Moving to Wyoming for Hunting — What You Need to Know

Wyoming has 48% public land. The state charges resident hunters $57 for an elk license. Non-residents pay $817 for the same tag. That gap — $760 per elk, every year — is why hunters move to Wyoming. Not the scenery. The math.

If you are paying non-resident prices in a neighboring state while watching Wyoming residents fill their freezers for $57, the calculus on a move starts to look very different.

Here is what the move actually involves.

The License Cost Difference

The resident vs. non-resident spread in Wyoming is the widest of any major elk state.

Resident licenses (2026)

• Elk: $57
• Mule deer: $30
• Whitetail deer: $30
• Antelope: $27
• Black bear: $45
• Mountain lion: $35

• Elk: $817 (plus $52 application fee for limited-entry draws)
• Mule deer: $327
• Whitetail deer: $327
• Antelope: $302
• Black bear: $392
• Mountain lion: $214

Residency in Wyoming requires 365 consecutive days of physical presence with the intent to remain. You cannot game it with a P.O. box. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department audits residency claims and has disqualified applicants who maintained primary employment or domicile in another state.

Colorado non-resident elk: $726. Montana non-resident elk: $962. Idaho non-resident elk: $626. Wyoming is mid-range on the non-resident side. The resident side is where Wyoming stands apart.

Wyoming Natural Hazard Profile

Yellowstone supervolcano (geologically active) · Prairie rattlesnake · Wildfire HIGH