Unit 125 Elk Mountain (Area 125)
A compact ranch-and-mountain unit built around the 11,000-foot island of Elk Mountain
Medicine Bow / Snowy Range Foothills · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
288
sq mi
Public land
25%
approx.
Elevation
6,800–11,162
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
Hunt Area 125 is a small, tightly-drawn unit in Carbon County wrapped around Elk Mountain, the prominent 11,162-foot forested peak that rises abruptly out of the sage between the North Platte valley and the Medicine Bow. The area is bounded roughly by Interstate 80, U.S. 30 toward Hanna, Wyoming 72, the Pass Creek Road by the town of Elk Mountain, and Wyoming 130. It is dominated by the large private holdings of the Elk Mountain Ranch and the surrounding checkerboard along the I-80 corridor, so this is more a limited-quota, permission-and-access hunt than a roam-anywhere public unit. Elk are the headline species, with mule deer and pronghorn on the lower ground.
Terrain
A single steep, timbered massif — Elk Mountain — ringed by sage foothills, hay-meadow ranch bottoms and creek drainages, with the Pass Creek country to the east and open basin toward Hanna and Saratoga.
Cover: Lodgepole, spruce-fir and aspen on the mountain; mountain shrub, mahogany and sage on the flanks; grass and irrigated hay meadows along Pass Creek and the ranch bottoms.
Landmarks: Elk Mountain (11,162 ft) · Pass Creek · town of Elk Mountain · Medicine Bow River · Interstate 80 / US-30 corridor
Access
Access is the defining challenge. Much of the unit — including the heart of Elk Mountain — is the private Elk Mountain Ranch, and the surrounding country is the Union Pacific land-grant checkerboard of alternating private/BLM sections. The Elk Mountain Hunter Management Area (HMA) opens leased/private ranch ground for antlerless elk on a permission/registration basis. Public BLM and state parcels exist but are scattered and often landlocked behind private. Corner-crossing is legally contested; secure written permission or use the HMA program.
Managers: private ranch, BLM, WY state trust, USFS Medicine Bow NF
Access points: Elk Mountain / Wilcox exit off I-80 · Pass Creek Road from the town of Elk Mountain · WY-130 toward the Snowy Range · Elk Mountain HMA registration for antlerless access
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe unit's namesake and headline species; a limited-quota area (Region S general licenses are not valid here) with elk holding on the timbered mountain and using the ranch bottoms. The Elk Mountain HMA provides antlerless-focused access on private ground.
- →Secure access first — line up the HMA program or landowner permission before you plan a hunt
- →Glass the timber edges and meadow openings at dawn and dusk, then still-hunt the dark timber
- →Work the transition between the mountain and the ranch hay meadows as animals move to feed
- →Hunt later season pushes when snow moves elk to lower, more accessible ground
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer use the mountain shrub and mahogany on Elk Mountain's flanks and the surrounding foothills; quality can be good but access limits opportunity.
- →Glass mahogany and mountain-shrub benches on the mountain's lower slopes
- →Hunt draws and creek heads holding cover
- →Focus effort on the limited legally-accessible parcels
Pronghorn
common opportunityPronghorn range the sage basins around the mountain toward Hanna, Saratoga and the Medicine Bow, though the small unit and checkerboard limit huntable public ground.
- →Glass the open sage flats off the mountain from vehicle-accessible two-tracks
- →Confirm section ownership before any stalk in the checkerboard
- →Look to water and reservoirs in early-season heat
Pro tips
- →This is an access hunt — investigate the Elk Mountain HMA and landowner permission before you count on hunting here
- →Don't assume the mountain is public; the core is the Elk Mountain Ranch
- →Late-season snow is the key that moves elk to lower, more reachable ground
- →Map the checkerboard sections around I-80 carefully before hunting antelope or deer on the flats
- →Plan for wind and be ready for the interstate to close in a storm
Watch out for
- !Large private Elk Mountain Ranch covers much of the unit's best ground
- !Union Pacific checkerboard and contested corner-crossing on surrounding sections
- !Limited-quota area — general Region S licenses are not valid in 125
- !Severe wind and ground blizzards along the I-80 corridor
- !Landlocked public parcels behind private
Logistics
The town of Elk Mountain is tiny; Rawlins, Saratoga and Laramie are the practical bases for fuel, lodging and groceries, all within an hour. I-80 runs through the unit, so the country is easy to reach but notorious for high wind and sudden ground blizzards. A high-clearance vehicle helps on ranch and Pass Creek roads once you have access.
Nearest towns: Elk Mountain, Hanna, Saratoga, Medicine Bow, Rawlins, Laramie
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: WGFD Elk Hunt Area 125 boundary description · WGFD Elk Mountain Hunter Management Area · WGFD Carbon County Walk-In Hunting · HuntScore — Wyoming Hunt Area 125 Elk Mountain
FAQ
- How big is Unit 125 in Wyoming?
- Unit 125 (Elk Mountain (Area 125)) covers about 288 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,800 to 11,162 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 125?
- Approximately 25% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch, BLM, WY state trust, USFS Medicine Bow NF. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 125?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 125 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.