Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747
Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747

Wyoming Elk Hunting // 2021 Availability

Erik Schell
|  
Species: Elk

Wyoming continues to be a favorite among the team at WTA TAGS when it comes to hunting bull elk. This fact is largely due to the diverse hunting opportunities available, coupled with the fact that quality bulls can be harvested in almost every unit and herds are thriving in terms of overall population. Going into the 2021 season, nearly every elk herd is above the Wyoming Game and Fish objective for total population.

Elk tags in Wyoming are awarded through a very predictable, preference point system that contains a “random” element. This means, 75% of the available tags are awarded to applicants with the most points and the remaining 25% are awarded to all other applicants randomly, regardless of point status. The deadline to apply into the 2021 Wyoming elk draw is February 1, 2021.

Demand for quality elk hunts is currently at an all-time high, if you do not see a hunt that fits your priorities, please reach out to one of our professional consultants who will assist you to find the hunt of your dreams. For additional information regarding the high quality opportunities listed below, please contact the WTA TAGS office by phone 1.800.755.8247 or email tags@trophyadventures.com

Hunts Available To Applicants With 0 Preference Points

Classic Western Wyoming Elk Hunt – NO Preference Points Required

Dates:  Archery – September 26-30  Rifle – October 2-6, 21-25 or 27-31, 2021

Do not miss this unique opportunity to hunt elk in Wyoming in 2021, you do not need preference points to book and draw odds will be near 100%. Western Wyoming offers some of the finest horseback style elk hunting available and this veteran outfitter is sure to deliver a great experience. Archery, crossbow and rifle hunts are available for the fall of 2021. Traditional wall-tent camps equipped with running hot water are utilized for all hunts.

Hunts Available To Applicants With 2-4 Preference Points

Southeastern Wyoming Private Ranch Elk Hunting

Dates:  Rifle October 15-19, 2021

This portion of southeastern Wyoming is home to a thriving elk herd that is over double the state objective. The quality of bulls are excellent as well, with several bulls scoring 300″+ every year! This operation is relatively small, which means greater attention to detail and customer service. These are resident elk and do not migrate due to the quality feed and low hunting pressure. Bulls are often spotted from four-wheel drive vehicles, then your hunt will be carried out on foot.

Wyoming Backcountry Horseback Elk Hunt

Dates:  Archery – September 5-11 or 12-18  Rifle October 24-30, 2021

This outfitter offers some of the finest wilderness elk hunts in western Wyoming. They hunt a mostly resident elk herd so they do not rely on heavy snows or migration to ensure success. The areas hunted have not been affected by wolves like some of the other units in the state. You can expect to be hunting bulls that will score in the 300″ category with some bulls being harvested every year exceeding 350″.

Hunts Available To Applicants With 5-8 Preference Points

Due to high demand, all available hunts within this point range are currently booked for 2021. If you are within this range you should consider applying into some of the state’s top units in an effort to win one of the randomly allocated tags.

Hunts Available To Applicants With 9+ Preference Points

High quality hunting options are readily available for those of you that currently possess 9 or more Wyoming elk preference points. Hunting options vary from late season wilderness hunts that target bulls migrating out of Yellowstone to chasing bugling bulls with archery equipment, as well as rifles, on the immense private ranches in the central portion of the state. The consulting team at WTA Tags understands the value of these points and will diligently work with you to ensure you have the experience you desire and utilize your points to the fullest extent. Please contact the WTA TAGS office by phone 1.800.755.8247 or email tags@trophyadventures.com if you’d like help getting applied or paired with an outfitter. 

Recent Articles

Popular Elk Hunts

Estate Hunt
Black Bear, Rocky Mountain Elk   ·
Saskatchewan
From 
$19,500
Outfitter #604
Draw Required
Mule Deer, Elk   ·
Wyoming
From 
$9,500
Outfitter #980

Top Hunting Trips

Outfitter Special
Mule Deer   ·
Colorado
From 
$5,500
$5,000
Outfitter #558
Save $500: 4 Spots- Nov. 13-15 2026. Landowner Voucher Included
Outfitter Special
Whitetail Deer   ·
Kentucky
From 
$4,500
$2,500
Outfitter #084
Save up to $2,000 in 2026 : Youth Hunt $2,500 | Rifle $6,000 | Rifle $5,500

Related Articles

Arizona’s Deer/Sheep Deadline: That’s a Wrap on the Draw Season!

Arizona’s Deer/Sheep Deadline: That’s a Wrap on the Draw Season!

The Arizona deer and sheep deadline on June 2 marks the end of another application season. There are a few minor draws and point-only periods coming up, but the major deadlines have passed and the draw results have been posted. I hope this is your year to draw an awesome tag! If not, you’ve built another valuable bonus point for your future. That’s the name of the game!

If you successfully drew a tag, you received a call from your dedicated WTA TAGS consultant informing you of your good fortune. If you drew a tag and haven’t booked with an outfitter, this needs immediate attention. WTA’s owner Mark Peterson said it best: “After finally drawing a great tag…don’t screw it up at the end…hire a reputable outfitter!”

Arizona Deadlines

Arizona has a staggered deadline for its limited-entry big game tags. June 2 marks the deadline to apply for deer and sheep tags. For deer, we’re talking about mule deer and coues deer. And for sheep, desert bighorn and Rocky Mountain bighorn are both available.

Mule Deer vs. Coues Deer

Applicants in Arizona are restricted to one deer application. The state considers two choices on the application. You can utilize two mule deer choices, or two coues deer choices, or one choice for each. For example, first choice mule deer, second choice coues deer.

Consider this quick, low-level consultation when deciding how to apply for deer in Arizona. Arizona boasts the best mule deer hunting in North America. It is truly the land of 200″. However, these deer reside in a handful of units with VERY limited non-resident tags. This is a tag you may never draw in your lifetime.

Arizona also boasts the best coues deer hunting in the West. Early hunts in October and November can easily be drawn with 0–3 bonus points and we offer highly successful adventures with our TAGS-endorsed outfitters. The more sought-after late coues hunts in December are more difficult to draw, but the tag can be drawn within 8 years, hopefully sooner.

Desert Bighorn vs. Rocky…
More than a Mount: A Bull Elk I’ll Never Forget

More than a Mount: A Bull Elk I’ll Never Forget

It’s one thing to chase a bull through the Nevada mountains…it’s another to relive that moment every day in your own home.

When I got the call that my elk mount was finished, I knew it would be special. But seeing it in person and having it in my home brings it full circle in a way I didn’t anticipate.

That Nevada hunt was already unforgettable. The climb in the dark still stands out. So does the moment everything came together on that rock ledge with the team behind the glass. It was hard earned and intense. Then suddenly, it was over. Like most hunts, it left me wishing I could hold onto the moment just a little longer.

Now I can. This mount is more than a display of an incredible bull elk. It takes me right back to that hunt and everything that came with it.

More than Just Antlers

When I look at this bull now, I don’t just see antlers. I see that canyon again. I remember the cold wind and the nerves settling in as I got prone for the shot.

I remember Richie behind me talking me through it. I remember the team working together like a machine. And I remember walking up on that bull for the first time, realizing just how big he really was.

That’s what a great mount does. It holds the memory, not just the animal.

Read the Full Hunt Story The Details Matter

New Mexico’s draw system is a 100% random lottery, which means you could draw the tag of a lifetime your first year in, or you could wait a decade. You either get lucky or you don’t. I’ve been applying in New Mexico for years, and honestly, this wasn’t the year I expected to get the call. I’d hoped to draw a Montana archery elk tag, so I applied for one of New Mexico’s most coveted rifle elk units, fully expecting to come up empty. But instead, I drew the New Mexico tag and didn’t draw in Montana. That’s how it goes sometimes, and I wouldn’t trade the way it played out for anything.

The unit I drew is a rare place with both the genetics and the age structure to produce truly exceptional bulls. But it’s not a high-volume elk area. You don’t see elk on every hillside. You go with the understanding that you might only lay eyes on a handful of animals, but they could be the bull of a lifetime. That tradeoff is something every hunter needs to consider before applying. Are you willing to grind it out for a chance at something special, taking the risk that it might be a boring hunt? For me, the answer was simple.

The Outfitter Made the Difference

When I drew this tag, I didn’t need to scramble to find an outfitter. WTA already had a relationship with a guide who routinely operates in this unit. Despite the extremely limited number of tags issued each year, this outfitter spends time in the area every season. That kind of consistency is invaluable. He sees the trends year after year. He knows where the bulls tend to hang out during the rut, where they go after it winds down, and how they move through the country as conditions change. That accumulated knowledge gave us a significant head start.

In fact, our outfitter had been in the unit the week prior with one of our clients on the second archery hunt, so he already had fresh intel on where two big bulls had been hanging out. That’s a huge advantage you can’t replicate on your own.

Getting There and Setting Up: A Day and a…

Find the outdoor adventure of a lifetime.

SEARCH
Try ‘Elk’, ‘Colorado’ or ‘Waterfowl’