Wyoming Mule Deer Pronghorn Elk

Unit 078

Wyoming Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Elk

Wyoming Hunt Area 078 offers mule deer hunting managed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD). Tags are allocated through a preference-point draw with resident and non-resident quotas. Hunters should review current regulations, boundaries, and season structure published by WGFD before applying.

View Draw Odds Wyoming Hunting Guide

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 078

Where to Find Mule Deer in Area 078

Mule deer in Area 078 use a range of habitats from sage benches to timber pockets. Pre-season scouting and glassing at dawn and dusk are the most effective ways to locate bucks.

Check WGFD's Hunt Planner for unit boundaries and plan access around public-land parcels.

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Area 078

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle35%

Success rates vary year to year based on weather, pressure, and tag allocation. Consult WGFD harvest reports for the most recent unit-level rifle and archery success data.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— General	193	1,091	17.7%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Wyoming uses a preference-point draw with a 75/25 split between preference-point holders and weighted bonus-point random draws. Non-resident and resident quotas differ — review current draw statistics on the WGFD Applications & Drawings page.

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 078

Wyoming Hunt Area 078 pronghorn 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.

Where to Find Pronghorn in Area 078

Pronghorn in Hunt Area 078 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 Pronghorn in Area 078

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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Pronghorn Success Rates

Historical success rates and hunter numbers for Area 078 pronghorn are published annually in the WGFD Harvest Reports. Refer to the draw odds chart below for recent tag-allocation trends.

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— General	68	794	8.6%	0

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.

Elk Hunting in Unit 078

Elk Area 78 sits on the Wyoming Range in Lincoln and Sublette counties — aspen-fir timber, open grass ridges, and deep drainages that feed west toward Star Valley. Three-year records show 70 applicants against 129 tags. We hunt Area 78 as a classic western Wyoming mountain elk unit with solid bull quality and good public access through Bridger-Teton National Forest trailheads.

Where to Find Elk in Area 78

Elk in Area 78 rotate between high aspen-fir drainages and open grass ridges that run the spine of the Wyoming Range.

Archery Season (September)

Bulls hold in the aspen-fir pockets between 8,000 and 9,500 feet. Wallows in boggy spring seeps pull bulls during the rut; we key on the dark timber benches above those seeps.

Rifle Season (October–November)

Elk shift lower onto mid-elevation benches where aspen meets sage. We glass the grass ridges at dawn and still-hunt the aspen stringers midday.

Late Season

Heavy snow on the Wyoming Range crest triggers migration toward winter range along the Greys River drainage and the western foothills. Late hunts ride storm systems.

How to Hunt Elk in Area 78

We combine grass-ridge glassing with aspen still-hunting to work Area 78 efficiently.

Ridge Glassing at Dawn

Hike to a grass ridge with a clear view of multiple aspen drainages 30 minutes before legal light. Elk feed on the open grass until sunrise and then fade into aspen — we often locate a bull in that first window and close on him once he beds.

Aspen Still-Hunt

Move slowly along contour through aspen benches midday. Elk bed in aspen edges and often hold until 40 yards. Wind discipline is everything.

Storm Migration

Rifle-season storms drop elk fast off the Wyoming Range. We pre-scout likely migration corridors through aspen saddles and set up on pinch points when snow hits.

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle44%

Area 78 elk success typically runs 22-32% for rifle and 10-15% for archery. Trophy potential is above average — Wyoming Range genetics and BLM/BTNF habitat combine to produce mature bulls in the 290-330 class with occasional 340+ bulls.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— General	42	12	100.0%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Wyoming's non-resident draw runs 75/25 — 75% preference-point and 25% random weighted by bonus points. Area 78 typically draws with 3-5 preference points in the Regular license pool. Area 78 is not inside any of Wyoming's named designated wilderness units (Bridger, Cloud Peak, Gros Ventre, Popo Agie, Teton, Fitzpatrick, North Absaroka, Washakie), so the W.S. 23-2-401 non-resident wilderness guide requirement does not apply here — but note that the neighboring Gros Ventre Wilderness lies immediately north in adjacent units.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for a mule deer tag in Wyoming Hunt Area 078?

Apply through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's online application system during the posted application window. Tags are allocated through a preference-point draw with resident and non-resident quotas.

What regulations apply to hunting mule deer in Hunt Area 078?

Consult the current WGFD regulation brochure for season dates, legal methods of take, boundaries, and harvest reporting requirements before the hunt.

How do I apply for a Wyoming Area 078 pronghorn 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 078 pronghorn?

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.

How many preference points do I need for Area 78 elk?

Non-resident Area 78 elk tags typically draw with 3-5 preference points in the Regular pool. Special tags usually draw one point lower. The 25% random pool provides occasional low-point opportunities.

Is Area 78 in a designated wilderness for the Wyoming guide law?

No, Area 78 itself is not inside any named Wyoming designated wilderness. The Gros Ventre Wilderness lies to the north in adjacent elk areas, so verify your specific route against the wilderness boundary if you plan to hunt up against it.

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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: Unit boundaries, Season dates, Species availability · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Regulations — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: License types, Legal methods of take, Harvest reporting · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Applications & Drawings — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Preference point system, Application deadlines, Draw structure · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Hunt Planner — Elk — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Area 78 boundary description, Wyoming Range elk management, Type 1/Type 6 license structure · accessed 2026-04-17
2025 Wyoming Elk Hunting Regulations — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Season dates for Area 78, Non-resident quota, Special/Regular license split · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Harvest Reports & Surveys — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Area 78 elk success rates, Bull harvest age-class, Hunter effort averages · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Preference Points — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Preference point rules, 75/25 draw split, Application windows · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 078

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 078

Where to Find Mule Deer in Area 078

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Area 078

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 078

Where to Find Pronghorn in Area 078

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Area 078

Pronghorn Success Rates

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Elk Hunting in Unit 078

Where to Find Elk in Area 78

Archery Season (September)

Rifle Season (October–November)

Late Season

How to Hunt Elk in Area 78

Ridge Glassing at Dawn

Aspen Still-Hunt

Storm Migration

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

Weather

Nearest Town

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification

Unit 078

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 078

Where to Find Mule Deer in Area 078

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Area 078

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 078

Where to Find Pronghorn in Area 078

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Area 078

Pronghorn Success Rates

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Elk Hunting in Unit 078

Where to Find Elk in Area 78

Archery Season (September)

Rifle Season (October–November)

Late Season

How to Hunt Elk in Area 78

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Explore Related Units

Frequently Asked Questions

Plan Your Hunt with ProHunt Pro+AI

Sources & Verification