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Wyoming Elk

Unit 123 (Bighorn Mountains)

Wyoming Hunting Guide — Elk

Elk Area 123 sits on the Bighorn Mountains in north-central Wyoming — high Bighorn NF timber with deep drainages off the crest. About 398 tags against 648 3-year applicants reflect solid quality and steady demand. We plan it as a timber-and-meadow hunt with late-season migration weather tipping the scale.

View Draw Odds Wyoming Hunting Guide

Elk Hunting in Unit 123

Elk Area 123 sits on the Bighorn Mountains in north-central Wyoming — high Bighorn NF timber with deep drainages off the crest. About 398 tags against 648 3-year applicants reflect solid quality and steady demand. We plan it as a timber-and-meadow hunt with late-season migration weather tipping the scale.

Where to Find Elk in Area 123

Area 123 elk use the high Bighorn NF country from the crest down into the drainage heads. We split attention between dark timber holding and meadow-edge glassing.

Timber Benches

Spruce-fir pockets above 8,500 ft hold archery bulls in September. Glass adjacent meadows at dawn.

Lower Transition

Late-season snow pushes herds to aspen-pine fringes at 7,500-8,000 ft — productive rifle country.

How to Hunt Elk in Area 123

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle44%
Bighorn Mountain elk areas typically show rifle success between 25% and 40% in WGFD harvest data, with weather dictating the high end.

Elk Draw Odds

SeasonTagsApplicantsDraw %Pts Req
Rifle— General92045.0% 0
Rifle— General3512228.7% 0
Rifle— General11016367.5% 0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine
Non-resident Type 1 tags for Area 123 typically require 2-4 preference points under Wyoming's 75/25 draw. Special tags shift the curve downward by 1-2 points.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hunt the Cloud Peak Wilderness in Area 123?
Depending on the specific hunt area boundary overlap, yes — but motorized access is prohibited in wilderness. Pack-in or hike-in only.

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Sources & Verification

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

  1. WGFD Hunt Planner — Elk — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Elk Area 123 boundaries, Season structure · accessed 2026-04-17
  2. 2025 Wyoming Hunting Regulations — Elk — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Season dates, License classes · accessed 2026-04-17
  3. WGFD Drawing Statistics — Wyoming Game and Fish Department · supports: Area 123 historical draw odds · accessed 2026-04-17
  4. Bighorn National Forest — USDA Forest Service · supports: Forest road access, Cloud Peak Wilderness boundaries · accessed 2026-04-17