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Hunting Seasons in Wyoming 2025: Big Game and Small Game, Licenses, and Regulations Guide
Plan your 2025–26 Wyoming hunt with our comprehensive guide—season dates, bag limits, license info, tag draws, and key species from mule deer and elk to waterfowl and furbearers.
Wyoming’s sprawling high plains, rugged mountain ranges, and river bottoms make it a premier destination for hunters chasing trophy mule deer, massive elk herds, and elusive bighorn sheep. Whether you’re glassing antelope on sage‑brush flats at dawn or slipping into timber for black bear, the Cowboy State delivers diverse seasons, clear bag limits, and robust license systems. Here’s your all‑in‑one guide to Wyoming’s 2025–26 hunting calendar, from archery openings through late‑winter waterfowl hunts.
What Is There to Hunt in Wyoming?
Wyoming supports an incredible lineup of game:
Big Game: Mule deer, white‑tailed deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, grizzly bear, bison, gray wolf
Small Game & Upland Birds: Sage, dusky, and ruffed grouse; pheasant; partridge; cottontail rabbit; snowshoe hare; squirrels
Waterfowl & Migratory Birds: Ducks, geese, sandhill crane, snipe, rails, mourning dove (HIP & federal stamps required)
Furbearers & Predators: Coyote, raccoon, fox, beaver, muskrat, mink (many open year‑round)
What Animals Can You Hunt Year‑Round in Wyoming?
Several species carry no closed season on private lands, helping control populations and providing off‑season action: coyote, beaver, muskrat, fox, raccoon, wolverine, wolf, and mink. Public‑land rules may vary by unit.
Wyoming Big Game Hunting Seasons 2025–26
Because seasons differ by game management unit, always confirm dates on the WGFD website. General season windows include:
Deer (Mule & White‑tailed):
Archery: Sept 1 – 30, 2025
General Rifle: Sept 1 – Dec 31, 2025
Pronghorn Antelope:
Archery: Aug 15 – Oct 4, 2025
General: Oct 1 – Dec 31, 2025
Elk:
Archery: Sept 1 – 30, 2025
Rifle: Oct 1, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
Moose:
Archery: Aug 15 – Sept 30, 2025
General: Sept 10 – Nov 20, 2025
Bighorn Sheep & Mountain Goat:
Archery: Aug 1 – 31, 2025
General: Aug 1 – Nov 30, 2025
Black Bear:
Spring Archery/General: Apr 15 – May 14, 2025
Fall Archery/General: Aug 1 – Nov 15, 2025
Bison:
Area 2: Aug 15, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
Grizzly Bear:
Units 1–6: Sept 15 – Nov 15, 2025
Gray Wolf:
Selected Units: Sept 15 – Dec 31, 2025
Wild Turkey:
Spring: Apr 20 – May 31, 2026
Fall: Sept 1 – Dec 31, 2025
Wyoming Small Game & Waterfowl Seasons 2025–26
Grouse & Partridge:
Sage Grouse: Sept 20 – 30, 2025
Ruffed & Dusky: Sept 1 – Dec 31, 2025
Partridge: Sept 15, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
Pheasant: Varies by unit; often Nov 1 – Dec 31, 2025
Rabbit & Hare: Sept 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2026
Ducks & Geese (Pacific/Central Flyways):
Ducks: Sept 27 – Jan 9, 2026
Geese: Sept 1 – Jan 1, 2026 (varies by zone)
Sandhill Crane (Limited & General): Early Sept dates
Rail & Snipe: Sept 1 – Nov 9/Dec 16, 2025
Mourning Dove: Sept 1 – Nov 29, 2025
Bag Limits by Species
Deer, Elk, Pronghorn, Moose, Sheep, Goat, Bison: 1 per season/tag
Black Bear: 2 per season (unit dependent)
Turkey: 1 per day (2 per season)
Ducks & Geese: 7 & 5 per day (sub‑limits apply)
Crane: 1 per season (quota hunts); 3 per day (general)
Grouse/Partridge: 3 per day (9 in possession)
Pheasant: 3 per day (9 in possession)
Rabbit & Hare: 10 & 4 per day
Furbearers & Predators: No daily limit; reporting required
License & Tags Information for Wyoming Hunters (2025–26)
All hunters need a valid Wyoming hunting license and appropriate tags/permits:
General Licenses: Resident and nonresident fees apply
Big Game Draw Tags: Tier I & II for elk, deer, pronghorn, sheep, goat, bison
Registration Tags: Black bear, grizzly bear, moose, bison
Waterfowl Stamps & HIP: Mandatory for migratory birds
Hunter Education: Required for hunters born after Jan 1 1966
Hunting Methods: Bow, Rifle, Muzzleloader
Wyoming authorizes:
Archery: Traditional, compound, and crossbows (in some units)
Firearms: Center‑fire rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders (unit‑specific seasons)
Special Methods: Dogs and bait allowed for bear and turkey in designated areas
Regulations & Resources
Stay legal by reviewing WGFD regulations, including:
Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset
Unit Maps & Boundaries: Carry printed or offline maps
Harvest Reporting: Online or via registration stations within 15 days
CWD & Predator Zones: Know your area’s special rules
Before you head out, always verify season dates, bag limits, and license requirements on the official Wyoming Game and Fish Department website to stay compliant and ensure a legal, ethical hunt.
This guide was created based on information from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WG&FD): https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regulations/Big-Game-Regulations/Deer-Seasons
