Elk Hunt Area 16: Shirley Mountain
In the 2026 draw for the Type 1 any elk license, nonresidents needed about 18 preference points, and residents' first-choice odds were about 10%.
- Herd unit
- Shirley Mountain (534)
- Size
- 1,756 sq mi
- WGFD region
- Eastern
- License types drawn
- 5
Type 1 · Any elk
- Nonresident, preference-point draw: 11 licenses. The draw ran out at 18 points: 30% of applicants there drew, and everyone above it drew.
Point-by-point results
Points First-choice applicants Odds 20 5 100% 19 3 100% 18 10 30% just under 18 584 0% - Nonresident, random draw: 3 licenses, 591 first-choice applicants (under 1%).
- Nonresident special, preference-point draw: 8 licenses. The draw ran out at 17 points: 45.5% of applicants there drew, and everyone above it drew.
Point-by-point results
Points First-choice applicants Odds 19 1 100% 18 2 100% 17 11 45.45% just under 17 112 0% - Nonresident special, random draw: 2 licenses, 118 first-choice applicants (about 2%).
- Resident: 207 licenses, 2,027 first-choice applicants (about 10%).
Type 2 · Any elk
- Nonresident, preference-point draw: 9 licenses. The draw ran out at 18 points: 50% of applicants there drew, and everyone above it drew.
Point-by-point results
Points First-choice applicants Odds 20 2 100% 19 5 100% 18 4 50% just under 18 419 0% - Nonresident, random draw: 3 licenses, 421 first-choice applicants (under 1%).
- Nonresident special, preference-point draw: 6 licenses. The draw ran out at 18 points: 40% of applicants there drew, and everyone above it drew.
Point-by-point results
Points First-choice applicants Odds 19 1 100% just under 19 3 100% 18 5 40% just under 18 82 0% - Nonresident special, random draw: 2 licenses, 85 first-choice applicants (about 2%).
- Resident: 97 licenses, 727 first-choice applicants (about 13%).
Type 4 · Antlerless elk
- Nonresident, preference-point draw: 30 licenses. The draw ran out at 0 points: 35% of applicants there drew, and everyone above it drew.
Point-by-point results
Points First-choice applicants Odds 6 2 100% 4 1 100% 3 1 100% 2 3 100% 1 5 100% just under 1 4 100% 0 40 35% - Nonresident, random draw: 10 licenses, 26 first-choice applicants (about 38%).
- Nonresident special, preference-point draw: 15 licenses. Every applicant drew, whatever their points.
- Nonresident special, random draw: 5 licenses, 0 first-choice applicants.
- Resident: 252 licenses, 251 first-choice applicants (everyone drew).
Type 6 · Cow or calf
- Nonresident: 48 licenses, 212 first-choice applicants (about 23%).
- Resident: 248 licenses, 607 first-choice applicants (about 41%).
Type 7 · Cow or calf
- Nonresident: 32 licenses, 70 first-choice applicants (about 46%).
- Resident: 168 licenses, 199 first-choice applicants (about 84%).
Nearby elk areas
- Area 7: Laramie Peak
- Area 11: Medicine Bow River
- Area 12: Kennaday Peak
- Area 19: Muddy Mountain
- Area 22: Ferris
- Area 23: Rattlesnake
- Area 111: Seminoe
- Area 125: Elk Mountain
- Area 130: Bolten Rim
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.