Wyoming Unit 24 Elk Hunting Guide

Wyoming Unit 24 sits among the more talked-about elk units in the state's draw system, and for good reason — it consistently produces solid harvest numbers on a landscape that's almost entirely open to public access. For hunters researching Wyoming Unit 24 elk hunting opportunities, this unit offers a rare combination: high public land percentage, respectable success rates, and a draw structure that rewards patience without demanding a decade of point accumulation for every applicant type.

Spanning 434,896 acres with elevations ranging from 6,169 to 9,229 feet, Unit 24 offers a mix of terrain that appeals to hunters willing to work for their elk without needing technical mountaineering skills to get there. With 94% of the unit in public ownership and zero wilderness acreage, this is a unit where nonresidents can hunt independently without the Wyoming outfitter requirement that applies to designated wilderness areas elsewhere in the state.

Herd Health & Population Trends

Wildlife survey data collected across four survey years (2021–2024) shows an average bull:cow ratio of 31:100 in Unit 24. This is a modest ratio by elk management standards, and it tells a straightforward story: this unit is managed for volume and opportunity rather than for stockpiling mature bulls. A 31:100 ratio suggests active harvest pressure on bulls and a herd structure that skews toward cows and younger animals, which lines up with what hunters should expect going into this unit — good numbers of elk on the landscape, but not a unit where bulls are allowed to age into their prime years in large numbers.

Hunters should treat this ratio as the multi-year baseline rather than expecting a herd trending sharply upward or downward. It reflects a unit that gets used — both by hunters and by the elk that call it home — and that consistency is itself useful information when setting expectations for a hunt here.

Harvest Success Rates

Unit 24 has posted strong and remarkably consistent harvest numbers over the past four seasons, and this is one of the unit's biggest selling points. In 2024, 423 hunters harvested 251 elk for a 59% success rate — one of the better years in the recent data. In 2025, 420 hunters took 216 elk for a 51% success rate. Going back further, 2023 saw 416 hunters harvest 202 elk (49% success), and 2022 produced 197 harvested elk out of 386 hunters, also a 51% success rate.

Across all four years, hunter participation has held remarkably steady in the 386–423 range, and success rates have consistently landed between 49% and 59%. That's an exceptional run of consistency for a western elk unit — many units see success rates swing by 20 or more percentage points year to year depending on weather and elk movement, but Unit 24 has stayed in a tight, predictable band. For hunters who value a high likelihood of putting an elk on the ground, this unit's track record speaks for itself, and it's a big part of why HuntPilot data shows this unit generating consistent interest among both resident and nonresident applicants.

Trophy Quality

Trophy records attributed to the counties overlapping Unit 24 show a moderate history of trophy-class production. This aligns with the bull:cow ratio data — a unit that gives up bulls at a healthy clip through harvest is not typically a unit stacked with mature, heavily aged bulls chasing record-book scores. Hunters chasing a genuine trophy-caliber bull should treat Unit 24 as a solid opportunity unit rather than a unit built around producing giants.

That said, moderate trophy history doesn't mean trophy bulls don't exist here — it means they're not the norm, and hunters shouldn't build a hunt plan around the expectation of connecting with an exceptional bull. The forum chatter echoes this reality directly: one hunter who drew the unit noted plainly that "this isn't a trophy hunt" but rather "a good hunt with a chance at a decent bull." That's a fair and data-supported characterization of what Unit 24 delivers.

Access & Terrain

With 94% of Unit 24 in public ownership, this is one of the more DIY-friendly elk units in Wyoming from a pure access standpoint. Hunters won't be fighting for scraps of public ground squeezed between private ranches — the overwhelming majority of the unit is open for hunters to explore, scout, and hunt without needing to secure landowner permission.

The elevation range of 6,169 to 9,229 feet suggests a unit with meaningful topographic variation but nothing in the extreme high-alpine category. This is terrain that rewards physical fitness and willingness to get away from easy access points, but it doesn't demand the kind of technical wilderness skills needed in units with significant high-elevation wilderness acreage. Notably, Unit 24 carries 0% wilderness designation, which means nonresident hunters are free to hunt the unit independently without triggering Wyoming's mandatory outfitter requirement that applies in designated wilderness areas. This is a meaningful cost and logistics advantage for nonresidents planning a DIY trip.

Forum discussion from hunters who've drawn the unit reinforces that this is approachable country for a range of experience levels — one hunter in his mid-60s was told the unit would be a good fit for an "old fart," suggesting the terrain, while requiring effort, isn't beyond reach for hunters who aren't looking to climb into extreme backcountry. Hunters should use HuntPilot's public land and terrain overlays to identify specific drainages, elevation bands, and access points worth scouting before the season, since the unit's size and near-total public ownership give hunters plenty of ground to evaluate.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 24 Worth Applying For?

Based on the data, Unit 24 is a strong pick for hunters whose priority is a high-probability elk hunt on public land, not for hunters chasing a wall-hanger. The four-year harvest data — success rates ranging from 49% to 59% with steady hunter participation — is genuinely impressive for an elk unit anywhere in the West. Few units combine that level of consistency with 94% public land access.

The tradeoff is trophy quality. The 31:100 bull:cow ratio and moderate trophy history both point toward a unit managed for opportunity rather than mature bull production. Hunters set on scoring a record-class bull should look elsewhere or treat any exceptional bull taken here as a bonus rather than an expectation.

For resident hunters, Unit 24 is an easy recommendation given the affordable tag fees and steady success rates. For nonresidents, the calculus depends on priorities: this unit delivers a legitimate, well-documented shot at filling a tag in good public-land country without the added expense and logistics of hiring an outfitter for wilderness access — a real advantage given the 0% wilderness designation. Hunters weighing this unit against others should check current draw odds on HuntPilot's Wyoming unit pages, since draw competitiveness shifts from year to year and varies significantly between resident, nonresident, and point-holder pools.

How to Apply

Wyoming's elk draw system requires hunters to apply through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and the fee structure differs meaningfully by residency and tag type.

Nonresident hunters face a more layered cost structure.

Wyoming's preference point system for elk does not apply to residents the way it does for other species — resident elk draws function differently and residents should not expect to manage or track "points" the way they would for deer or pronghorn. Nonresidents, however, should note that a successful draw consumes any accumulated points for that species, meaning point totals reset after a tag is drawn.

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 24? Unit 24 ranges from 6,169 to 9,229 feet in elevation across 434,896 acres, with 94% of the unit in public ownership and no designated wilderness acreage. This combination makes for accessible, huntable country without the extreme technical demands or outfitter requirements found in wilderness-heavy units elsewhere in Wyoming. Hunters should use mapping tools to identify specific drainages and access points, since the unit offers substantial public ground to scout.

What is harvest success like in Unit 24? Harvest success has been consistently strong and stable over the past four seasons: 51% in 2025 (420 hunters, 216 harvested), 59% in 2024 (423 hunters, 251 harvested), 49% in 2023 (416 hunters, 202 harvested), and 51% in 2022 (386 hunters, 197 harvested). This is a notably consistent success rate compared to many western elk units, which often see wider year-to-year swings.

How big are the elk in Unit 24? Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 24 show a moderate history of trophy-class production, and the unit's 31:100 bull:cow ratio suggests a herd structure that doesn't typically hold large numbers of mature, aged bulls. Hunters should approach Unit 24 expecting a solid chance at a representative bull rather than planning around landing a record-book animal.

Is Wyoming Unit 24 worth applying for? For hunters prioritizing a high-probability, public-land elk hunt, yes — the four-year harvest data supports that assessment, with success rates consistently in the 49-59% range on a unit that's 94% public land with no wilderness-driven outfitter requirement for nonresidents. Hunters specifically chasing trophy-class bulls should weigh the moderate trophy history and modest bull:cow ratio before applying, and should check current draw odds on HuntPilot's Wyoming unit pages before committing points or application fees.

Do nonresidents need an outfitter to hunt Unit 24? No. Unit 24 has 0% wilderness designation, so Wyoming's mandatory outfitter requirement for nonresidents hunting designated wilderness does not apply here. Nonresidents are free to hunt this unit independently, which is a meaningful cost advantage compared to wilderness-heavy Wyoming units.