Elk Hunt Area 123: Black Thunder
In the 2026 draw for the Type 1 any elk license, nonresidents needed about 17 preference points, and residents' first-choice odds were about 53%.
- Herd unit
- Rochelle Hills (344)
- Size
- 692 sq mi
- WGFD region
- Eastern
- License types drawn
- 4
Type 1 · Any elk
- Nonresident, preference-point draw: 9 licenses. Everyone with just under 17 points or more drew; nobody below that did.
Point-by-point results
Points First-choice applicants Odds 19 2 100% 18 2 100% 17 3 100% just under 17 2 100% 16 or fewer 102 0% - Nonresident, random draw: 2 licenses, 102 first-choice applicants (about 2%).
- Nonresident special, preference-point draw: 6 licenses. Everyone with 11 points or more drew; nobody below that did.
Point-by-point results
Points First-choice applicants Odds 15 1 100% 13 2 100% 11 3 100% just under 11 20 0% - Nonresident special, random draw: 2 licenses, 20 first-choice applicants (about 10%).
- Resident: 112 licenses, 212 first-choice applicants (about 53%).
Type 4 · Antlerless elk
- Nonresident, preference-point draw: 12 licenses. Every applicant drew, whatever their points.
- Nonresident, random draw: 4 licenses, 0 first-choice applicants.
- Nonresident special, preference-point draw: 6 licenses. Nobody applied for it as a first choice.
- Nonresident special, random draw: 1 license, 0 first-choice applicants.
- Resident: 84 licenses, 18 first-choice applicants (everyone drew).
Type 6 · Cow or calf
- Nonresident: 16 licenses, 28 first-choice applicants (about 57%).
- Resident: 83 licenses, 87 first-choice applicants (about 95%).
Type 8 · Cow or calf
- Nonresident: 1,600 licenses, 4 first-choice applicants (everyone drew).
- Resident: 9,993 licenses, 11 first-choice applicants (everyone drew).
Nearby elk areas
How to read this
Odds are what happened in the 2026 draw, published by Wyoming Game and Fish. They are not a forecast; quotas and applicant numbers change every year. Preference-point odds are WGFD's own figures. For random and resident draws WGFD publishes licenses and applicant counts, so the percentage shown is the share of first-choice applicants there were licenses for, before second and third choices. Rows marked “just under” a number are applicants between two point levels, which happens when a party applies together and its points are averaged.
Sources: WGFD draw results and odds (2026) and the WGFD elk hunt area boundaries. Boundaries are for general location, not a survey. Check season dates and boundary descriptions in the WGFD regulations before you hunt.