Wyoming Unit 38 Elk Hunting Guide

Wyoming Unit 38 elk hunting draws consistent interest from both resident and nonresident hunters looking for a big-country elk experience with a strong public land base. Spanning 361,031 acres with elevations ranging from 3,762 to 10,325 feet, this unit offers the kind of vertical relief and habitat diversity that elk thrive in — from lower sagebrush benches to high timbered ridgelines. With 79% of the unit in public ownership, DIY hunters have substantial room to roam without needing to negotiate private land access for the bulk of their hunt.

Unit 38 sits in the conversation whenever Wyoming elk hunters compare notes on where to apply, and it shows up regularly in draw-strategy discussions alongside neighboring units. The terrain's elevation swing of more than 6,500 feet means hunters can find elk using very different habitat depending on time of year and weather, and the lack of designated wilderness (0%) means motorized and mechanized access options remain open across the unit — a meaningful advantage for hunters who don't want to plan around wilderness travel restrictions.

This article breaks down what the data actually shows for Unit 38 — harvest trends, tag quota movement, trophy potential, and the application process — so hunters can decide whether this unit deserves a spot on their Wyoming application strategy.

Harvest Success Rates

Recent harvest data for Unit 38 shows meaningful year-to-year swings that hunters should factor into expectations:

• 2025: 1,125 hunters, 407 elk harvested — 36% success
• 2024: 605 hunters, 324 elk harvested — 54% success
• 2023: 1,098 hunters, 504 elk harvested — 46% success
• 2022: 1,103 hunters, 522 elk harvested — 47% success

The four-year picture shows success rates generally in the mid-to-high 40s, with 2024 standing out as a notably strong year at 54% — though that year also saw far fewer hunters afield (605) compared to the roughly 1,100 hunters in 2022, 2023, and 2025. That inverse relationship between hunter numbers and success rate is worth noting: when hunter pressure dropped in 2024, success climbed, and when hunter numbers returned to the 1,100 range in 2025, success dropped back down to 36%.

Overall, this is a unit where a hunter putting in the effort has a realistic chance at tagging out, but 2025's dip to 36% is a reminder that success isn't guaranteed even in a unit with strong public access and a long track record of solid harvest numbers.

Trophy Quality

Trophy history for the counties overlapping Unit 38 reflects a moderate track record of producing trophy-class bulls over time. This isn't a unit defined by exceptional or headline-grabbing trophy production, but it has a documented history of mature bulls coming from the area, shared with neighboring units that fall within the same counties. Hunters should treat this as a unit capable of producing a solid, mature bull for a patient hunter rather than a unit specifically known for chasing record-book giants.

Given the moderate trophy designation, hunters whose primary goal is antler size should weigh this against other Wyoming units with stronger documented trophy pedigrees. Hunters prioritizing a quality DIY hunt with realistic harvest odds and good public access will find more to like here.

Herd Health & Population Trends

Wildlife survey data collected across four years (2021–2024) shows an average bull-to-cow ratio of 26:100 for Unit 38. This is a modest ratio by elk herd management standards and suggests a bull segment that's been under some hunting pressure relative to the cow population — consistent with a unit that sees over 1,000 hunters afield in most years.

A 26:100 ratio doesn't indicate herd health problems on its own — many actively hunted Wyoming elk units run bull:cow ratios in this range — but it does reinforce the moderate trophy quality assessment above. Hunters shouldn't expect an abundance of mature bulls relative to the cow herd; instead, this points to a unit where bull encounters happen, but hunters need to work for a mature animal rather than assume one behind every tree.

Access & Terrain

Unit 38's terrain profile is defined by dramatic elevation change — from 3,762 feet at the lowest points to 10,325 feet at the highest. That's over 6,500 feet of vertical relief within a single unit, meaning hunters can encounter everything from low-elevation sagebrush and grassland habitat to high alpine timber and basins depending on where they hunt and when.

With 79% of the unit's 361,031 acres in public ownership, DIY hunters have a genuinely strong base of accessible ground to work with — this is well above the threshold where private land becomes a limiting factor, and hunters shouldn't have trouble finding public access points to start their hunt. The 0% wilderness designation is also notable: hunters can use motorized access on open roads and trails where permitted, without the additional planning wilderness travel requires elsewhere in Wyoming.

That said, "public land" doesn't mean "easy hunting." With that much elevation range and nearly 361,000 acres to cover, hunters should expect to do real scouting work — glassing from vantage points across different elevation bands, checking water sources at lower elevations early in the season, and being prepared to hunt higher timber as conditions push elk upward. HuntPilot's mapping tools, including public land overlays, can help hunters identify access points and start narrowing down areas to scout before ever setting boots on the ground.

HuntPilot Analysis — Is Unit 38 Worth Applying For?

Unit 38 presents a mixed but generally favorable picture for hunters weighing where to apply. On the positive side: 79% public land access, no wilderness travel restrictions, dramatic elevation diversity that supports elk throughout the season, and harvest success rates that have ranged from 36% to 54% over the past four years — numbers that put real elk in the freezer for a meaningful share of hunters who draw a tag here.

The trade-offs are real, too. The 26:100 bull:cow ratio and moderate trophy history mean this isn't a unit to target if the primary goal is a wall-hanger bull. And 2025's drop to 36% success alongside a jump back to over 1,100 hunters suggests this unit can see real pressure that affects outcomes.

Tag quota trends add another layer worth understanding before applying. Type 1 tags jumped from just 100 in 2025 back up to 400 in 2026 — a 300% increase — after having been cut from 400 in 2024. Type 4 tags climbed from 375 in 2025 to 550 in 2026, a 47% increase, matching the 2024 level. Type 6 tags increased from 75 to 100 (33%) heading into 2026, and Type 9 tags have held steady at 250 across 2024, 2025, and 2026. These swings show Wyoming Game and Fish actively managing quota levels in this unit year to year, likely in response to herd data — hunters should check current-year quotas on HuntPilot before finalizing an application strategy, since the numbers clearly move.

Bottom line: Unit 38 is worth strong consideration for hunters who value public land access, want a legitimate shot at harvest success, and aren't fixated on trophy size. It's less compelling for hunters exclusively chasing record-book bulls, who may want to compare trophy data against other Wyoming units before committing points here.

How to Apply

Wyoming's elk application system requires nonresidents to draw for every tag, while residents can access general OTC tags in some areas in addition to limited quota draw hunts like those available in Unit 38. Alternatively, check HuntPilot's Wyoming state page (/states/wy) for updated application windows.

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 38? Unit 38 covers 361,031 acres with elevation ranging from 3,762 to 10,325 feet — over 6,500 feet of vertical relief. This creates diverse habitat types within the unit, from lower sagebrush and grassland terrain to high-elevation timber and alpine basins. There is no designated wilderness in the unit, so motorized access is available on open roads and trails, which is a practical advantage for hunters covering this much elevation range.

What is harvest success in Unit 38? Success rates have ranged from 36% to 54% over the past four hunting seasons. Specifically: 36% in 2025 (1,125 hunters, 407 harvested), 54% in 2024 (605 hunters, 324 harvested), 46% in 2023 (1,098 hunters, 504 harvested), and 47% in 2022 (1,103 hunters, 522 harvested). Success tends to run higher when fewer hunters are in the field, suggesting hunting pressure plays a role in outcomes.

How big are the elk in Unit 38? Trophy records from the counties overlapping Unit 38 show a moderate history of trophy-class bulls, shared with neighboring units in the same counties. This isn't a unit specifically known for producing record-book giants, but mature bulls have come from the area. The average bull:cow ratio of 26:100 across recent surveys suggests hunters will need patience and scouting effort to locate a mature bull rather than expecting frequent encounters.

Is Unit 38 worth applying for? For hunters prioritizing public land access (79% of the unit) and a realistic shot at harvest success, yes — the data supports a solid DIY elk hunting opportunity. For hunters solely focused on trophy size, the moderate trophy history and modest bull:cow ratio suggest looking at units with stronger documented trophy production. Check HuntPilot's Unit 38 page for current draw odds before applying, since tag quotas have shifted significantly year to year across hunt types.

What should hunters know about tag quotas in Unit 38 before applying? Quota levels in Unit 38 have moved considerably across recent years and hunt types. Type 1 tags dropped to 100 in 2025 before rebounding to 400 in 2026. Type 4 tags fell to 375 in 2025 before climbing to 550 in 2026. Type 6 tags increased from 75 to 100 heading into 2026. Type 9 tags have remained stable at 250 across all three years shown. These are independent hunt-type quotas, so hunters should check current figures for the specific hunt type they're applying for rather than assuming trends carry across types.