Unit 7 Laramie Peak (Area 7)
The pine-and-granite island of Laramie Peak — a big-herd elk unit tangled in checkerboard access.
Laramie Peak / Southeast Wyoming · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
4,050
sq mi
Public land
45%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–10,276
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Hunt Area 7 is a large southeast-Wyoming unit built around Laramie Peak and the northern Medicine Bow National Forest, spanning ponderosa breaks, granite outcrops and sagebrush grasslands between the North Platte and Laramie River country. The Laramie Peak/Muddy Mountain elk herd (Areas 7 and 19) runs well over objective — population estimates around 12,500 against a 5,000 goal — so tags are relatively attainable and elk are plentiful, but management is difficult because the herd shuttles between public forest and private ranch. Expect quality bulls, strong mule deer and pronghorn, whitetails in the river bottoms, and a serious access puzzle of BLM, state, forest and deeded land.
Terrain
Rolling sagebrush grasslands and rocky breaks rising to the timbered granite of Laramie Peak (10,276 ft) and the northern Medicine Bow front; deep pine draws, rimrock and open parks.
Cover: Roughly a third grassland, a third ponderosa pine, limber pine and juniper, with big-sagebrush shrublands and wet meadows filling the rest; cottonwood and willow along the drainages.
Landmarks: Laramie Peak · Medicine Bow National Forest (Laramie Ranger District) · Laramie Peak WHMA · North Laramie River · Esterbrook
Access
This is classic southeast-Wyoming checkerboard-and-private country — Union Pacific land-grant sections and large ranches interlock with public ground, so blocks of BLM and state land can be landlocked and corner-crossing questions arise. The Laramie Peak WHMA opens key winter-range ground with seasonal rules. Map ownership carefully, secure permission for deeded access, and use HMA/walk-in and forest boundaries to reach public country legally.
Managers: USFS Medicine Bow NF, BLM, WY state trust, private ranch, WGFD Laramie Peak WHMA
Access points: Esterbrook Road and forest roads to Laramie Peak · Laramie Peak WHMA access points · Cottonwood Park / Friend Park trailheads · BLM Muddy Mountain area south of Casper · State highways off I-25 (Douglas, Glendo, Wheatland)
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant qualityThe Laramie Peak/Muddy Mountain herd is well over objective with quality bulls available; elk are plentiful but heavily influenced by private-land refuge, so timing and access drive success more than elk numbers.
- →Hunt the national-forest timber and parks around Laramie Peak
- →Pressure pushes elk to private — hunt public hard early and near boundary transitions
- →Glass open sage parks at first and last light
- →Use the WHMA and season timing to catch elk on huntable ground
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer work the pine breaks, rimrock and sage grasslands throughout the unit; the rougher public country can produce good bucks.
- →Glass ponderosa breaks and rocky draws morning and evening
- →Hunt sage-and-juniper transitions on the lower country
- →Get into the roughest accessible public ground
Pronghorn
common qualityPronghorn thrive on the sagebrush grasslands flanking the peak and out across the plains — strong numbers, though much of the flat antelope range is private or checkerboard.
- →Glass big sage flats and grassland benches
- →Sort public from private before the stalk — checkerboard is the real challenge
- →Use terrain to close on bucks in open country
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetails hold the cottonwood river bottoms and irrigated valley edges, mostly on private ground along the drainages.
- →Focus on cottonwood bottoms and ag edges
- →Secure private or walk-in permission for the river corridors
- →Hunt the rut for the best bucks
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears use the timbered draws and berry slopes of the Laramie Peak forest; a modest opportunity, no grizzlies this far southeast.
- →Glass green draws and oak/berry pockets in the pine country
- →Hunt the timbered breaks around Laramie Peak
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions follow the abundant deer through the pine and rimrock; primarily a winter pursuit-season resource.
- →Cut fresh tracks after snow on forest and BLM roads
- →Focus on rugged deer-holding canyon and rimrock country
Pro tips
- →Elk are abundant but private ranches hold them — hunt public forest hard and early before they slip off
- →Map ownership meticulously: BLM and state parcels here can be checkerboarded and landlocked
- →Learn the Laramie Peak WHMA seasonal rules — it opens important winter-range access
- →For pronghorn, the game is sorting public from private, not finding animals
- →Line up river-bottom permission if whitetails are your target
Watch out for
- !Union Pacific checkerboard and landlocked public parcels — corner-crossing legality is unsettled; verify before crossing
- !Large private ranches holding elk off-limits
- !WHMA seasonal access restrictions
- !Slick clay roads and early snow
- !High wind on the open grassland country
Logistics
Douglas, Wheatland and Glendo along I-25 are the closest supply towns for fuel, groceries and lodging; Casper and Laramie are the nearest full-service cities with hospitals. Esterbrook is the small gateway hamlet to the peak. Forest and ranch roads are graded but go greasy when wet and can hold early snow.
Nearest towns: Douglas, Wheatland, Glendo, Laramie, Casper
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT — Wyoming Elk Unit 7 (Laramie Peak) · Public Lands Interpretive Association — Wyoming Elk Unit 7 · WGFD — Laramie Peak WHMA
FAQ
- How big is Unit 7 in Wyoming?
- Unit 7 (Laramie Peak (Area 7)) covers about 4,050 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 10,276 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 7?
- Approximately 45% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Medicine Bow NF, BLM, WY state trust, private ranch, WGFD Laramie Peak WHMA. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 7?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 7 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.