Unit 38 Tongue (Area 38)
The Tongue River high country — nearly all national forest, long timbered ridges and a coveted, hard-to-draw Bighorn elk tag.
Bighorn Mountains · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
564
sq mi
Public land
70%
approx.
Elevation
3,700–9,800
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Hunt Area 38, Tongue, sits in the north-central Bighorn Mountains, comprised mostly of Bighorn National Forest with a fringe of high plains and large ranches at the base. It is bounded by the Montana state line on the north, Interstate 90 on the east, US 14A and Forest Road 16 on the east side, and the divide along the top of the Bighorns on the south. This is classic Bighorn elk country — long timbered ridges dropping into deep grassy valleys, terrain getting rougher from the gentler south toward the broken north end. Elk are the headline animal with good numbers and high success, and the tag is a quality, high-point draw. Public access is excellent through an extensive forest-road network.
Terrain
Mostly high forested plateau and ridge country from the ~3,700 ft plains base at Ranchester and Dayton up to the ~9,800 ft Bighorn divide. Long timbered ridges separated by deep grassy valleys; the dramatic Tongue River Canyon slices out the east face and the ground grows rougher toward the Montana line.
Cover: Sagebrush-grassland and irrigated meadows at the base, ponderosa and Douglas-fir on the canyon slopes, lodgepole pine and Engelmann spruce-fir with expansive grass parks across the high plateau.
Landmarks: Tongue River Canyon · Steamboat Point · Fallen City · Sibley Lake · Burgess Junction · US 14 / US 14A scenic byways · Dayton · Bighorn divide
Access
No Union Pacific checkerboard in the northern Bighorns — access here is genuinely good. The unit is overwhelmingly contiguous national forest reached by a dense web of graded and two-track forest roads; some spurs are 4x4/ATV only. The private and ranch ground is confined to the low east and north fringe near I-90 and the state line, where you need permission. Horse and backpack hunting open the rougher north end and canyon country.
Managers: USFS Bighorn NF (Tongue Ranger District), private ranch, WY state trust, BLM
Access points: US 14 scenic byway to Burgess Junction and Sibley Lake · Forest Road 16 corridor · Tongue River Canyon trailhead out of Dayton · US 14A on the northeast · Forest roads off the I-90 / Ranchester side
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant qualityThe Tongue area holds good elk numbers across the high forest with historically high success; it is a quality, high-preference-point draw. Bulls hold in the timbered ridges and feed the grassy valleys and parks.
- →Bugle-locate at dawn along timbered ridge spines, then close through the dark timber
- →Hunt the transitions between deep-grass valleys and lodgepole cover morning and evening
- →Push into the rougher north end and roadless canyon heads to find undisturbed bulls
- →Pack in with horses or backpack to hunt away from the road network
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer share the high forest ridges, open parks and mountain-shrub benches throughout the unit.
- →Glass open parks, burn edges and shrub benches at first and last light
- →Hunt the rougher, more open ridges away from roads for mature bucks
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetails hold in the Tongue River bottoms and ag edges on the lower east and north fringe, mostly private ground.
- →Glass river-bottom cover and hayfield edges near Dayton and Ranchester
- →Hunt with private permission during the November rut
Moose
limited opportunityShiras moose use the willow bottoms, riparian meadows and spruce pockets of the high Bighorns; a rare limited-quota resource.
- →Glass willow creek bottoms and beaver-pond meadows at dawn
- →Check spruce-fringed wet parks in the high country
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions follow the deer and elk through the canyons and timber; primarily a snow-tracking pursuit hunt.
- →Cut fresh tracks after snow on forest roads and canyon rims
- →Focus on Tongue River Canyon and rugged rimrock
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears work the timbered drainages and berry brush; the Bighorns have no grizzlies.
- →Glass green meadow edges, avalanche chutes and berry patches in early fall
- →Hunt the forested canyon slopes
Pro tips
- →Overwhelmingly public national forest with excellent road access — one of the Bighorns' better DIY elk units, but expect a high point cost to draw
- →Success is high; hunt the ridge-to-valley transitions and bugle the timber at first light
- →Escape road pressure by pushing into the rougher north end or packing into canyon country
- →No grizzlies and no checkerboard — the main planning worry is early-season snow, not access
- →Camp at Sibley Lake or Burgess Junction to sit central to the high plateau
Watch out for
- !Early high-country storms can close US 14 and upper forest roads fast
- !Private ranch ground on the low I-90 and state-line fringe — get permission before hunting the bottoms
- !Rough 4x4/ATV-only spurs in the broken north end
- !High point requirement — verify draw odds before applying
- !Cold, wet, exposed high plateau — pack for winter conditions
Logistics
Dayton and Ranchester at the mountain's foot offer basic fuel and services; Sheridan (I-90) is the full-service hub with lodging, groceries and a hospital. The US 14 scenic byway and Forest Road 16 give reliable high-country access; Sibley Lake and Burgess Junction are common camps. Upper roads drift shut with early snow.
Nearest towns: Dayton, Ranchester, Sheridan, Burgess Junction, Lovell
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: WGFD Hunt Planner · GOHUNT — Wyoming Elk Unit 38 (Tongue) · Bighorn National Forest — Hunting & Shooting
FAQ
- How big is Unit 38 in Wyoming?
- Unit 38 (Tongue (Area 38)) covers about 564 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,700 to 9,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 38?
- Approximately 70% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Bighorn NF (Tongue Ranger District), private ranch, WY state trust, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 38?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Moose, Cougar, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 38 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.