Wyoming Rocky Mountain Goat Breakdown

Wyoming Bison Breakdown

The application deadline for Wyoming moose, bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goat, and bison is April 30, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. MT. The applications are available entirely online. Apply online here.

Why no Wyoming Application Strategy articles for sheep and moose

We did not cover moose and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in depth in this article due to the fact that, with current tag allocations, there are very few permits available to nonresidents. Here's some quick intel on these species for your application strategy:

Bighorn sheep

In 2025, there were 11 areas that allocated nonresident ram permit(s), but only one, Area 5, that allocated one to the random pool. This means that the other permits were allocated in the maximum preference point pool to applicants with anywhere from 26 to 31 points. If you are a nonresident with points within that range, review the draw odds to research your options. If you have fewer points, Area 5 is likely to be the only area that allocates a random permit.

Moose

Moose hunting opportunities are also severely limited for nonresidents. There are 17 hunts they can apply for, but only 3 offer a permit in the random draw. Those areas were 25, 26, and 38. The rest of the hunts required a large amount of preference points, in the range of 25 to 31 points.

If you plan to apply for bighorn sheep or moose and have less than 25 points, only apply for those areas that have a random chance. At this point, it may not be worth buying and building points in Wyoming for those two species, given the odds of ever drawing are so low due to the number of applicants in the system, the fact that they offer so few permits, and that the bulk go to max-point holders. It's a cost-benefit exercise; do some research to see what makes the most sense for your own financial situations and goals.

State Information

View important information and an overview of the Wyoming rules/regulations, the draw system, preference points, SuperTag and SuperTag Trifecta, tag and license fees, and an interactive boundary line map on our State Profile. You can also view the Wyoming Rocky Mountain goat and bison profiles to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy areas.

Important dates and information

Amount to remit

Designated Wilderness Areas (DWA)

A nonresident cannot legally hunt a DWA on their own; they must be accompanied by a licensed Wyoming outfitter or licensed Wyoming resident. A DWA is a United States Forest Service (USFS) designation. 

The bulk of mountain goat Area 3 is within a wilderness area. Area 1 has some wilderness as well, but mountain goats inhabit the terrain both inside and outside of the wilderness area. Area 2 is also a good choice for do-it-yourself (DIY) hunters; it contains limited wilderness with mountain goats inhabiting both wilderness and non-wilderness.

The Wyoming draw system

There is no regular or special draw for nonresidents applying for mountain goat or bison. 

Mountain goat and bison licenses are all randomly allocated, which means that there is no point system, and every applicant has an equal chance of drawing. The mountain goat license split allocates 90% to residents and 10% to nonresidents. There are very few nonresident mountain goat licenses allocated, but if you are willing to front the cost, the draw is random, and it’s worth considering if you are interested in mountain goat hunting. 

The bison license split offers 90% to residents and 10% to nonresidents. Once again, bison licenses are randomly allocated with no point system. As you can see from the fees table, you must front the entire cost of the license, and it’s very expensive, but if you are interested in bison hunting and can afford the license, you should do some research and apply.

There have been five areas to apply for, but areas 4 and 5 are no longer available. Hunts in those areas were utilized to eliminate all mountain goats in those areas due to conflict potential, and all goats have been removed.

This year, applicants can apply for areas 1, 2, and 3, but nonresidents are likely to only have one permit available in Area 1 and one permit in Area 3 type 1.

Mountain goat populations are struggling in Wyoming and are at a 30-year low. It's not entirely clear why, but disease has likely played a role in reduced numbers. Due to the decline in populations, the permit numbers have also plummeted.

In Areas 1, 2, and 3, trophy book billies are rare. Area 1 has some designated wilderness, but most of the goats harvested are taken outside the wilderness, making it a good option for a do-it-yourself nonresident hunter.

Area 3 has the largest herd of mountain goats in Wyoming. A good portion of the goats taken in Area 3 are within designated wilderness. There is a smaller herd that occupies the range outside of the wilderness area, should a nonresident hunter draw and want to attempt the hunt without an outfitter. Area 3 is likely a better guided hunt so that the nonresident hunter can access the larger herds that occur in the wilderness area. Remember that the Wyoming mountain goat draw system has no point system; it’s completely random. Wyoming offers a decent opportunity to harvest a mountain goat, but the odds of drawing are very tough.

Wyoming is one of only a few states that offer free-range bison hunting opportunities. The odds of drawing are tough, and the permit is very expensive, but for those willing to front that money and draw a permit, the chance to harvest a bison is good.

There is likely to be only one area that applicants can apply for, which is Area 2. In 2025, there were 69 total permits allocated; nonresidents were allocated 6 of those. Bison hunters in Area 2 are primarily harvesting bison on the National Elk Refuge. This is a weather-dependent hunt, where early snow and cold temperatures can push bison out of Teton National Park onto the refuge. In late July, those who have drawn permits can apply online for a license to hunt the National Elk Refuge. You can only apply for one hunt period, and given the fact that the hunt is weather dependent they should apply for the later dates. If the weather does not cooperate, it can be a tough hunt.

Remember that bison licenses are allocated through a random draw, and there is no point system. If you can front the high cost of the bison license, the hunt can be good and offer a great opportunity to harvest a good bull. If bison is on your bucket list and you can afford the permit, it's worth adding your application in Wyoming!