Wyoming Unit 48 Pronghorn Antelope Hunting Guide

Wyoming Unit 48 sits in the state's famed Red Desert country, a sprawling 548,435-acre block of sagebrush flats, checkerboard land, and open range that has quietly produced some of the most talked-about pronghorn in Wyoming's history. For hunters researching Wyoming Unit 48 pronghorn antelope hunting, this is a unit that blends solid public access with a legitimate shot at a genuinely big buck — provided applicants understand the tag structure and land ownership pattern before committing points or planning a trip.

At 55% public land across 548,435 acres, with elevations ranging from 5,683 to 9,019 feet, Unit 48 offers a mix of BLM flats and checkerboarded sections that require some homework to navigate. There's no wilderness designation here, so access isn't restricted by guide requirements — this is open, walkable pronghorn country for residents and nonresidents alike, DIY-friendly for those willing to study land ownership maps closely before the season.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 48 Worth Applying For?

Based on data compiled by HuntPilot, Unit 48 checks several important boxes for pronghorn hunters. Harvest success has been consistently strong and stable across recent years: 85% in 2025, 87% in 2024, 84% in 2023, and 91% in 2022. That's a remarkably tight band of success rates — this unit reliably produces filled tags for hunters who draw it, regardless of year-to-year fluctuations in hunter numbers (which ranged from 294 to 371 across the same four-year window).

The trophy angle is where Unit 48 separates itself from many other Wyoming pronghorn units. The counties overlapping this unit carry an extensive history of trophy-class pronghorn production — this is Red Desert country, long recognized among serious pronghorn hunters as some of the best trophy ground in the West. Hunters chasing a genuinely exceptional buck, not just a filled tag, should weigh this unit seriously against other Wyoming options. That said, record-book entries are logged at the county level, not the unit level, meaning the trophy pedigree associated with this area is shared with neighboring units drawing from the same counties — it's a regional strength, not an exclusive Unit 48 trait.

The one data point worth tempering expectations around is herd composition. The average buck:doe ratio across four survey years (2021–2024) sits at 45:100. That's a modest ratio by pronghorn standards and suggests hunters shouldn't expect to see bucks behind every doe group — quality is there, but buck density relative to does is not exceptional. It's a reminder that Unit 48 rewards hunters willing to glass extensively and be selective rather than shoot the first legal buck encountered.

The tag quota trends also tell an important story for anyone planning multiple years of applications. Type 1 tags grew from 150 in 2024 to 200 in both 2025 and 2026 — a meaningful bump in opportunity that's held steady. Type 2 tags have stayed flat at 150 across all three years. Type 6 tags (doe/fawn) jumped from 50 to 100 tags heading into 2026, a full doubling that signals increased antlerless opportunity, useful for hunters looking to build points on a buck tag while still getting meat in the freezer via Type 6.

Overall: for hunters with a handful of preference points and a genuine interest in a trophy-caliber Red Desert buck, Unit 48 deserves a hard look. For those chasing volume opportunity with minimal draw investment, the growing Type 6 quota offers a reasonable entry point.

Harvest Success Rates

Unit 48's harvest numbers are among the more consistent in the state. Over the last four reported seasons:

• 2025: 371 hunters, 316 harvested — 85% success
• 2024: 317 hunters, 277 harvested — 87% success
• 2023: 294 hunters, 248 harvested — 84% success
• 2022: 315 hunters, 286 harvested — 91% success

Success rates have held in the mid-80s to low-90s range for four straight years, which is a strong indicator of stable herd numbers and good hunter access to huntable ground. Hunters drawing any tag type in this unit have historically enjoyed high odds of putting an animal on the ground, assuming reasonable effort and mobility across the terrain.

Trophy Quality

Unit 48 falls within Wyoming's Red Desert region, an area with an extensive trophy record history for pronghorn. This is qualitative, county-level context rather than a unit-exclusive claim — record-book entries are attributed to the counties that overlap Unit 48 and are shared with adjacent units in the same draw area. Still, the presence of that trophy pedigree is a meaningful signal: this general region has consistently produced trophy-class bucks over multiple decades, and hunters targeting a genuinely exceptional pronghorn have real reason to consider Unit 48 among their top choices.

Given the moderate buck:doe ratio (45:100) reported in recent surveys, trophy hunters should plan on patience and selectivity. The genetics and history are present, but big bucks in a lower-ratio herd are typically found by covering ground, glassing hard, and passing on marginal animals early in the hunt rather than expecting bucks to be abundant relative to does.

Herd Health & Population Trends

Wildlife survey data for Unit 48 spans four years (2021–2024), with an average buck:doe ratio of 45:100. This ratio is within a biologically normal range for pronghorn — not exceptional, but not concerning either. It suggests a herd with adequate buck representation but not an overabundance, reinforcing the idea that trophy bucks in this unit are earned through scouting and patience rather than simply being commonplace.

Combined with consistently high harvest success rates over the past four years, the data paints a picture of a stable, healthy population capable of supporting current tag quotas without signs of decline.

Access & Terrain

Unit 48 covers 548,435 acres with 55% public land, meaning a majority — but not an overwhelming majority — of the unit is open to public hunting. Elevations run from 5,683 feet up to 9,019 feet, indicating a good range of terrain from lower desert flats to higher benches and rises. There is no wilderness designation in this unit (0%), so there are no Wyoming guide requirements tied to wilderness access here — nonresidents are free to hunt this unit DIY without needing to hire an outfitter for wilderness-specific reasons.

That said, hunters should be aware that this region includes checkerboarded land ownership patterns, alternating sections of public and private ground. This is common in old railroad-grant areas of southern Wyoming and requires careful attention to land ownership maps to avoid trespass, since public and private sections can sit directly adjacent to one another without obvious boundary markers. Hunters planning a DIY trip should use detailed land ownership overlays — available through HuntPilot's mapping tools — to identify legal access points and avoid inadvertently crossing onto private sections while pursuing animals across open flats.

The open, rolling character of the terrain means visibility is generally good, which favors spot-and-stalk tactics typical of pronghorn hunting, but the checkerboard pattern in the lower end of the unit specifically demands pre-season map work.

How to Apply

Wyoming pronghorn applications for Unit 48 fall under the state's standard draw calendar.

For the most current draw odds and quota information specific to Unit 48, visit HuntPilot's Wyoming state page at /states/wy.

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 48? Unit 48 is classic Red Desert country — open sagebrush flats and rolling desert terrain with elevations ranging from 5,683 to 9,019 feet. The unit has no wilderness designation, so it's accessible, walkable ground well-suited to spot-and-stalk pronghorn tactics. The lower end of the unit includes checkerboarded public-private land ownership, which requires careful map work to navigate legally.

What is harvest success like in Unit 48? Harvest success has been strong and consistent, ranging from 84% to 91% over the last four reported seasons (2022–2025). In 2025, 316 of 371 hunters harvested an animal for an 85% success rate, continuing a pattern of high success that has held steady year over year.

How big are the pronghorn in Unit 48? The counties overlapping Unit 48 carry an extensive trophy record history, reflecting the broader Red Desert region's reputation as some of the best trophy pronghorn ground in Wyoming. That trophy potential is shared across neighboring units drawing from the same counties, but it signals that hunters targeting an exceptional buck have good reason to consider this area. The moderate buck:doe ratio (45:100) suggests bucks aren't overly abundant, so trophy hunters should plan for a patient, selective approach.

Is Unit 48 worth applying for as a nonresident? For nonresidents willing to invest in points and plan a DIY trip, Unit 48 offers a strong combination of consistent harvest success, real trophy potential tied to its Red Desert location, and majority public access (55%). The checkerboard land pattern in parts of the unit adds a layer of planning complexity, but it doesn't erase the unit's overall appeal. Check current draw odds on HuntPilot's unit page before deciding how many points to commit.

Do I need a guide to hunt Unit 48 as a nonresident? No. Unit 48 has 0% wilderness designation, so Wyoming's outfitter requirement for wilderness areas does not apply here. Nonresidents are free to hunt this unit DIY, though careful attention to public/private land boundaries is essential given the checkerboard ownership pattern in parts of the unit.