Wyoming Unit 62 Elk Hunting Guide
Wyoming Unit 62 elk hunting draws serious attention from hunters across the Rocky Mountain West — and for good reason. This unit covers 163,768 total acres with an impressive 83% public land base, meaning the vast majority of huntable ground is open to the public without knocking on private landowner doors. Spanning an elevation range from 6,010 feet at the lower desert margins up to 13,142 feet at the high alpine peaks, Unit 62 packs multiple distinct habitat zones into a single draw permit, creating a diverse set of hunting scenarios for elk hunters willing to put in the legwork.
The unit carries a meaningful wilderness component at 11% designated wilderness. Wyoming law requires all nonresident hunters in designated wilderness areas to be accompanied by a licensed Wyoming outfitter or guide — a significant logistical and financial consideration for nonresident DIY applicants. Resident hunters face no such restriction and can hunt the wilderness portion without a guide. Given that 11% wilderness is a minority of the unit's total land base, nonresident hunters who prefer a DIY approach still have access to the large majority of the unit's public acres outside the wilderness boundary.
HuntPilot's data on Unit 62 reveals a unit with real harvest history, documented trophy potential, and multiple draw tiers to match different hunter profiles. This guide breaks down everything hunters need to know before dropping an application on this unit.
Harvest Success Rates
Unit 62 has produced consistent, trackable harvest data across four consecutive seasons — and the numbers tell an encouraging story with some important variability hunters should understand.
In 2023, the unit posted its strongest recent performance: 349 hunters afield with 237 animals harvested, translating to a 68% success rate. That is an exceptional outcome for a Wyoming limited-entry elk unit and reflects either favorable elk distribution, weather conditions that kept animals accessible, or both. The following year dropped significantly — 2024 saw 354 hunters and only 147 harvested for a 42% success rate, the lowest of the four-year window. That kind of year-to-year swing is not unusual in Wyoming elk hunting, where early-season drought, late migrations, or increased hunter pressure can suppress harvest numbers meaningfully.
The 2022 and 2025 seasons landed in the middle of the range. In 2022, 314 hunters produced 162 harvests for a 52% success rate. The 2025 season recovered significantly from the 2024 dip: 337 hunters, 187 harvested, and a 55% success rate. Across all four seasons, the unit has averaged approximately 50–55% success — well above Wyoming's statewide elk harvest average, which typically runs in the 30–45% range depending on unit type and season structure.
The hunter count has remained relatively stable in the 314–354 range across all four years, suggesting tag allocations have not swung dramatically. The variance in success appears driven more by annual conditions than by changes in hunter pressure.
Herd Health & Population Trends
Wildlife survey data from 2021 through 2024 — four survey years — places Unit 62's average bull-to-cow ratio at 28 bulls per 100 cows. That figure sits at the lower end of what wildlife managers typically target in a managed elk herd. Wyoming Game and Fish Department generally targets bull:cow ratios in the range of 20–40 bulls per 100 cows depending on management objectives, so 28:100 falls within the acceptable management window, though it skews toward the conservative end.
A ratio in this range generally indicates a herd being managed for sustained harvest rather than maximized trophy production. Cows are the engine of herd growth, and a lower bull:cow ratio means fewer mature bulls competing for cows — which can affect both the intensity of the rut and the number of mature bulls available to hunters. Hunters targeting trophy-class bulls in Unit 62 should factor this into their expectations.
The consistency across four survey years — rather than wild year-to-year swings — suggests the survey data is reasonably reliable. This is a herd being monitored closely, and the ratio has been stable enough to inform multi-year tag allocation decisions.
Trophy Quality
The counties overlapping Wyoming Unit 62 carry a strong history of trophy production based on historical records. This region of Wyoming has contributed to the trophy record books over multiple decades, and the legacy of high-quality bulls coming out of this area is well-established.
That said, hunters should calibrate expectations to the herd data. A 28:100 bull-to-cow ratio and a management framework that issues several hundred tags per season means the unit is not exclusively managed for maximum trophy output. Trophy-class bulls are present, and the unit's history confirms they have been harvested here — but hunters chasing a once-in-a-lifetime record-book bull should understand that this unit operates at a different tier than ultra-limited permits that cap tags in the single digits. The high public land percentage (83%) and the elevation range reaching above 13,000 feet give elk sanctuary in remote high country that can allow bulls to reach maturity away from hunting pressure, which sustains the unit's trophy potential season over season.
For hunters whose primary goal is combining a legitimate shot at a quality bull with a reasonable application timeline, Unit 62 is a strong candidate.
Access & Terrain
At 163,768 acres with 83% public land, Unit 62 is among the more accessible Wyoming elk units from a land tenure standpoint. Hunters can pursue elk on public ground across the overwhelming majority of the unit without needing to secure private land permission or pay trespass fees.
The elevation range — 6,010 to 13,142 feet — creates dramatically different hunting scenarios depending on where hunters focus. The lower elevations offer more road-accessible terrain and are likely where elk concentrate during transition periods. The high country, pushing into alpine and subalpine terrain above 10,000 feet, demands physical fitness and backcountry logistics but offers the kind of solitude and mature-bull habitat that serious elk hunters prioritize. The 11% wilderness designation sits within this broader landscape; that terrain will be the most remote and physically demanding portion of the unit.
Nonresident hunters planning to access the wilderness portion must hire a licensed Wyoming outfitter. For those targeting the non-wilderness public land — which represents the large majority of the unit's 83% public acres — DIY nonresident hunts are legally permissible and logistically realistic given the public land base.
The elevation swing of over 7,000 feet from bottom to top means hunters need to be prepared for alpine weather conditions, significant physical demands at high altitude, and the logistical requirements of pack-in hunts if they target the remote high country.
HuntPilot Analysis: Is Wyoming Unit 62 Worth Applying For?
Unit 62 is a legitimate contender for hunters across multiple application profiles — but the right answer depends on residency, point status, and hunting goals.
For residents: The tag fee structure starts at $43 for some permit types and $57 for others, with a $5 application fee and no additional license fee required to apply. The application window for 2026 runs from January 2 through June 1, giving residents a long runway to make their decision. With multiple tag types available and a four-year harvest average hovering around 55%, residents who draw Unit 62 are stepping into a hunt with above-average odds of punching a tag.
For nonresidents: The cost picture is more substantial. The 2026 nonresident tag fees span from $288 up to $1,950 depending on the permit type, with a $15 application fee, a $52 point fee, and no additional license fee required to apply. The nonresident deadline is significantly earlier — February 2, 2026 — compared to the resident deadline of June 1. Nonresidents who want to hold or accumulate points must also note the point deadline of November 2. The wilderness guide requirement for that 11% of the unit adds potential outfitter costs for nonresidents who specifically target that terrain.
Tag allocation trends show stability in the Type 1 and Type 4 tag pools for 2025 to 2026 (125 and 75 tags respectively, holding flat). The Type 5 allocation increased by 25 tags — a 14% bump — from 2025 to 2026, signaling that wildlife managers are comfortable with the herd's capacity to support expanded harvest in that permit tier. A quota increase of this magnitude in a single year can modestly affect draw difficulty in that tier, a factor worth tracking in future draw cycles.
The bottom line: Unit 62 offers a rare combination of high public land access (83%), a documented history of above-average harvest success, and regional trophy credentials. For resident hunters, this is a high-value draw target. For nonresidents, the investment is significant but backed by real data — four years of harvest records showing consistent 50%+ success and a strong regional trophy history make this a defensible choice for hunters willing to commit.
For current draw odds, visit HuntPilot's Wyoming unit pages at huntpilot.ai/states/wy.
How to Apply
Wyoming elk applications are handled through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's licensing portal. Here is what hunters need to know for current application cycles:
2028 Application Cycle (all applicants): Applications open January 5, 2028, with a deadline of March 1, 2028.
2026 Application Details — Residents:
- Applications open January 2, 2026
- Deadline: June 1, 2026
- Application fee: $5
- Tag fees: $43 or $57 (varies by permit type)
- License fee: $0.00 (no additional license required to apply)
2026 Application Details — Nonresidents:
- Applications open January 2, 2026
- Deadline: February 2, 2026
- Point deadline: November 2 (for hunters maintaining point status)
- Application fee: $15
- Tag fees: $288, $692, or $1,950 (varies by permit type)
- License fee: $0.00 (no additional license required to apply)
- Point fee: $52
Nonresidents should note that the February 2 deadline arrives more than four months before the resident deadline — calendar planning is critical to avoid missing the draw entirely.
Wyoming elk draws for nonresidents do not use a preference point system in the traditional sense — consult HuntPilot's Wyoming resources or the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's published draw report for current draw difficulty context before applying.
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
What is the terrain like in Wyoming Unit 62? Unit 62 spans an elevation range from 6,010 feet to 13,142 feet — a vertical relief of more than 7,000 feet. That range encompasses everything from lower-elevation sagebrush and foothills terrain to high alpine basins and timbered slopes approaching 13,000 feet. Hunters should expect rugged, physically demanding country, particularly in the high-elevation portions. The 83% public land base means the vast majority of this terrain is open to public access without private land permission.
What is the harvest success rate in Wyoming Unit 62? Unit 62 has averaged roughly 55% harvest success across the four most recent seasons tracked by HuntPilot: 68% in 2023, 42% in 2024, 55% in 2025, and 52% in 2022. Year-to-year variability is real, but the multi-year average significantly outperforms Wyoming's typical statewide elk success rates. Hunters who draw this unit have a better-than-even chance of punching their tag in most years.
How big are the elk in Wyoming Unit 62? The counties overlapping Unit 62 have a strong regional history of trophy-class elk production. That said, the unit's 28:100 bull-to-cow ratio and multi-hundred-tag allocation mean it is managed for sustained harvest rather than exclusively for maximum trophy output. Trophy bulls have been taken from this area across multiple decades, and the high-elevation remote terrain gives bulls space to reach maturity — but hunters should come with realistic expectations calibrated to the herd data.
Is Wyoming Unit 62 worth applying for? For most hunters, yes — particularly residents. The unit combines 83% public land, a four-year harvest success average in the 50–55% range, multiple permit tiers across different price points, and documented regional trophy history. Nonresidents face higher costs (tag fees up to $1,950 plus a $52 point fee) and an earlier February 2 application deadline, but the underlying unit quality supports the investment. Hunters targeting the 11% wilderness portion of the unit as nonresidents will also need to factor in the cost of a licensed Wyoming outfitter, as state law requires a guide for nonresident wilderness hunting.
What is the bull-to-cow ratio in Wyoming Unit 62? Survey data from 2021 through 2024 shows an average bull-to-cow ratio of 28:100 across four survey years. This falls within Wyoming Game and Fish's typical management range but leans toward the lower end, suggesting the herd is managed more for sustained harvest than for maximizing the proportion of mature bulls. Hunters should factor this into both trophy expectations and hunting strategy.