Wyoming Elk Hunt Area 56
Elk
32.1%
For planning only. Seasons, license rules, and boundaries change, and this site can contain errors. Before you apply, buy a license, or hunt, confirm everything in the official WGFD hunting season regulations (Chapters 5, 6 and 7). Published state regulations always control. Terms of use
Elk
Licenses
General elk license
Nonresident license: Region general elk license (Western region)
Availability: Residents General license · Nonresidents Draw
Included Includes bull elk
Archery Sep. 1–Sep. 30; Oct. 1–Oct. 21: Any elk.
Nonresidents: Nonresidents apply in the drawing for a region general license, valid in any hunt area within the Western region that is not totally limited in quota.
Source: WGFD regulations (2026)
Type 1 limited quota license
Availability: Residents Limited quota · Nonresidents Draw
10 licenses.
Archery Sep. 1–Sep. 30; Nov. 5–Nov. 30: Any elk; also valid in Area 55.
Source: WGFD regulations (2026)
Type 6 limited quota license
Availability: Residents Limited quota · Nonresidents Draw
200 licenses.
Archery Sep. 1–Sep. 30; Oct. 1–Dec. 21: Cow or calf.
Source: WGFD regulations (2026)
Type 7 limited quota license
Availability: Residents Limited quota · Nonresidents Draw
200 licenses.
Archery Sep. 1–Sep. 30: Cow or calf.
Sep. 1–Dec. 21: Cow or calf valid off national forest.
Jan. 1–Jan. 15: Cow or calf valid off national forest south of the North Fork of the Shoshone River.
Source: WGFD regulations (2026)
Type 9 limited quota license
Availability: Residents Limited quota · Nonresidents Draw
30 licenses.
Sep. 1–Sep. 30: Any elk, archery only.
Source: WGFD regulations (2026)
WGFD's harvest reports give harvest and hunter success as estimates from a survey of license holders.
Success rate history
| Year | Hunters | All | Spikes | Bulls | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | ||
| 2025 | 661 | 212 | 32.1% | 6 | 0.9% | 102 | 15.4% |
| 2024 | 641 | 174 | 27.1% | 7 | 1.1% | 71 | 11.1% |
| 2023 | 466 | 175 | 37.6% | 8 | 1.7% | 86 | 18.5% |
| 2022 | 419 | 147 | 35.1% | 10 | 2.4% | 64 | 15.3% |
| 2021 | 461 | 125 | 27.1% | 8 | 1.7% | 74 | 16.1% |
Source: WGFD harvest reports, 2025.