Hunt Area 117, Franc's Peak, Wyoming

Rolling hills and grassy valleys centered on the Moskee area of Black Hills National Forest in northeast Wyoming (Crook and Weston Counties). Elevation ranges from approximately 4,100 to 6,400 feet. Vegetation transitions from ponderosa pine and mixed-grass prairie on higher ridges to bur oak, aspen, sumac, and chokecherry in drainages and lower slopes. The terrain is relatively moderate — steep enough to create good elk habitat but more accessible than high-mountain units. The area is bounded by I-90 along the northeast (from WY Hwy 116 to the SD state line), the South Dakota state line to the east, US Hwy 16 to the south, and WY Hwy 116 to the west.

moderate

IMPORTANT — Hunt area number 117 means different things for different species in Wyoming: elk Ch. 7 Area 117 = South Black Hills; deer Ch. 6 Area 117 = Franc's Peak (Bighorn NF, Greybull/Wood River drainages on national forest, northwest Wyoming — completely different unit); antelope Ch. 5 Area 117 = combined with Area 97 in the Wind River Basin near Lander/Riverton, Fremont County (NOT Crowheart Butte, which is associated with mule deer Hunt Area 171). This profile covers elk Area 117 (South Black Hills) as the canonical unit, consistent with WGFD Hunt Planner, GoHunt, and HuntScore. | CWD: Both the elk and deer regulation chapters reference CWD information in their regulation brochures; the Black Hills region of Wyoming and adjacent South Dakota have documented CWD in deer and elk populations — hunters should consult the WGFD CWD page and follow carcass transport restrictions before transporting harvested animals across state lines. | Private land dominance: 77-78% private land makes access challenging without landowner permission; Type 8 elk licenses provide opportunity on private land. | WIA ACCESS CLARIFICATION: The largest public-access WIA in elk Area 117 is Crook County WIA 5 (20,691 acres) but it is restricted to antlerless elk only and is only open Nov 21–Jan 31. Weston County WIAs 7 and 10 are also in Area 117. Crook County WIAs 1, 4, and 7 are in adjacent elk Areas 1 and 116 respectively — not in Area 117. | Elk Type 1 draw odds: With 500 quota and high applicant pressure, Type 1 elk licenses for area 117 are moderately competitive; no-point draws are generally possible in most recent years but should be verified via WGFD Draw Statistics. | Antelope Area 7 quota confirmed at 400 Type 1 (not 325 as previously stated); Area 8 confirmed at 225. | Deer season dates for the South Black Hills (areas 4–8) are a consistent Nov 1–Nov 20 general season window, confirmed by Chapter 6 Final 2026. | Harvest data flagged uncertain for HuntScore 2021 totals (includes all species/license types combined); 2024 elk-specific data from WGFD is confirmed primary source. | Regulatory sources: Chapter 7 Elk Hunting Seasons (Draft 03.16.2026.4), Chapter 6 Deer Hunting Seasons (Draft 03.16.2026.4), Chapter 5 Antelope Hunting Seasons (Final April 2026), all from wgfd.wyo.gov.