Elk Hunting in Wyoming Hunt Area 36 - Rock Creek

Beginning where Interstate Highway 90 crosses Piney Creek; southeasterly along said highway to Interstate Highway 25; southerly along said highway to French Creek east of the town of Buffalo; westerly up said creek to the North Fork Ditch; westerly up said ditch to the North Fork of Clear Creek; westerly up said creek to the divide along the Big Horn Mountain range; northerly along said divide to South Piney Creek; northeasterly down said creek to Piney Creek; easterly down said creek to Interstate Highway 90.

WYGFD are currently ~28% over the winter trend count objective. In recent years, liberal hunting seasons were designed to increase harvest with the intent of reducing this elk population. WYGFD have been successful increasing harvest over the past several years, likely retarding growth of this herd. WYGFD maintained liberal season strategies for 2020.

Antlerless and cow/calf licenses have relatively low participation and success rates. Adding additional licenses will not significantly increase harvest. WYGFD e decreased Area 38 Type 6 licenses as the damage situation this license was intended to address has abated. WYGFD increased Area 39 Type 4 licenses to address an increase of elk observed in this area.

WYGFD tested 78 hunter harvested elk in 2019 for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Two elk, one each from Areas 35 and 37, tested positive, for a prevalence rate of 2.6%. Between 2014-2019, WYGFD tested 169 hunter harvested elk with five positives, for a prevalence rate of 3.0% (95% CI = 0.9- 6.8%). WYGFD e have not detected CWD in Hunt Areas 36, 38, 39 or 40 (n=83).

WYGFD also had three positive female elk from Area 37 this year that were euthanized for exhibiting clinical signs of disease.

HuntScore Tip

Public land and private land percentages can sometime be misleading. A unit may have 80% public land, but a particluar species may only occupy 20% on the entire area. And that 20% species distribution may lie 100% within private lands. Does that sound confusing? Just remember that there are always exceptions to the rule, and land ownership is just one piece of the puzzle.