Unit 039

Wyoming Hunting Guide — Elk

Wyoming Hunt Area 039 elk is managed by Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) under a preference-point draw. Non-resident hunters apply through the regular draw, while residents enter the resident draw with separate quotas. Seasons, quotas, and license types are set annually by the WGFD Commission.

View Draw Odds Wyoming Hunting Guide

Elk Hunting in Unit 039

Where to Find Elk in Area 039

Elk in Hunt Area 039 follow typical Wyoming seasonal patterns tied to elevation, forage, and cover. Focus on public-land benches, sage-grass transitions, and timbered drainages early in the season, then shift to wintering range as snow deepens and animals concentrate on lower ground.

Confirm current hunt-area boundaries, access easements, and land ownership using the WGFD Hunt Planner and the agency's access-map layers before scouting trips.

How to Hunt Elk in Area 039

Glassing from high vantage points at dawn and dusk is the most efficient tactic. Use quality optics to locate animals on shaded slopes or feeding openings before planning a stalk, and still-hunt brushy draws during mid-day.

Verify public-land boundaries carefully — Wyoming's checkerboard private/public pattern is common, and corner-crossing remains legally contested. Use onX or the WGFD access map to confirm every parcel before crossing.

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Elk Success Rates

Archery22%

Rifle44%

Historical success rates and hunter numbers for Area 039 elk are published annually in the WGFD Harvest Reports. Refer to the draw odds chart below for recent tag-allocation trends.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %
Archery— General	84	251	33.5%
Rifle— General	126	140	90.0%
Rifle— General	143	411	34.8%

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Wyoming uses a preference-point draw with a 75/25 split for non-residents — 75% of tags go to highest-point applicants, and 25% are allocated via a weighted bonus-point random draw. Residents follow a similar preference structure. Build points steadily and monitor the WGFD draw statistics each summer.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for a Wyoming Area 039 elk tag?

Apply through the WGFD online license portal during the non-resident or resident application window. Wyoming uses a preference-point system — applicants with more points have priority in the 75% preference draw, with the remaining 25% allocated by weighted random bonus draw.

What is the best season to hunt Area 039 elk?

Season dates are set annually by the WGFD Commission and vary by license type. Refer to the current year's regulation brochure on the WGFD website for exact opening and closing dates before applying.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

WGFD Hunt Planner — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Hunt area boundaries, Season dates, License types · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Regulations — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Commission regulations, Season proclamations, License quotas · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Applications & Drawings — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Preference point system, Draw schedule, Application deadlines · accessed 2026-04-17