Buying Hunting Land in Wyoming: Elk, Access & What Your Money Gets You

You're sitting in a subdivision in Colorado or Texas or wherever, scrolling through OnX, doing preference point math on a spreadsheet, and wondering if the grass really is greener on the other side of the Bighorn Mountains. You've got a good job or a remote gig or a business you could run from anywhere. You've got the budget. What you don't have is someone who actually knows the landscape — both the terrain and the real estate market — giving you a straight answer.

So here it is.

We're Real Estate Outlaws, based in Cody, Wyoming — and we hunt. Not "we went on a guided elk hunt once in 2019" hunt. We live here. We're in the mountains, on the river, and in the field. And we're going to lay out exactly why the Big Horn Basin is the best place in Wyoming for a serious outdoor enthusiast to plant a flag — and exactly what to look for when you're buying property with hunting as a priority.

No fluff. No glossy brochure language. Just the real deal.

Why the Big Horn Basin — Not Jackson, Not Sheridan, Not Anywhere Else

Wyoming has 97,813 square miles and roughly 590,000 people. You could put a pin almost anywhere on the map and be within driving distance of huntable ground. So why the Big Horn Basin specifically?

Geography. It's that simple.

The Big Horn Basin is a high-desert valley ringed by mountain ranges on nearly every side. Sit in Cody and look around:

West: The Absaroka Range — the Shoshone National Forest — over 2.4 million acres, the first national forest in the country — and the east boundary of Yellowstone National Park
Northwest: The Beartooth Mountains — some of the most rugged, remote country in the Lower 48, spilling into Montana
East: The Bighorn Mountains — another massive range with the Bighorn National Forest and Cloud Peak Wilderness
South: The Owl Creek and Absaroka ranges continuing south toward the Wind River Reservation and the Wind Rivers beyond

You are literally surrounded by mountains. That's not marketing. That's topography. And every one of those ranges holds elk, mule deer, black bear, mountain lion, and more.

Now compare that to Jackson. Jackson is incredible country, but you're paying $3 million for a condo and fighting traffic on the Teton Pass. Sheridan is a great town, but you've got one mountain range — the Bighorns — and then it's prairie east. Lander has the Wind Rivers but limited options in other directions.

Cody and the Big Horn Basin give you four mountain ranges within an hour's drive and millions of acres of public land radiating out in every direction. No other town in Wyoming can say that.

What You Can Hunt From Here — Species by Species

Elk

This is why most of you are reading this. The hunting areas surrounding the Big Horn Basin — including areas in the Shoshone National Forest, the Absarokas, the Beartooths, and the Bighorns — hold strong elk populations. Wyoming Game & Fish manages these herds across multiple hunt areas on every side of the basin.

Here's the key: as a Wyoming resident, you can buy a general elk license over the counter — no draw required. That general tag is good across all hunt areas designated as general areas. You're guaranteed to hunt elk every year. The draw only comes into play when you want a specific limited-quota area — and even then, the resident elk draw is purely random (no preference points). Cow/calf tags in most areas have near-zero demand, so applying is essentially a rubber stamp.

The mix of wilderness and non-wilderness, roadless backcountry and accessible forest, gives you options whether you're a backpack hunter or prefer to hunt from a wall tent camp off a forest road.

Mule Deer

The Big Horn Basin is mule deer country. The basin floor, the foothills, the breaks — muleys are everywhere. Hunt areas around Park County and the Cody region have historically produced quality bucks. Wyoming has been managing for quality in many areas, which means lower tag numbers but better deer. General deer licenses are available over the counter for residents — no draw required. If you want a specific limited-quota area, the resident deer draw is random with no preference points, same as elk. Once you're a resident, you'll be hunting mule deer regularly.

Whitetail Deer

Most people don't think "whitetail" when they think Wyoming, but the river bottoms along the Shoshone, the irrigated ag land around Powell and Ralston, and the cottonwood corridors hold a solid population of whitetails. These tags are relatively easy to come by, and the hunting pressure is nothing compared to the Midwest.

Antelope

Wyoming holds the largest pronghorn antelope population in North America — hundreds of thousands of them across the state. The basin floor and the surrounding BLM and grasslands are loaded with antelope. All antelope tags go through the draw, but resident odds are so high in most areas that you'll realistically hunt antelope every year. It's not technically guaranteed — it's a draw — but it's as close to automatic as the system gets.

Moose

Limited draw only, and the wait is long even for residents — think 15-plus preference points for the best areas near Cody. But moose live here. The upper Shoshone River drainage, the North Fork, the South Fork — Shiras moose inhabit the willow bottoms and high meadows throughout the area. A Type 1 bull moose tag is once-in-a-lifetime. Wyoming also offers a Type 4 cow/calf license you can apply for again after a five-year wait. Either way, as a resident you're in the game. As a non-resident? You're barely in the conversation.

Bighorn Sheep

Similar story to moose — very limited tags, very long waits. But the Absarokas hold healthy bighorn sheep populations. There are hunt areas in the mountains west of Cody where rams roam above timberline. Drawing a tag takes extreme patience (or extreme luck), but the sheep are here, and as a resident, you're accumulating points every year.

Black Bear

Spring and fall seasons in the Shoshone National Forest and surrounding areas. The mountains west of Cody have a solid black bear population. Over-the-counter tags are available in many areas for residents. If you like bear hunting, you'll be busy.

Mountain Lion

Wyoming has a lion season, and the mountains around the Big Horn Basin hold cats. It's a quota-based system — once the quota is filled in a given area, the season closes. Hound hunting is legal. If running hounds through snow-covered timber is your thing, you're in the right place.

Upland Birds

Sage grouse on the basin floor and BLM land. Pheasants and Hungarian partridge in the irrigated farmland around Powell, Ralston, and the river bottoms. Dusky grouse in the mountain timber. This isn't South Dakota, but there's legitimate upland hunting within 20 minutes of town, and very few people hunting it.

Waterfowl

The Shoshone River corridor, Buffalo Bill Reservoir, irrigation canals, and stock ponds throughout the basin attract ducks and geese. The fall migration brings good numbers through, and the resident Canada goose population is healthy. It's not the Central Flyway pothole country, but you can absolutely hunt waterfowl here.

The Preference Point Math That Changes Everything

Tag prices, draw procedures, and area designations change — always check the current year's regulations on the Wyoming Game & Fish website. Here's the general overview:

Here's where it gets real for the hunters doing spreadsheet calculations at midnight.

Wyoming allocates the vast majority of its big game tags to residents. The split varies by species and area, but as a general rule, residents get roughly 80-90% of available tags depending on species. For trophy species like moose and bighorn sheep, residents get 90% of available tags. Non-residents are fighting over a small fraction of tags against a national pool of applicants.

What does that mean practically?

As a non-resident, you might need 5-8+ preference points to draw a decent elk tag in the areas around Cody. For premium mule deer areas, similar story. For moose or sheep, you might never draw in your lifetime.

As a resident, you buy your general elk tag over the counter — guaranteed, every year. If you want a specific limited-quota elk area, the resident draw is purely random (no preference points for elk). Cow/calf tags have almost no demand in most areas — apply and you'll draw. General-season deer areas are available. Antelope is nearly automatic. And your preference points for moose and sheep are actually accumulating in a pool where they mean something.

Now let's talk money. Wyoming hunting licenses and tags for residents are a fraction of non-resident costs. The price difference between resident and non-resident licenses is substantial — as of recent seasons, non-resident elk tags cost roughly ten times what residents pay, and the gap is similar across other species. Multiply this across species and years, and residency pays for itself in hunting savings alone within just a few seasons. Check the Wyoming Game & Fish website for current fees — they adjust periodically.

Residency requirement in Wyoming is straightforward: one full year of domicile before you can buy resident licenses. So if you move here in July, you're applying as a resident the following July. Plan accordingly — that first year, you're still buying non-resident tags or hunting the leftover list.

Public Land Access — The Real Picture

This is where the Big Horn Basin flexes hardest.

Park County alone (home of Cody) has vast amounts of public land when you factor in the Shoshone National Forest, BLM land, state land, and wilderness areas. The Shoshone National Forest covers over 2.4 million acres. Add the BLM land on the basin floor, state trust sections, and walk-in areas, and you're looking at a staggering amount of publicly accessible ground within an hour of town.

The Washakie Wilderness (southwest of Cody) and the North Absaroka Wilderness (northwest of Cody) are massive roadless areas — serious backcountry that filters out the casual crowd. If you're willing to hike, ride, or pack in, you can hunt country that sees very few other boots.

But let's be honest about access, because the forums are full of misinformation on this topic.

Not all public land is accessible. Wyoming has landlocked state sections — parcels of state trust land surrounded by private land with no legal public access. The state has been working on this through access agreements and the Walk-In Area program, but it's still an issue. Always check access before you plan a hunt. OnX, the BLM maps, and the WGFD access maps are your friends.

BLM land on the basin floor is generally more accessible but can be checkerboarded with private land, especially in the flats between Cody and Powell. National Forest land along the mountain fronts typically has good road access via forest roads, though some get gated seasonally.

The Walk-In Area (WIA) program provides access to private land enrolled in the program — mostly for antelope, upland birds, and waterfowl on agricultural land. It's a solid resource and underutilized.

Bottom line: you will not run out of places to hunt here. But do your homework on specific parcels, especially if you're eyeing state sections on the basin floor.

Fishing — Because You're Not Hunting 365 Days a Year

If you're a hunter moving to Wyoming, there's a 99% chance you also fish. So let's talk water.

The Big Horn Basin is absurdly good for fishing.

Shoshone River: Runs right through Cody. Designated blue-ribbon trout stream. Brown trout, rainbow trout, and Yellowstone cutthroat. You can literally fish on your lunch break.
North Fork of the Shoshone: Runs west from Cody up toward Yellowstone. Cutthroat water in a spectacular canyon. Some of the most scenic river fishing in the state.
South Fork of the Shoshone: Excellent cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing in a less-pressured drainage south of town.
Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone: Northeast of Cody, running out of the Beartooths. Remote, rugged, and full of trout. The canyon section is designated Wild and Scenic.
Buffalo Bill Reservoir: Right outside Cody. Lake trout, rainbow, brown, and cutthroat. Good boat fishing and shore access.
Bighorn River: About 90 minutes south near Thermopolis/Worland. World-class tailwater trout fishery. Massive brown trout. Guides come from all over the country to float this river. As a resident, it's a day trip.

You also have Yellowstone National Park less than an hour away with its own legendary fisheries — Yellowstone Lake, the Lamar River, Slough Creek, the Yellowstone River. You need a park fishing permit (not a state license), and it's catch-and-release in many areas, but the fishing is otherworldly.

If you need a primer on water rights in Wyoming — and you will, if you're buying property with water features — that link is a must-read.

What Kind of Property to Buy If Hunting Is Your Priority

This is where our two worlds collide — hunting and real estate. And this is where most buyers get it wrong because they're shopping on Zillow with filters that don't tell them what they actually need to know.

If hunting access and outdoor lifestyle are your primary motivations for moving here, here's what to prioritize:

Adjacency to Public Land

This is the single most important factor. Property that borders BLM or National Forest land gives you walk-out access to huntable ground. You're not driving to a trailhead. You're walking off your porch. Properties along the mountain front west of Cody — up the South Fork, North Fork, or toward the Beartooths — often border or are very near National Forest. East of Cody toward the Bighorns, you'll find properties near BLM and National Forest on the west slope of the range.

These properties command a premium, and they should. The access is worth it.

Wildlife Corridors and Water

Look for properties with natural water — creeks, springs, irrigation ditches, stock ponds. Water attracts game. Period. A 40-acre parcel with a year-round creek running through it is worth more to a hunter than 160 acres of dry sagebrush flat, even if the sagebrush flat is cheaper per acre.

Migration corridors matter too. Elk and mule deer move seasonally between high summer range in the mountains and low winter range on the basin floor. Properties positioned along these corridors see game moving through regularly. We can show you exactly where those corridors are.

Understanding your water source options and septic requirements is critical when you're looking at rural acreage.

Elevation Considerations

The basin floor sits around 3,800 feet near Greybull and Lovell, climbing to over 5,000 feet around Cody. The mountain fronts climb quickly from there. Properties at higher elevations — 6,000-7,500 feet — put you closer to elk and mule deer habitat but come with harsher winters, more snow, and potentially rougher road access. Properties on the basin floor are easier to live on year-round but require you to drive to the mountains to hunt elk.

The sweet spot for most buyers is the transition zone — the foothills and lower mountain benches where you get some elevation, some timber, wildlife activity, and still-reasonable winter access.

Area-Specific Notes

Cody (west side / South Fork / North Fork): Closest to the Shoshone National Forest and Yellowstone. Premium pricing but unbeatable access to elk country, fishing, and backcountry. This is where you go if wilderness access is priority one.
Meeteetse (south of Cody): Quieter, more remote, more affordable. Surrounded by great hunting country — the Absarokas to the west, the Owl Creeks to the south. Ranching community. If you want solitude and don't mind being 30 miles from the nearest full-service supermarket, Meeteetse is special.
Powell/Ralston/Clark (north/northeast of Cody): Irrigated farmland, more whitetail and upland bird opportunity, closer to the Beartooths and Clarks Fork drainage. Properties here tend to be more affordable with bigger acreage. Good option if you want agricultural land that also hunts well.
Wapiti Valley (between Cody and Yellowstone): Right in the Shoshone National Forest corridor. Properties here are in the mountains — elk, bear, moose habitat. More limited inventory and often higher prices, but you're living in the middle of it.

If you're looking at buying raw land in Wyoming, read that guide before you do anything. It covers the hard realities — access, utilities, zoning, and what nobody tells you until it's too late.

The Honest Downsides — Because You Need to Hear Them

Wind

The Big Horn Basin is windy. Not "oh it's breezy today" windy. "Your truck door just got ripped off the hinges" windy. The basin floor gets hammered by wind, especially in spring. It affects hunting (try shooting in 40 mph gusts), it affects property (build a shop with a good foundation), and it affects your sanity. You'll get used to it. But know what you're signing up for.

Winter Access

When you're looking at a beautiful mountain property in August, it's easy to forget that in January, the road might be buried under four feet of snow. Plowing costs money. Getting stuck costs time. Some forest roads close entirely from November through May. Make sure you understand the winter access situation for any property — and any hunting area — before you commit. Your Yellowstone-adjacent dream property might be a snowmobile-only proposition for four months a year.

The Draw System

General elk and general deer tags are over the counter for residents — you'll hunt both every year, guaranteed. But if you want a specific limited-quota area, that's a random draw, and you might not get your first choice. Antelope is draw-only but odds are excellent in most areas. Moose and bighorn sheep are where patience gets tested — those are preference point draws that can take 15-20+ years. The system is fair and well-managed, but you won't fill every wish list species every season.

Predator Management and Grizzly Conflicts

The Big Horn Basin is grizzly country. The bear population has expanded significantly out of Yellowstone, and grizzlies are now common in areas where they haven't been seen in decades. This is a real consideration for property owners — livestock conflicts, garbage management, pet safety, and the general awareness required to live in bear country. It's manageable, but it's not theoretical. You will see grizzlies.

Wolf management and its impact on elk herds is an ongoing debate. We're not going to wade into the politics here. Just know it's part of the landscape, literally and figuratively.

CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease)

CWD has been detected in deer and elk in parts of Wyoming, including some areas near the Big Horn Basin. Wyoming Game & Fish monitors this closely and has management strategies in place, but it's a reality of hunting in the West right now. CWD is an evolving situation. Wyoming Game & Fish publishes current surveillance data and guidance — check their latest information before making decisions.

It's Remote

Cody has about 10,000 people. Powell has about 6,300. Meeteetse has about 330. The nearest city of any real size is Billings, Montana — 100 miles north. If you need a Costco run or a direct flight to a major hub, you're driving to Billings. There's a regional airport in Cody with seasonal service, but this is not a convenient place to live by suburban standards. For most of you reading this, that's a feature, not a bug. Just make sure your spouse agrees.

What Hunting Properties Actually Cost in the Big Horn Basin

If you're coming from Colorado, Montana, or Idaho, you're going to be surprised — the Big Horn Basin is still significantly more affordable than comparable hunting country in those states. Here's what's actually on the market:

20-40 acre parcels on the mountain front with National Forest or BLM access, either raw land or with an existing home — these start in the $500K range and climb based on improvements and location
Small ranch properties (40-80+ acres) in the Meeteetse, Clark, or upper South Fork areas with water, wildlife, and views that would cost five times as much anywhere near Jackson
Irrigated acreage near Powell with agricultural income potential, upland bird habitat, and proximity to the Beartooths and Bighorns
Properties in the Wapiti Valley corridor between Cody and Yellowstone — limited inventory but when they come up, they're special

The $500K-$2M range is where most hunting-focused buyers land, and it's a range that gets you real property out here — not just a lot in a subdivision. If you want a deeper breakdown of what your money buys at each price tier, we wrote a full guide to the Big Horn Basin ranch market.

One thing to know: these properties don't always show up when you search "hunting land Wyoming" online. They're often listed as "residential acreage" or "rural property" without any context about public land access, wildlife corridors, or water. Understanding the practical realities of buying rural property in northwest Wyoming before you start shopping will save you from expensive mistakes.

Next Steps — If You're Serious

Start your preference points now. Even if you're a year or two out from moving, you can buy Wyoming preference points as a non-resident. Every year you wait is a year behind in the draw. Check the Wyoming Game & Fish website for current application deadlines and fees.
Visit in the ugly season. Everyone visits in summer when it's 75 degrees and the mountains are glowing. Come in February. See the wind, the snow, the gray. If you still want to move here after that, you're ready.
Talk to us before you talk to Zillow. Zillow doesn't know which side of a ridge gets morning sun, which creek dries up in August, or which "40 acres bordering public land" actually has a locked gate between you and that public land.
Read the guides. We've written extensively about buying land, water rights, water systems, and septic systems in Wyoming. This stuff matters when you're buying rural property, and most buyers from out of state don't know what they don't know.

After the deal closes and you've tagged your first bull or missed your first buck, swing by the office. We'll want to hear about it. Our clients stop in to share hunt stories, ask about access roads, or just hang out — and we wouldn't have it any other way.

The Big Horn Basin isn't for everyone. But if you're the kind of person who measures quality of life in elk bugles, rising trout, and miles from the nearest traffic light — it might be exactly where you belong.

Nobody stumbles into Cody. You choose it. And if you choose it for the right reasons, it'll give back more than you ever expected.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Reading this does not create a broker-client relationship. Some content was created with the assistance of AI tools and may contain errors — always verify current information with the appropriate local authorities, licensed professionals, and service providers before making any decisions. Regulations, costs, and market conditions change frequently. When in doubt, consult a qualified attorney, inspector, or other expert.

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