Unit 78 Wilson (Area 78)
The timbered west wall of Jackson Hole between Teton Pass and Grand Teton Park
Jackson Hole / Snake River Range · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
71
sq mi
Public land
60%
approx.
Elevation
6,100–10,400
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
Hunt Area 78 covers the west side of Jackson Hole in Teton County, running from Wyoming Highway 22 and the town of Wilson north to the Grand Teton National Park line, with the Bridger-Teton / Caribou-Targhee forest divide on the west and US 191 and the Snake River on the east. The valley floor and Snake River bench are heavily private ranch and subdivision, so the huntable ground is the steep, timbered public land climbing the west wall toward Teton Pass and the Snake River Range. It is part of the Jackson elk herd country and carries mule deer and Shiras moose; elk here fall under special management permits.
Terrain
Flat Snake River valley floor rising abruptly into steep, heavily timbered mountain slopes and avalanche paths on the west wall of Jackson Hole toward the Teton Pass and Snake River Range crest.
Cover: Cottonwood and willow along the Snake River; sagebrush and hay meadow on the valley floor and benches; dense Douglas-fir, lodgepole, spruce and aspen with mountain-shrub and avalanche-chute brush on the slopes.
Landmarks: Town of Wilson · Teton Pass (WY 22) · Mount Glory · Snake River · Snake River Range · Bridger-Teton NF divide
Access
The Snake River bottom, valley floor and benches around Wilson are almost entirely private ranch and residential; legal public hunting is on the Bridger-Teton NF slopes on the west side. Use a land-ownership app to stay off private, and expect heavy summer/fall recreation traffic (hikers, bikers, paragliders) on the Teton Pass and trailhead corridors.
Managers: USFS Bridger-Teton NF (Jackson RD), private ranch, WY state trust, BLM
Access points: Teton Pass / WY 22 trailheads (Phillips Canyon, Ski Lake, Mount Glory) · Bridger-Teton NF roads and trails off WY 22 · Forest access from the Fall Creek / Wilson area · US 191 corridor (public access limited by private frontage)
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityPart of the migratory Jackson elk herd; elk use the timbered west-wall slopes and move with weather and pressure between dark timber and the valley edges. Elk here require a special management permit.
- →Hunt the timber-and-avalanche-chute edges on the west wall at first and last light
- →Get well above the road and trailhead traffic on foot
- →Watch weather that pushes migrating elk down off the high country
- →Glass open chutes and aspen pockets from across-canyon
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer work the aspen-and-mountain-shrub transition and timber pockets on the west slopes, with bucks in the lightly pressured higher country.
- →Glass aspen fingers and brushy draws morning and evening
- →Hunt north-facing timber where bucks bed
- →Climb above the trailhead zone to find undisturbed deer
Moose
limited qualityShiras moose use the willow bottoms along the Snake River and lower forest creek drainages in low, limited-quota numbers.
- →Still-hunt willow and riparian pockets at dawn and dusk
- →Check beaver ponds and creek bottoms on the forest edge
- →Move slowly and glass thick cover
Pro tips
- →Treat this as a foot hunt on the public west wall — the valley floor is private
- →Hunt above and behind the busy trailhead corridors for undisturbed animals
- →Use weather fronts to catch elk moving down the slopes
- →Carry bear spray and hunt grizzly country carefully
- →Run a land-ownership app constantly given the tight public/private lines
Watch out for
- !Extensive private ranch and residential land on the valley floor and Snake River bottom
- !Grizzly and black bear activity
- !Heavy fall recreation traffic near Teton Pass and trailheads
- !Steep avalanche-path terrain and early winter storms
- !Elk require a special management permit
Logistics
Base out of Wilson or Jackson, both with full services, lodging and fuel; expect resort-town prices and busy trailheads. Access is a short drive from town but the hunting itself is steep, on-foot forest country. Grizzly and black bear are present, so carry bear spray and practice clean camp and meat handling.
Nearest towns: Wilson, Jackson, Teton Village
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT Wyoming Area 78 - Wilson Unit Profile · WGFD Elk Hunting Seasons (Chapter 7) · Bridger-Teton National Forest Hunting & Shooting
FAQ
- How big is Unit 78 in Wyoming?
- Unit 78 (Wilson (Area 78)) covers about 71 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,100 to 10,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 78?
- Approximately 60% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Bridger-Teton NF (Jackson RD), private ranch, WY state trust, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 78?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Moose. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 78 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.