Hunt Area 106, Crandall-Sunlight, Wyoming

Southwestern Wyoming, Uinta County. The unit runs from I-80 south across high desert sagebrush flats and ranch land, then climbs into the Uinta Mountains and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest (Mountain View Ranger District). Elevation ranges roughly 6,825 to 8,498 ft (per GoHunt; not an official primary source). Lower elevations feature open sagebrush, grass, and rolling terrain ideal for pronghorn; mid-elevations transition to scrub oak and mountain shrub; higher elevations in the national forest carry conifer and aspen. The southern USFS portion is more rugged. Elk concentrate on private hay ground along the lower drainages in winter and spring, and are scarce on public land for much of the season.

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AREA NUMBERING IMPORTANT: Wyoming uses separate hunt area numbering for each species. 'Elk Hunt Area 106' (Uinta, Uinta County, Green River Region) is the geography this profile covers. The corresponding deer areas are 132/133/168 (Uinta Mule Deer Herd MD423) and pronghorn areas are 95 and 99 (Uinta-Cedar Mountain Herd PR411). 'Deer Hunt Area 106' is an entirely different geographic unit (Crandall-Sunlight, Park County, Cody Region) — CWD was confirmed in Deer Hunt Area 106 in 2025, but this does NOT affect Elk Hunt Area 106. | PRIVATE LAND DOMINANCE: Approximately 75% of elk area 106 is private (per GoHunt/HuntScore; WGFD herd report confirms private land dominance without stating a specific percentage). WGFD's own management report states that private landowners 'control access to most of the elk' and private land has created elk sanctuaries. Public land elk hunting is challenging. | ELK POPULATION: Herd above satisfaction-based objective historically. 2026 management calls for significant increases in antlerless harvest; Type 7 quota raised from 700 to 800 in 2026 draft (Chapter 7 adopted as proposed by Commission in April 2026). Population survey January 2025 counted 2,644 elk in Wyoming portion — very high calf ratio (52 calves:100 cows) but poor bull:cow ratio (13:100). | DEER POPULATION: Mule deer herd MD423 is at 8,353 animals, 58% below its 20,000 objective. Very short general season (6 days for mule deer). Nonresident Region K quota confirmed at all-time low of 200. Low hunter satisfaction (37% satisfied 2024). | PRONGHORN POPULATION: PR411 herd at 5,219, 48% below 10,000 objective. Four severe winters in 8 years (2016-17, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2022-23) have suppressed numbers. Conservative seasons continue in 2025-2026. | CWD: No CWD positives found in elk (0 positives from 22 total samples collected 2021-2024; no samples collected in 2020). Brucellosis prevalence 0% in elk (30 samples 2024). Mule deer CWD: 0 positives in routine hunter-harvest sampling 2019-2024; 2 historical positives from targeted samples taken within Green River city limits (eastern edge of herd). No CWD management actions taken in this unit. | OUTFITTER REQUIREMENT: Nonresident hunters in wilderness areas must be accompanied by a licensed outfitter or a resident guide. The southern USFS portion near the High Uintas Wilderness may trigger this requirement — verify specific boundaries. | WIA ACCESS: Approximately 21,710 acres of Walk-In Area land across 5 WIAs (2, 3, 4, 5, 8) overlap elk Area 106, providing additional public hunting access on enrolled private land. Total Uinta County WIA program = 14 WIAs, 35,913 acres. | MOOSE: Uinta Moose (MO415) are present in the broader region but moose hunt areas (27, 35) do not coincide with elk Area 106 geography. | 2026 DRAFT STATUS: Chapter 7 elk seasons (draft 03.16.2026.4) were adopted as proposed by the Commission in April 2026. Chapter 6 deer seasons adopted with some modifications (including retaining antler point restrictions in applicable areas). Chapter 5 antelope adopted as proposed. Seasons not official until Governor signs.