Bison - All
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
The jungle is calling!
❓Guess where all these beauties in the feed are from?
➡️ Bright and exotic ⬇️
Huge birds and tiny deer.
❗️Yucatan! Let's go to 🇲🇽 Mexico.
Mexico is beautiful at any time of the year, but if you want to combine hunting, relaxation and fishing, the best time is
📆 from November to May.
Vacation in Cancun, Acapulco, Riviera Maya and other popular resorts.
A great alternative to the winter cold!
Mexico offers trophies:
🔸bighorn sheep,
🔸white-tailed deer, of which there are about a dozen subspecies,
🔸bison,
🔸wild pigs and boars.
And a whole set of jungle species, the names of which may not mean anything: brockets, peccaries, large gokko, rusty-bellied penelope, coati, agouti, paca.
🧡 But looking at their photos, you really want to come, find them and get them for your collection.
We are booking for the 2026 season ⤵️
💬 write to Telegram (https://t.me/safari_stalker)
#hunting_in_mexique
Why did the Americans try to destroy the bison population?
The near-destruction of the American bison (or buffalo) population in the 19th century was not an accidental or random event but rather a deliberate and systematic effort driven by multiple factors, many of which were tied to the U.S. government's broader policies toward Native Americans. The bison were central to the lives, cultures, and economies of many Plains Indigenous tribes, and their destruction was seen as a way to weaken Native resistance and force assimilation into Euro-American society.
Key Reasons for the Destruction of the Bison:
1. Undermining Native American Resistance:
- The bison were essential to the survival and way of life for many Plains tribes, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, Comanche, and others. These tribes relied on bison for food, clothing, shelter, tools, and spiritual practices.
- By destroying the bison herds, the U.S. government and settlers sought to undermine the ability of Native Americans to resist colonization and forced relocation. Without bison, tribes would be more dependent on government rations and less able to sustain themselves independently.
- This strategy was part of a broader campaign of cultural genocide aimed at dismantling Indigenous ways of life and forcing Native peoples onto reservations.
2. Facilitating Westward Expansion:
- The bison herds roamed vast areas of the Great Plains, which were also prime lands for agriculture, ranching, and settlement by European Americans. Clearing the land of bison made it easier for settlers, railroads, and ranchers to take over these territories.
- The presence of large bison herds was seen as an obstacle to westward expansion, as they could damage crops, compete with livestock for grazing land, and disrupt transportation routes.
3. Economic Exploitation:
- While the primary motive was often political and cultural, there was also an economic dimension to the slaughter. Bison hides and tongues were valuable commodities, and commercial hunters killed bison in massive numbers for profit.
- Railroads played a significant role in facilitating this exploitation, as trains allowed hunters to transport bison products to markets efficiently. Additionally, some railroad companies encouraged the killing of bison to clear paths for trains and reduce the risk of collisions with herds.
4. Military Strategy:
- Military leaders like General Philip Sheridan supported the extermination of bison as a tactic to weaken Native American tribes. Sheridan famously stated that the best way to defeat Native Americans was to "kill the Indian and save the man," and he saw the destruction of the bison as a key step in achieving this goal.
- Soldiers and settlers often participated in mass hunts, sometimes shooting bison purely for sport or to deprive Native peoples of resources.
5. Cultural Superiority and Manifest Destiny:
- Many Americans at the time believed in the ideology of Manifest Destiny, which held that it was their divine right and duty to expand across North America. This belief often came with a sense of cultural superiority, viewing Indigenous ways of life as inferior and obstacles to "progress."
- The bison, as symbols of the Plains tribes' independence and resilience, became targets in this broader effort to impose Euro-American dominance.
The Scale of the Slaughter:
- Estimates suggest that tens of millions of bison roamed North America before European contact. By the late 1800s, their numbers had been reduced to just a few hundred. This catastrophic decline was achieved through organized hunting campaigns, often supported or encouraged by the U.S. government.
- In some cases, bison were killed en masse without even using their hides or meat, simply left to rot on the plains as a demonstration of power and control.
Legacy:
- The near-extinction of the bison had devastating consequences for Native American communities, contributing to widespread starvation, displacement, and cultural loss.
- Today, efforts are underway to restore bison populations and recognize their ecological and cultural significance. However, the legacy of their destruction remains a stark reminder of the violence and systemic oppression faced by Indigenous peoples during this period.
In summary, the destruction of the bison population was a calculated strategy to disempower Native Americans, facilitate westward expansion, and enforce Euro-American dominance over the continent. It was both a practical and symbolic act, reflecting the broader goals of colonization and cultural erasure.
