Wyoming hunt Planner

Welcome to our Hunt Planner. In the sections that follow you will find interactive maps, species specific hunt information, drawing odds, harvest information, public access and much more.

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Wyoming hosts both mule deer and white-tailed deer. Mule deer are Wyoming’s most abundant and sought-after deer. Mule deer are found from high in the western mountains to the low elevation creek bottoms of eastern Wyoming and most habitats in between.

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Hunt Area 78, 79, 80, 81

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Apply For Season Dates Archery Dates License Limitations
078-3 Oct. 1 - Dec. 31 Sep. 1 - Sep. 30 Any white-tailed deer
078-8 Sep. 1 - Dec. 31 - Doe or fawn white-tailed deer
079-1* Oct. 1 - Oct. 14 Sep. 1 - Sep. 30 Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer
* Difficult Public Access
huntarea-deer-sample

Approx. % of Public Land: 42%
Access to Public Land: Poor
Access Notes: The northern and western edge of the area lies within a checkerboard of alternating public and private lands. Ranches along the North Platte River tend to be large, so significant blocks of the area are either unavailable for hunting or available only to outfitted hunters. Public lands in this hunt area are primarily administered by the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Several sections of State Trust Land are accessible for deer hunting. The Pennock Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Area (WHMA) is managed by Game and Fish and can be accessed for deer hunting as well.
Mapping Resources: Saratoga and Medicine Bow

Additional Information: None
USFS Designated Wilderness Areas: None
Hunting Access in Wyoming - Public Access Summary

Parcels of land where Game and Fish facilitates management of hunters for access to hunt. 


Available Public access Areas for this Hunt Area

Saratoga Lake More Info
North Platte River-Pick Bridge More Info
North Platte River-Sanger More Info
Elk Mountain Reservoir More Info
North Platte River-Rochelle More Info

Parcels of land where Game and Fish facilitates management of hunters for access to hunt. SW TEST


Available Wildlife Habitat Management areas for this Hunt Area

Pennock Mountain More Info

  • Nonresident Deadlines
  • Applications Open: January 2, 2026
  • Application Deadline: June 1, 2026
  • Modify & Withdrawal Deadline: June 1, 2026
  • Tentative Draw Results Available: June 18, 2026
  • Preference Point Only***: July 1, 2026 - November 2, 2026
  • Resident Deadlines
  • Applications Open: January 2, 2026
  • Application Deadline: June 1, 2026
  • Modify & Withdrawal Deadline: June 1, 2026
  • Tentative Draw Results Available: June 18, 2026

*** An applicant must be at least eleven (11) years old at the time of submitting an application to purchase a preference point and must be at least twelve (12) years old by December 31 of that year.

  • Nonresident Fees
  • Full Price Landowner License: $374.00
  • Full Price Landowner Youth License**: $110.00
  • Full Price License: $374.00
  • Full Price Youth License**: $110.00
  • Preference Point Only Youth***: $10.00
  • Preference Point Only: $41.00
  • Reduced Price Doe/Fawn License: $34.00
  • Reduced Price Landowner Doe/Fawn License: $34.00
  • Reduced Price Landowner Youth Doe/Fawn License**: $19.00
  • Reduced Price Youth Doe/Fawn License**: $19.00
  • Special License: $1,200.00
  • Resident Fees
  • Full Price Landowner License: $42.00
  • Full Price Landowner Youth License**: $15.00
  • Full Price License: $42.00
  • Full Price Youth License**: $15.00
  • Reduced Price Doe/Fawn License: $22.00
  • Reduced Price Landowner Doe/Fawn License: $22.00
  • Reduced Price Landowner Youth Doe/Fawn License**: $14.00
  • Reduced Price Youth Doe/Fawn License**: $14.00

** An applicant may apply for any big game license if he/she is eleven (11) years of age and has not attained eighteen (18) years of age at the time of application. Any person may take a big or trophy game animal at eleven (11) years of age if the person will attain twelve (12) years of age by the end of that calendar year. Persons who are less than eighteen (18) years of age and at least eleven (11) years of age at the time of application may apply for a youth license and remit youth fees. Applicants must be at least fourteen (14) years of age prior to September 15 of the application year in order to hunt wild bison. Applicants under the age of eighteen (18) may have their parent or legal guardian submit an application on their behalf.

Buck/Any Drawing Odds

2025 Drawing odds

Resident Landowner

Hunt Type Total Quota Landowner Licenses Issued Landowner License Odds
1 200 7 100.00%
3 40 8 100.00%

Resident

Hunt Type Total Quota First choice Applicants First choice odds
1 193 1091 17.69%
3 32 68 47.06%

Doe/Fawn Drawing Odds

2025 Drawing odds

Resident Landowner

Hunt Type Total Quota Landowner Licenses Issued Landowner License Odds
8 100 3 100.00%
8 100 3 100.00%

Resident

Hunt Type Total Quota First choice Applicants First choice odds
8 97 172 56.40%
8 97 172 56.40%

Topography and Vegetation: There are cottonwood river bottoms along the North Platte River and other major creeks in the area. These river bottoms expand into large irrigated hayfields/meadows along the North Platte and into rugged canyons in other parts of the hunt area. Beyond the irrigated fields and meadows sagebrush steppe dominates the lower elevation land cover. The eastern half of the area rises into the timbered Snowy Range. The effects of an intense mountain pine beetle infestation are obvious in the Snowy Range Mountains as thousands of acres of pine trees have died. The topography along the I-80 corridor is made up of rocky rims and irregular breaks. Elevation ranges from 6,600 feet along the North Platte River to 10,800 feet at Kennaday Peak.
General Statement Regarding this Hunt Area: Mule deer occupy sagebrush draws, riparian areas, heavily timbered forest lands, and rocky canyon areas. Between October and November, many mule deer will migrate from high elevation, summer range habitats to lower, foothill or basin wintering areas. If fall weather is mild, mule deer will remain at higher elevations for an extended period. Mule deer will use heavily timbered areas as a refuge during the fall hunting seasons. If fall/winter weather becomes more severe hunters will find mule deer moving into mid-elevation, mountain shrub transitional ranges. When snow levels begin to impede movement, mule deer will move to open-timbered, west-facing exposures and shrub-covered, south-facing slopes. Hunters may find mule deer moving to the foothills of Elk Mountain and towards the North Platte River. Ultimately many of the deer in this area will move to Cedar Hills, Savage Meadows, or north of I-80 in the Fort Steele Breaks. White-tailed Deer Opportunities White-tailed deer are primarily found on river and creek bottoms and near irrigated lands/meadows. These lands are predominantly privately owned in this area.
Additional Hunting Opportunities: Cottontail rabbit are most abundant in sagebrush/greasewood habitats in the area. Sage-grouse can be found in sagebrush grasslands and near wet meadows. Blue (Dusky) grouse can be found in the National Forest. Consult the Chapter 11 Upland Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulation for season dates, license requirements and bag/possession limits. Mountain lion and black bear can occasionally be found in the forested areas (Chapter 42 and 3). The North Platte River offers excellent trout fishing (Chapter 46) opportunities.
Herd Unit Job Completion Report: See the MD541 (Platte Valley) Job Completion Report for more detailed information on management of this herd.

Wyoming state law requires nonresidents to hunt with a resident guide in designated wilderness areas. This does not mean the entire Hunt Area, only within the boundaries of the wilderness area.

 

The resident guide does not have to be a professional; a Wyoming resident who holds a big game or trophy game hunting license is able to obtain a Resident Guide License to guide two nonresident hunters a year in wilderness areas. Resident guides simply need to register at any Game and Fish office.

 

Percentage of this Hunt Area with Designated Wilderness: 12.96%

 

For More Information: Resident Guide Information


Contact: ph: (307) 777-4600
Regional Offices

AREA 79

2022 - HARVEST AGE STRUCTURE MULE DEER (2+ YEAR OLD DEER)

Class 1 Deer 6 (60% of Deer Checked)
Class 2 Deer 2 (20% of Deer Checked)
Class 3 Deer 1 (10% of Deer Checked)
Total Deer Checked 10

MULE DEER

Area 79 - Type 1
2025 HARVEST REPORT
Hunt Area 79
# Days Hunted 1441
Days/Hunter 11.2
Total Area Harvest 129
Hunter Success 55.60%
View Full Harvest Report

WHITETAIL DEER

Area 79 - Type 3
2025 HARVEST REPORT
Hunt Area 79
# Days Hunted 39
Days/Hunter 19.5
Total Area Harvest 2
Hunter Success 33.33%
View Full Harvest Report
Area 79 - Type 8
2025 HARVEST REPORT
Hunt Area 79
# Days Hunted 21
Days/Hunter 0
Total Area Harvest 0
Hunter Success 0.00%
View Full Harvest Report
Area 79 - Type 1
2025 HARVEST REPORT
Hunt Area 79
# Days Hunted 33
Days/Hunter 0
Total Area Harvest 0
Hunter Success 0.00%
View Full Harvest Report

Hunter Education Requirements

No person born on or after January 1, 1966, may take any wildlife by the use of firearms on land other than that of his own family, unless the person possesses or can demonstrate they have obtained a certificate of competency and safety in the use and handling of firearms.

All Elk Hunt Area 75 and 79 (Grand Teton National Park) hunters, regardless of age, must possess and exhibit a valid hunter safety certificate.

Compliance will be checked in the field.

Hunter Education Exemptions

If you meet the Armed Forces/Wyoming Peace Officer exemption requirements or you have obtained special 1 year authorization through the Hunter Mentor Program, you are exempt from hunter education.

Hunter Mentor Program

Any person born on or after January 1, 1966, who has not received a certificate of competency and safety in the use and handling of firearms, may apply to the Department for a special authorization to take wildlife with the use of a firearm while being accompanied by a mentor. A special authorization issued to an individual shall be valid for one (1) year from the date of issue and shall be in the possession of the recipient at all times while in the field.

Animal carcasses must be disposed of properly at designated sites that allow for it. Please click on this link to locate an area near you and check with the disposal site for details regarding your carcass disposal.

Carcass Disposal Sites in Wyoming

Laramie Regional Office
1212 S. Adams St.
Laramie WY 82070
(307) 745-4046

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About Deer Hunting in Wyoming

Limited Quota Deer Licenses

There are two categories of deer hunt areas in Wyoming: limited quota and general. Limited quota deer hunt areas have a set number of licenses valid for that specific hunt area. These areas have full-price "any" or "antlered" deer licenses (Type 0, 1, 2 or 9). Type 3 licenses are only valid for (any) white-tailed deer, and do NOT permit mule deer harvest. Many hunt areas also provide reduced-price limited quota "doe/fawn" licenses (Type 6, 7 or 8). Type 6 and 7 licenses permit the take of doe or fawn mule deer or white-tailed deer. Type 8 licenses are only valid for doe or fawn white-tailed deer.

General Deer Licenses

General deer licenses are full-price licenses that are unlimited in the number of licenses issued statewide and are available for purchase "over-the-counter" for Wyoming residents. Hunters may apply for or purchase a maximum of one general deer license per year. General deer licenses may be used in any hunt area open to general license hunting and are subject to the season dates and limitations for that hunt area as set forth in the Chapter 6 Deer Hunting Season Regulation. 

 

Nonresident deer hunters wishing to hunt a general area must obtain a Region General License specific to a select region. Region General Licenses allow a nonresident to hunt deer in any hunt area within that region that is open to general license hunting and are subject to the season dates and limitations for that hunt area as set forth in the Chapter 6 Deer Hunting Season Regulation. For example, nonresident Region B Licenses are valid in Deer Hunt Areas 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 21, which are open to general license hunting. However, Region B licenses are NOT valid in Deer Hunt Areas 10 and 22 (although these two hunt areas fall within Region B) as these hunt areas are limited quota. Many general license deer hunt areas also have additional limited quota full-price and/or reduced-price licenses available.

Location

In the table of tentative deer hunting season information for this coming year, some license types are denoted with an asterisk (*) as having difficult public access. For these license types, there is limited opportunity to harvest a deer on accessible public land. If applying for a license type(s) with difficult public access, hunters should recognize that hunter densities may be high on accessible public land or that deer densities may be low. In these cases, hunters should consider securing access to private land well in advance.

General Hunting Information

What do I need to go hunting in Wyoming
Guide to Hunting Access in Wyoming

Application Information

Wyoming Application Process
Hunting License Application

FAQs

Big Game License Applications
General Hunting and Trapping
General Wildlife