no unit is immune to bad years. But the subsequent rebound to 82% and 80% in 2024 and 2025, across an increasing hunter count, demonstrates that the 2023 dip was an anomaly, not a trend.
Bottom line: Unit 124 is worth applying for any hunter who values a high-probability harvest in accessible Wyoming elk country. It is particularly compelling for nonresident DIY hunters who want limited-entry quality without the wilderness guide requirement that complicates many Wyoming units.
How to Apply
Wyoming's elk draw operates through a preference point system for nonresidents, with residents drawing on a separate allocation. Understanding the fee structure before applying is essential — the costs vary depending on hunt type and residency status.
2026 Application Details
For residents, the application window opens January 2, 2026, with a deadline of June 1, 2026. The application fee is $5. Resident tag fees vary by hunt type: one category carries a $43 tag fee, and another carries a $57 tag fee. The license fee is $0 (no separate resident license is required to apply). Residents should verify which hunt type aligns with their target opportunity on the HuntPilot unit page at huntpilot.ai/states/wy.
For nonresidents, the application window opens January 2, 2026, with a significantly earlier deadline of February 2, 2026 — nonresidents have roughly a month from open to deadline, so calendar preparation is critical. The application fee is $15. Nonresident tag fees vary substantially by hunt type: options are available at $288, $692, and $1,950, reflecting the different hunt structures and opportunities within the unit. Nonresidents who wish to accumulate preference points without drawing a tag can submit a point-only application; the point fee is $52, with a point-only deadline of November 2, 2026.
No license is required as a prerequisite to apply — the license fee is listed at $0 for all categories in the 2026 data.
2028 Application Calendar
For hunters planning their application strategy further out, the 2028 draw opens January 5, 2028, with a deadline of March 1, 2028 for all regular applications.
Important: Dates and fees are subject to change. Always verify current application details at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wyoming Unit 124 worth applying for as a nonresident DIY hunter?
Yes — Unit 124 is one of the stronger options for nonresident DIY elk hunters in Wyoming. The unit contains zero designated wilderness, which means nonresidents are not required by Wyoming law to hire a licensed outfitter or guide. Combined with 71% public land across nearly 1.84 million acres and documented harvest success rates of 80–82% in 2024 and 2025, it offers the rare combination of high harvest probability and genuine DIY accessibility. Hunters should verify current draw details on the HuntPilot unit page for current draw difficulty before applying.
What is the harvest success rate in Wyoming Unit 124?
Recent data shows Unit 124 performing at 80% success (276 hunters, 220 harvested) in 2025 and 82% (198 hunters, 162 harvested) in 2024. The four-year range from 2022 to 2025 spans 64% to 82%, with 2023 as the low outlier. The sustained high success rate across an increasing hunter count suggests a healthy elk population and well-managed harvest.
What is the terrain like in Wyoming Unit 124?
Unit 124 spans elevations from 6,059 to 8,743 feet, producing a range of habitat types from lower sagebrush foothills to timbered upper ridgelines and high meadows. With 71% of its 1.84 million acres in public ownership and no designated wilderness, much of the unit is road-accessible without requiring full backcountry infrastructure — though the upper elevation reaches demand physical fitness and preparation for pack-out work.
How big are the elk in Wyoming Unit 124?
Trophy history for the counties overlapping Unit 124 shows moderate trophy production. This is not one of Wyoming's premier trophy bull units, but the area has a legitimate history of producing record-book animals. Hunters prioritizing a high-probability harvest will find this unit well-suited to that goal. Hunters whose primary objective is a world-class bull should research units with more concentrated trophy pedigrees — though those typically require more competitive draws.
What is the elk population trend in Wyoming Unit 124?
Tag quota data shows a stable population for bull management (Type 1 tags held at 100 in both 2025 and 2026) alongside a significant expansion of Type 4 tags — up from 150 to 200, a 33% increase. An expanding tag base paired with 80%+ harvest success rates generally reflects manager confidence in herd health and carrying capacity. The available data points toward a stable-to-growing elk population in Unit 124.