Wyoming Unit 93 Elk Hunting Guide

Wyoming Unit 93 is a limited-quota elk hunting unit covering 166,570 acres of mountainous terrain ranging from 7,137 to 11,344 feet in elevation. There is no general season here — every single elk hunt available in Unit 93, including hunts for antlered and either-sex animals, runs through Wyoming's draw system. That makes this a true draw unit from top to bottom, and hunters researching Unit 93 need to understand the application structure before building a strategy around it.

With 68% of the unit in public ownership and 15% designated wilderness, Unit 93 offers a meaningful amount of accessible ground, but it also carries elevation and terrain demands that separate it from easier roadside hunting areas. This is high-country elk hunting, and hunters should plan accordingly for physical conditioning, pack-out logistics, and weather variability tied to the altitude range.

This article breaks down what the harvest data, survey data, and trophy history tell us about Unit 93, and what that means for hunters deciding whether to spend points or apply fresh.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 93 Worth Applying For?

The harvest numbers for Unit 93 show a unit that performs consistently and, notably, is trending in the right direction. Success rates have climbed from 39% in 2022 down to 35% in 2023, then back up to 36% in 2024 and 37% in 2025. That's a tight band of success in the mid-to-high 30s across four consecutive years — a sign of a stable elk population and a unit that produces for hunters who draw a tag. Hunter numbers have also grown steadily, from 341 hunters in 2022 to 435 in 2025, with harvest totals rising in step (133 elk in 2022 up to 162 in 2025). That combination — more hunters, more harvest, and stable-to-improving success rate — suggests Wyoming Game and Fish is managing quotas here without diluting hunter quality.

The survey data adds useful context but requires a careful read. The average bull:cow ratio across four survey years (2021–2024) sits at 33:100. That's a modest ratio, well within normal range for a hunted elk population, and it doesn't scream "trophy factory," but it also doesn't suggest a herd under stress. It's a workable ratio that supports a general-opportunity draw unit with real harvest activity, rather than a unit being managed primarily for score.

On trophy potential, the counties overlapping Unit 93 carry a moderate history of trophy-class elk entries. That's a meaningful data point but should be read with the right caveat: record-book entries are logged by county, not by hunt unit, and those entries are shared across every unit that overlaps the same county boundaries — including neighbors of Unit 93. A moderate trophy history means mature bulls have come from this general area over time, but it doesn't mean Unit 93 specifically is turning out trophy bulls at a high rate every season. Hunters chasing an exceptional bull should treat this as a unit with some trophy pedigree in the surrounding country, not a guaranteed trophy destination.

Put together, Unit 93 reads as a solid, dependable limited-quota elk unit — good success rates, growing hunter participation without a success collapse, a workable bull:cow ratio, and moderate trophy credentials in the surrounding counties. It's worth applying for if a hunter's goal is a quality DIY-style hunt with a realistic shot at punching a tag, rather than a unit built around producing only exceptional bulls. For current draw odds specific to each hunt and point level, check HuntPilot's Unit 93 page directly — the numbers above explain why the unit performs, but applicants need the latest draw data to plan their actual application.

Access & Terrain

Unit 93 spans a wide elevation band — from 7,137 feet at the lower end up to 11,344 feet at the highest points. That nearly 4,200-foot spread means hunters could be dealing with sagebrush foothills and timbered mid-elevation slopes early in a hunt, and alpine basins or exposed high country as they push toward the unit's upper reaches. Physical conditioning matters here, and hunters should scout multiple elevation bands rather than assuming elk will hold in one zone throughout a season.

Public land makes up 68% of the unit, giving DIY hunters a real base of accessible ground to work with — this is not a unit dominated by private landholdings, and hunters can build a season around public access without needing special permission or leases. The 15% wilderness designation is also worth planning around. Wyoming state law requires nonresident hunters to use a licensed Wyoming outfitter or guide when hunting in designated wilderness areas. At 15% wilderness coverage, Unit 93 is not a wilderness-dominated unit — the large majority of huntable public ground falls outside wilderness boundaries — but nonresidents interested in pushing into that wilderness portion specifically will need to arrange a guide to do so legally. DIY nonresident hunters can still hunt the non-wilderness public land in Unit 93 without a guide.

Given the terrain spread and the wilderness pocket, hunters should think about access strategy early: lower-elevation public ground will be easier to reach and pattern, while the high country and wilderness fringe will demand more effort, better conditioning, and — for nonresidents wanting that ground — a guide.

Harvest Success Rates

Unit 93's harvest data over the past four years shows a unit with real, repeatable opportunity:

• 2025: 435 hunters, 162 harvested, 37% success
• 2024: 427 hunters, 155 harvested, 36% success
• 2023: 414 hunters, 143 harvested, 35% success
• 2022: 341 hunters, 133 harvested, 39% success

Success rates in the mid-to-high 30s are solid for a limited-quota elk unit and indicate that hunters who draw a tag here have a legitimate chance at filling it. The steady rise in hunter numbers — up nearly 100 hunters from 2022 to 2025 — without a corresponding crash in success rate is a good sign for herd health and habitat carrying capacity. It suggests Wyoming Game and Fish has room to issue tags here without overcrowding the resource.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The available survey data covers four years (2021–2024) and shows an average bull:cow ratio of 33:100. This is a moderate ratio — not high enough to suggest a bull-heavy, trophy-managed herd, but entirely normal for a unit that supports consistent annual harvest. Combined with rising hunter participation and stable success rates, the data points to a herd that's holding steady under current management rather than one in decline or in an unusual boom cycle. Hunters should view this as a working elk population capable of sustaining current and likely future tag levels, rather than a unit defined by an exceptional bull-to-cow ratio.

Trophy Quality

Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 93 reflect a moderate history of production. That means mature, trophy-class bulls have come from this broader geographic area over time, giving the unit some credibility as a place where a hunter can encounter an older-age-class bull. However, because trophy records are attributed at the county level, that same trophy history is shared with neighboring units that overlap the same counties — it is not unique evidence that Unit 93 itself is outproducing its neighbors.

Hunters should treat Unit 93 as a unit with moderate trophy potential: not a unit defined by a dense record of exceptional bulls, but one where a patient, mobile hunter willing to work the elevation gradient and pressure-sensitive pockets has a realistic chance at a mature animal. This lines up with the unit's harvest data — a healthy volume of elk taken annually, likely spanning a range of age classes rather than being concentrated at the very top end.

How to Apply

Every elk hunt in Unit 93 — including hunts for antlered and either-sex elk — is issued through Wyoming's draw system. There is no general season or over-the-counter option here, so hunters must apply and be selected to hunt this unit at all.

Wyoming's draw structure differs by residency. Nonresidents applying for Wyoming elk compete through a system that includes a preference-pool mechanism where the highest point holders draw first, running alongside a separate random pool that is blind to point totals — points do not improve odds in that random portion. It's important to understand that a successful draw consumes a nonresident's accumulated points, meaning point totals reset after a tag is drawn and must be rebuilt from scratch for future applications.

Wyoming residents applying for elk do not accumulate preference points — resident elk tags in Wyoming are allocated through a straight random draw process, not a points system. Residents should not expect "point status" to factor into their odds; every application year stands on its own.

Given the wilderness portion of Unit 93, nonresident hunters without an outfitter arranged should factor that into their planning — the non-wilderness public land (the large majority of the unit's 68% public acreage) is open to DIY nonresident hunting, but the wilderness pocket requires a licensed guide under Wyoming law.

Application structure, deadlines, and fees change from year to year and are not something to rely on from an article like this. For current application windows, fee schedules, and draw odds specific to Unit 93's hunt codes, hunters should go directly to HuntPilot's Wyoming state page for the most current numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Wyoming Unit 93? Unit 93 covers a broad elevation range from 7,137 feet to 11,344 feet, meaning hunters will encounter everything from lower-elevation foothill terrain to high alpine country within the same unit. With 68% public land, there's substantial room to roam, and the 15% wilderness designation adds a rugged, less-accessible component in part of the unit. Hunters should expect significant elevation gain and plan for both road-accessible ground and more remote high-country terrain depending on where they choose to hunt.

What is harvest success like in Unit 93? Success rates have run between 35% and 39% over the last four years (2022–2025), with 2025 posting 37% success across 435 hunters and 162 elk harvested. That's a consistent, dependable success range for a limited-quota elk unit, and the trend of rising hunter numbers alongside stable success suggests the herd is handling current tag levels well.

How big are the elk in Unit 93? Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 93 show a moderate history of trophy-class bulls, meaning mature animals have come from the broader area but the unit isn't defined by an exceptional trophy record. Combined with an average bull:cow ratio of 33:100 across recent surveys, hunters should expect a realistic shot at a mature bull rather than a guaranteed trophy encounter — this is a solid opportunity unit more than a specialized trophy unit.

Is Wyoming Unit 93 worth applying for? Based on the available data, yes — for hunters prioritizing a dependable, well-managed elk hunt with real harvest success (mid-to-high 30s percent over four straight years) and a decent public land base (68%), Unit 93 is a reasonable unit to target. It's not positioned as an elite trophy unit based on current data, but it offers consistent opportunity and a workable herd. Check HuntPilot's Unit 93 page for current draw odds to see how realistic the draw is at a given point level.

Do nonresidents need a guide to hunt Unit 93? Only within the unit's wilderness portion, which makes up 15% of Unit 93. Wyoming law requires nonresidents to hunt with a licensed outfitter or guide inside designated wilderness. The remaining 85% of the unit, including the bulk of its 68% public land, is open to DIY nonresident hunting without a guide requirement.