Hunt Area 111, Elk Fork, Wyoming

Wyoming uses species-specific hunt area numbering, so 'Area 111' refers to three geographically distinct units depending on the species. For deer (Ch. 6): Elk Fork unit, Park County - rugged Shoshone National Forest terrain draining the North Fork of the Shoshone River west of Cody; elevations 5,454-11,084 ft; dominated by conifer forest, old-burn glassing country, willow/sage creek bottoms; significant wilderness coverage; trailheads accessible off US-20 (Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway). For elk (Ch. 7): Seminoe unit, Carbon/Natrona counties near Rawlins - high-desert plains transitioning to steep and rugged Seminoe Mountains; elevations roughly 5,500-8,200 ft; scattered pine, juniper, and aspen on north-facing slopes; BLM roads and 2-tracks provide access; 4WD/ATV recommended for mountain terrain. For antelope (Ch. 5): Chalk Bluffs unit, SE Wyoming - open plains along the Wyoming-Nebraska-Colorado tri-state corner, bounded by I-80 north and I-25 west.

Deer/Elk Fork (Park County): US-20/16/14 (North Fork Highway/Cody Scenic Byway) provides main corridor 19 miles west of Cody; multiple USFS trailheads off this route; outfitter/horse traffic is heavy. Nearest town: Cody, WY (19+ miles east). Nonresident hunters must hire a licensed guide to hunt designated wilderness areas (federal requirement). Elk/Seminoe (Carbon/Natrona): I-80 and US-287 form the southern and western boundaries; Carbon CR 100 (South Ferris Road) and Carbon CR 497/Natrona CR 410 (Buzzard Road) provide main interior access; WY-220 along northern boundary. Stone Creek HMA on Buzzard Road offers additional permitted private-land access. Nearest towns: Rawlins (SW corner), Casper (~60 miles north). Private land access is complicated by two distinct problems:

1. In the northern portion, approximately 282 elk (37% of trend count) concentrate below Pathfinder Ranch lands near Bear Creek, largely unavailable during hunting season due to locked private-land gates on otherwise contiguous terrain.
2. In the southern portion of Area 111, approximately 378 elk (50%) occupy checker-boarded private lands where hunter access is severely limited; the division between the northern accessible zone and southern checker-board zone roughly follows the Taper Ranch Road. Antelope/Chalk Bluffs: I-80 and I-25 corridor, SE of Cheyenne; nearest towns: Cheyenne, Pine Bluffs.

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CRITICAL - WYOMING USES SPECIES-SPECIFIC HUNT AREA NUMBERS: 'Area 111' designates three completely different geographic locations depending on species chapter.

1. Deer Ch. 6 Area 111 = Elk Fork (Park County, North Fork Shoshone drainage near Cody, ~430 sq mi, ~87.5% public).
2. Elk Ch. 7 Area 111 = Seminoe (Carbon/Natrona counties near Rawlins, ~880 sq mi, ~65% public).
3. Antelope Ch. 5 Area 111 = Chalk Bluffs (SE Wyoming near Cheyenne/NE state line). Hunters must confirm which species-chapter area 111 applies to their license. | CWD: As of the 2022-23 JCR, no meaningful CWD prevalence data existed within the Ferris elk herd (EL639/Areas 22 and 111); herd classified Tier 3 surveillance, no CWD management actions taken as of that report date. Deer Area 111 (Elk Fork/Park County) - WGFD reports confirm CWD is present in the Cody Region; CWD reportedly detected in deer Area 111 as early as 2016 (flag as uncertain - verify against current WGFD CWD map before season). Statewide 2025 mule deer buck CWD prevalence averaged 21.6%. | ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: Elk Area 111/Seminoe - two distinct private-land access problems: northern zone elk near Pathfinder Ranch/Bear Creek behind locked gates; southern checker-board zone (roughly south of Taper Ranch Road) has 50% of herd unavailable on private lands. Stone Creek HMA provides permitted access to 14,844 acres via random draw (verify 2026 application dates with WGFD Lander office 307-332-2688, historically opening in late July). Deer Area 111/Elk Fork - nonresidents must hire licensed Wyoming guide to hunt designated wilderness areas within Shoshone NF. | SEASON NOTE: Elk Ch. 7 document is 'CH 7 Draft 03.16.2026.4' (near-final, adopted April 21-22, 2026 per WGFD commission). Deer Ch. 6 document is 'CH 6 Draft 03.16.2026.4'. Antelope Ch. 5 is 'CH 5 Draft 01.06.2026.2' (earlier draft; verify final antelope quotas before applying). | Elk Ferris Herd has been above population objective for 25 consecutive years, supporting relatively liberal license quotas. | Deer Area 111/Elk Fork is noted for mule deer migration through the unit in late October and early December - timing hunters around migration peaks can substantially improve success. Whitetail bucks use lower eastern creek bottoms.