Soaring Elk Populations and Greater Access to Hunting Land Yield Record-Breaking Season for Wyoming Hunters

Last year's elk hunting season was wildly successful with nearly a 5% increase in harvest compared to the previous season; nearly 29,000 elk were harvested.

This comes at a time when Game and Fish look to hunters as a crucial part of managing elk populations. For the past two decades, elk herds have been growing.

Wildlife managers estimate the current population of elk in Wyoming is around 109,000.

In some areas of the state the elk population increase has caused damage issues for private landowners, and over the last five years elk damage claims have increased by 42%.

To help boost harvests, Game and Fish have created Access Yes programs so landowners can enroll their properties to provide public hunting access.

Enrolled landowners are given the flexibility to choose the species hunters can pursue, specific locations on their property and specific dates (within open seasons) that their property is available to the public.

In exchange, they receive money, increased law enforcement presence on the property and, ideally, less wildlife damage.

Last year, Access Yes opened access to more than 2.6 million acres of land for hunting.

Tentative season information for the 2024 elk season is available on the Game and Fish Hunt Planner.

• The nonresident elk application deadline has passed, but nonresident hunters can modify or withdraw their existing applications until May 8. Nonresident draw results will be tentatively available May 16.
• The resident elk deadline application is May 31. Draw results for resident elk will be tentatively available June 18.