Wyoming Unit 67 Elk Hunting Guide
Wyoming Unit 67 elk hunting draws serious applicants from across the country for good reason. This high-elevation unit stretches from roughly 6,400 feet at its lower reaches to over 12,500 feet at its peaks, covering 448,371 total acres with an exceptional 90% public land base. That combination — vast public access, dramatic vertical relief, and a significant 36% wilderness component — creates the kind of elk country that hunters spend years building toward. Unit 67 is not a drive-up-and-hunt situation for most, but for those willing to commit to the terrain, the opportunity to pursue elk on largely undeveloped, roadless public land is genuine.
The unit sits squarely in Wyoming's high country, and its wilderness designation shapes the character of the hunt fundamentally. With 36% of the unit classified as wilderness, a significant portion of the huntable elk habitat demands physical effort to access. Hunters who invest in the backcountry — whether on foot, horseback, or with the assistance of a licensed Wyoming outfitter — find themselves in elk habitat that sees considerably less pressure than the road-accessible fringes. This is rugged, demanding country where preparation and fitness matter as much as the tag in a hunter's pocket.
Recent harvest data from HuntPilot shows Unit 67 has been producing consistent numbers across a meaningful sample of hunters — over 2,100 to 2,500 hunters per year in recent seasons. The unit carries moderate trophy potential based on its geographic footprint, and quota trends suggest the state has been actively managing access. For hunters evaluating where to invest their Wyoming elk application, Unit 67 deserves a serious look.
Harvest Success Rates
Unit 67 has posted harvest success rates that most western elk hunters would consider solid across a four-year window. The recent data tells a clear story:
- 2025: 2,507 hunters, 953 harvested — 38% success
- 2024: 2,497 hunters, 627 harvested — 25% success
- 2023: 2,159 hunters, 895 harvested — 41% success
- 2022: 2,141 hunters, 780 harvested — 36% success
The four-year average runs approximately 35% overall success, which compares favorably against Wyoming's broader elk hunting landscape. The 2024 dip to 25% stands out — while the cause isn't specified in available data, weather patterns, migration timing, and herd dynamics all influence year-to-year variation in high-elevation units. The bounce back to 38% in 2025 with the largest hunter count in the four-year sample (2,507 hunters) suggests the unit absorbed additional pressure and still delivered solid harvest numbers.
The hunter participation numbers themselves are worth noting. The jump from roughly 2,150 hunters in 2022–2023 to over 2,490 in 2024–2025 reflects increased tag availability and growing interest in the unit. Hunters evaluating success rates should weigh the full four-year picture rather than anchoring to a single season — across that window, Unit 67 consistently puts elk on the ground at rates that reward prepared hunters.
Trophy Quality
Counties overlapping Wyoming Unit 67 carry moderate trophy history. This is not one of Wyoming's legendary bull factories — hunters expecting a high-probability encounter with a truly exceptional bull should calibrate expectations accordingly. That said, moderate trophy history is not nothing. Trophy-class animals have been taken from this general area, and the wilderness terrain that defines a significant portion of the unit creates refuge where mature bulls can reach their potential with less hunting pressure.
The average bull:cow ratio from four years of wildlife surveys (2021–2024) sits at 22:100. That figure is meaningful context: a 22:100 ratio falls below what biologists typically target for optimal trophy production (the general benchmark is roughly 25–30 bulls per 100 cows in well-managed herds). This ratio suggests the bull segment of the herd is under pressure — not alarming, but not exceptional either. Hunters in Unit 67 are hunting a unit where mature bulls exist but are not abundant. Locating a quality bull requires effort, glassing time, and a willingness to cover ground.
For hunters whose primary goal is a high-probability encounter with a record-class bull, Unit 67 may fall short. For hunters seeking a legitimate wilderness elk hunt with real public land access and a reasonable chance at a mature bull, the unit delivers.
Herd Health & Population Trends
The four-year average bull:cow ratio of 22:100 across surveys from 2021 to 2024 provides the clearest window into herd dynamics in Unit 67. While a 22:100 ratio indicates the bull component is not as strong as managers would ideally target, it represents a herd that is functional and sustaining itself well enough to support 2,100–2,500 hunters annually with 35% average success.
Cow numbers support the herd's reproductive capacity, and Wyoming Game and Fish has shown active management interest in Unit 67 as evidenced by the quota adjustments tracked across hunt types. The state has been expanding overall tag availability — a signal that managers believe the population can support additional harvest pressure. Hunters should monitor annual survey reports and Wyoming Game and Fish herd unit reports for updated ratio data, as management objectives in high-elevation wilderness units can shift based on winter severity and summer range conditions.
Tag quota trends across the unit's draw pools show meaningful increases. One hunt type grew from 450 tags in 2025 to 600 in 2026 — a 33% increase — while others saw 11–12% growth. One hunt type held stable at 150 tags. These trends reflect active management rather than a static allocation, and hunters tracking the unit over multiple years should note that quota expansion typically follows population data that supports it.
Access & Terrain
At 448,371 acres with 90% public land, Unit 67 offers DIY hunters one of the higher public access percentages found anywhere in Wyoming's elk units. The vast majority of the unit is open to walk-in access, with BLM, National Forest, and state lands collectively comprising nearly the entire landmass. Private land inholdings are minimal compared to most Wyoming units, reducing the friction that plagues access-constrained units elsewhere in the state.
The 36% wilderness component is where the calculus gets complicated — specifically for nonresidents. Wyoming law requires all nonresidents hunting in designated wilderness areas to be accompanied by a licensed Wyoming outfitter or guide. In a unit where more than a third of the land base is designated wilderness, that requirement covers a substantial slice of the best elk country. Nonresident hunters pursuing DIY hunts will need to focus their efforts on the non-wilderness portions of the unit — still significant acreage, but hunters should understand that the most remote, pressure-free terrain comes with a guide requirement attached.
Wyoming residents face no such restriction and can hunt the full unit, including wilderness areas, without a guide. For resident hunters, the 90% public land and 36% wilderness combination is a genuine advantage — access to backcountry elk habitat that most western states simply cannot match.
The elevation range from approximately 6,400 to 12,500 feet creates dramatic habitat diversity. Lower-elevation benches and drainages hold elk early and during severe weather, while high alpine basins and timbered north-facing slopes provide summer range and early-season security cover. Elk movement across this vertical gradient follows weather and seasonal patterns — hunters who understand that dynamic and can adapt their approach accordingly will consistently find elk in more locations than those who commit to a single elevation band.
The terrain demands physical preparation. Pack-in approaches are common in the wilderness sections, and even road-accessible public land in a unit of this size and relief requires hunters to be fit enough to work steep, rocky terrain at altitude.
HuntPilot Analysis: Is Wyoming Unit 67 Worth Applying For?
Bottom line: Yes — for the right type of hunter.
Unit 67 is not a draw-and-fill proposition. With a four-year average success rate around 35% and a bull:cow ratio reflecting modest bull density, hunters need to approach this unit with realistic expectations. But the case for applying is built on genuine strengths: 90% public land, a meaningful wilderness buffer that limits the casual hunting pressure that erodes other units, a consistent four-year harvest record, and a tag structure that has expanded — suggesting the state sees sustainable population numbers supporting the draw.
Nonresident hunters need to understand the wilderness guide requirement and either budget for an outfitter in wilderness terrain or focus hunt planning on the non-wilderness public land. Residents hunting the full unit face minimal barriers to a DIY backcountry hunt and are looking at one of Wyoming's better public land elk opportunities.
Trophy seekers with maximum point stacks should be honest with themselves: moderate trophy history and a 22:100 bull:cow ratio don't scream once-in-a-lifetime bull. But hunters focused on a quality wilderness experience, legitimate public land access, and a 35% average success rate will find Unit 67 delivers on those terms year over year.
How to Apply
Wyoming elk applications operate on two separate calendar tracks depending on residency.
For 2026, nonresident applications for Unit 67 elk open January 2, 2026, with a deadline of February 2, 2026. Nonresident fees vary by hunt type: the application fee is $15 across all draws. Tag fees range depending on the specific draw pool — $288, $692, or $1,950 depending on the hunt. No separate license fee is required to apply ($0.00). Hunters purchasing a preference point instead of applying for a tag can do so for $52, with a point deadline of November 2, 2026.
Resident applications for 2026 open January 2, 2026, with a deadline of June 1, 2026. Resident application fees are $5, with tag fees of either $43 or $57 depending on the hunt type. No separate license is required to apply.
For 2028, the application deadline for all regular elk draws is March 1, 2028, with applications opening January 5, 2028. Check HuntPilot's Wyoming state page at huntpilot.ai/states/wy for current draw information, including updated quotas and point requirements as they are published.
For current draw odds by hunt type and point level, visit HuntPilot's Unit 67 page — odds shift annually and the most accurate picture of competitiveness comes from the most recently published draw report.
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 67? Unit 67 is high-elevation, rugged western Wyoming country spanning roughly 6,400 to 12,500 feet. The unit offers significant vertical relief with alpine basins, timbered north-facing slopes, and lower-elevation drainages. With 36% designated wilderness, much of the prime elk habitat is backcountry that requires either a pack-in approach or an outfitter. The non-wilderness public land is still extensive — the unit is 90% public overall — but hunters should prepare for physically demanding terrain throughout.
What is the harvest success rate in Wyoming Unit 67 elk hunting? Recent harvest data shows consistent performance: 38% success in 2025, 25% in 2024, 41% in 2023, and 36% in 2022. The four-year average runs approximately 35%. The 2024 dip is notable but the broader trend shows a unit that reliably produces harvest results for prepared hunters. Success requires effort — this is not a high-density, easy-access unit — but a 35% average is solid for Wyoming's competitive limited-entry elk landscape.
How big are the elk in Wyoming Unit 67? Counties overlapping Unit 67 carry moderate trophy history — trophy-class bulls have been taken from this area, but it is not one of Wyoming's top-producing trophy units. The four-year average bull:cow ratio of 22:100 indicates the bull segment is present but not abundant, and mature bulls capable of reaching trophy status require hunters to work harder and penetrate deeper into low-pressure terrain. Hunters primarily focused on trophy size may find better options in Wyoming's most coveted limited-entry units.
Is Wyoming Unit 67 worth applying for as a nonresident? Yes, with an important caveat: the 36% wilderness coverage triggers Wyoming's mandatory guide requirement for nonresidents in wilderness areas. Nonresidents planning a DIY hunt will need to focus on non-wilderness public land. For hunters willing to hire a licensed Wyoming outfitter, the wilderness terrain in Unit 67 offers access to low-pressure elk habitat that justifies the investment. The 90% public land base and consistent harvest success make this a legitimate draw target — but nonresidents should factor guide costs and the limited-entry point investment into their planning.
Can residents hunt Wyoming Unit 67 DIY? Yes. Wyoming residents face no guide requirement, even in designated wilderness areas, making Unit 67 a strong DIY option for resident hunters who are physically prepared for backcountry terrain. The combination of 90% public land, 36% wilderness, and a four-year average success rate around 35% makes this one of Wyoming's more compelling resident elk draw options — particularly for hunters who can pack into the backcountry and separate themselves from road-pressure hunters.