Wyoming Elk Pronghorn

Unit 108 (Sierra Madre)

Wyoming Hunting Guide — Elk, Pronghorn

Elk Area 108 covers the Sierra Madre Range on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest in south-central Wyoming near Encampment and the Colorado border. It's a classic Rocky Mountain elk unit — lodgepole and spruce-fir timber, aspen stringers, and high basins rising to over 11,000 feet. Public land is 80%+ NF, quotas are moderate (438 tags against 987 applicants), and bulls in the 280-320 class are typical. The unit shares migration herds with Colorado's Routt National Forest.

View Draw Odds Wyoming Hunting Guide

Elk Hunting in Unit 108

Where to Find Elk in Area 108

Sierra Madre elk use a classic elevation-driven movement pattern across timbered ridges, high basins, and transition benches.

Archery Season

Bulls hold in the high-country aspen and spruce-fir at 9,500-11,000 feet along the Continental Divide. The heads of Battle Creek, Jack Creek, and Deep Creek drainages hold rutting activity.

Rifle Season

As snow hits, elk drop to mixed-conifer benches at 8,500-10,000 feet. The country off FR 801 and the upper Encampment River drainage concentrates animals.

Late Season

Heavy snow pushes elk to lower aspen benches and sage-grass transitions on the east slope toward Saratoga.

How to Hunt Elk in Area 108

Area 108 is a timber-heavy, weather-driven elk hunt requiring basic Rocky Mountain backcountry skills.

High-Country Archery

September archery hunters pack into the Continental Divide basins via trailheads off FR 801. Bugle and cow call to locate rutting bulls.

Timber Ridge Still-Hunting

October rifle hunters work slowly along bench trails in the lodgepole and spruce-fir. Wind and slow movement matter.

Storm Timing

A 6-12 inch storm strips the high country of elk in 24 hours. Stage lower as weather develops.

Horseback Access

Encampment-area outfitters offer horse-supported drop camps that reach deep basins foot hunters can't cover.

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle44%

Area 108 rifle elk success averages 30-42%, archery 12-18%. Days per harvest 5-7. Reliable mid-tier elk unit with 280-310 class bulls typical and occasional better animals from deep country.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— General	8	13	61.5%	0
Rifle— General	98	309	31.7%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Wyoming 75/25 preference-point draw (75% max-point, 25% random weighted by points — not squared). Area 108 Type 1 non-resident licenses typically require 4-6 preference points. Type 6 archery tags draw at 2-4. Residents usually draw with moderate points.

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 108

Pronghorn Area 108 covers southwest Wyoming sage country between Kemmerer and the Utah line, including the Cumberland Flats and surrounding BLM mosaic. We like this area for its consistent mature-buck quality, strong public access, and realistic draw odds at modest preference points. Tags are limited (about 76 over three years against 221 applicants), which keeps pressure manageable and buck age structure high.

Where to Find Pronghorn in Area 108

Pronghorn in Area 108 concentrate on the open sage benches and on seams where BLM meets private ag.

Cumberland Flats

Wide open sage benches hold big bachelor groups. Glass from any elevated two-track.

Fontenelle Reservoir Fringe

BLM country east of Fontenelle holds consistent numbers and moderate pressure. Stock tanks concentrate animals in dry periods.

Ag Seams

The edges where private irrigated ag meets BLM near Kemmerer hold the oldest bucks. Walk-in parcels unlock some of these seams.

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Area 108

Area 108 is a classic Wyoming glass-and-stalk unit with realistic trophy potential.

Glass Broad and Long

Tripod-mounted 15x binoculars find more bucks than miles of driving. Pick a ridge with a three-mile view and work it thoroughly before moving.

Work the BLM Interior

Most opening-weekend pressure stays near paved access. A mile of walking puts you on undisturbed bucks.

Stalk the Rolls

Cumberland Flats looks flat but has consistent 30-50 ft rolls that hide approaches. Use them.

Practice Wind Reading

SW Wyoming wind is ferocious. Most missed shots in this unit are wind misses at 300-plus yards. Practice under real conditions before the hunt.

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Pronghorn Success Rates

Area 108 rifle success has run 85-93% in recent seasons. The combination of limited tags, strong herd numbers, and good public access keeps the success ceiling high and the experience uncrowded.

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— General	18	71	25.4%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Under Wyoming's 75/25 preference/random split, Area 108 non-resident Type 1 tags typically draw at 2-4 preference points in the max-point pool, with the random pool pulling in 0-1 point applicants. Residents clear at 0 points. A realistic second or third-year non-resident target.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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RV Sites

Saratoga and Encampment have RV parks; NF campgrounds accommodate smaller RVs.

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Camp Sites

Medicine Bow-Routt NF developed campgrounds (Bottle Creek, Haskins Creek, Lakeview). Dispersed camping throughout.

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Trailer Access

FR 801 graded gravel; handles horse trailers well when dry.

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Water

Abundant. Encampment River, Battle Creek, dozens of tributaries.

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Road Conditions

Graded gravel mains, rough spurs. Snow closes upper roads by mid-October.

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Terrain Difficulty

Moderate to strenuous. High elevation (8,500-11,000 foot) hunting with significant climbs.

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Hunting Pressure

Moderate. Wyoming and Colorado hunters share the Sierra Madres; weekend pressure real.

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Weather

October snow consistent at elevation. Highs 25-55°F; lows below zero possible late season.

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Cell Service

None in the backcountry. Encampment and Saratoga have service.

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Nearest Town

Encampment and Riverside (inside unit, basic services), Saratoga (25 miles northeast), Laramie (90 miles east), Rawlins (60 miles north).

Note: Area 108 is a solid mid-point Wyoming elk unit with strong public land, decent bull quality, and good outfitter availability. Pair with Area 022 mule deer for a Sierra Madre combo hunt in future years.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many preference points do I need for Area 108 elk?

Non-resident Type 1 licenses typically require 4-6 preference points. Type 6 archery tags draw at 2-4 points.

Is Area 108 grizzly country?

No. Well south of occupied grizzly range. Black bears are present.

Do the elk migrate into Colorado?

Yes — the Sierra Madres straddle the Wyoming-Colorado line and elk freely move between Wyoming Area 108 and Colorado's Routt National Forest units. Timing your hunt matters for catching resident versus transitional animals.

How does Area 108 compare to Area 86?

Area 108 has a slightly larger tag pool and somewhat easier draw odds. Area 86 is tighter on tags but often has slightly larger average bucks due to the ag-heavy north end. Both are strong SW Wyoming options.

Can I hunt out of Evanston?

Yes, Evanston is a reasonable south-side base with full services and I-80 access. Kemmerer is closer to the unit center for most hunters.

What is the average buck size?

Mature Area 108 bucks run 70-76 inches. Occasional bucks in the 78-82 inch range come from less-pressured BLM interior ground.

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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 — Elk — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Elk Area 108 boundary, Season structure and license types · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Harvest Reports and Surveys — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Area 108 elk success and harvest data · accessed 2026-04-17
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest — USDA Forest Service · supports: Sierra Madre Range access, Trailheads and roads, Wilderness rules · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Preference Points — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Preference-point draw structure · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Hunt Planner — Pronghorn — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Area 108 boundary in SW Wyoming, Season structure · accessed 2026-04-17
BLM Kemmerer Field Office — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Public land mosaic around Cumberland Flats, Travel management rules · accessed 2026-04-17
WGFD Walk-In Access — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Walk-in parcels in SW Wyoming · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 108 (Sierra Madre)

Elk Hunting in Unit 108

Where to Find Elk in Area 108

Archery Season

Rifle Season

Late Season

How to Hunt Elk in Area 108

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 108

Where to Find Pronghorn in Area 108

Cumberland Flats

Fontenelle Reservoir Fringe

Ag Seams

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Area 108

Pronghorn Success Rates

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Explore Related Units

Area 022 — Mule Deer

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification