Elk Hunting Information and Regulations Page 1

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

National Elk Refuge

Elk Hunting

Information and Regulations

This blue goose, designed 

by J.N. “Ding” Darling, is 

the symbol of the National 

Wildlife Refuge System.

1. Who manages hunting on the 

National Elk Refuge?

Hunting on the National Elk Refuge

(NER, Refuge) is managed through 

a cooperative effort between the 

NER, Grand Teton National Park, and 

Wyoming Game & Fish Department 

(WGFD), with the goal of achieving 

optimum herd size. The NER posts 

information and updates related 

to the Refuge and Refuge hunting 

programs on its website: http://www.

fws.gov/refuge/national_elk_refuge

2. W hat must I have while hunting elk 

on the Refuge? ■ NER permit for elk hunting 

■ WGFD elk hunting license

Note: The applicant must possess a full 

price license to apply for the Any Elk 

and Youth Hunt periods.

■ WGFD Conservation Stamp 

(if required by WGFD) 

■ WGFD Elk Special Management 

Permit 

■ Hunter Safety Certificate (if required 

by WGFD)

3. How do I get a permit for hunting elk 

on the Refuge?

The application process for a NER 

permit for elk hunting is done online 

via the WGFD Access Yes! Hunter 

Management Area Program.

4. What Refuge-specific laws regulate 

hunting on the Refuge? 

In addition to all Federal and WGFD 

requirements, the following Refuge 

specific regulations are enforced. 

Hunters must be knowledgeable of all 

regulations prior to hunting as violations 

may result in forfeiture of the animal, 

criminal penalties, and permit revocation. 

Hunting activities prohibited 

on the NER:

■ Intentional herding or harassment 

of wildlife. 

■ Discharging firearms other than for 

lawful hunting (i.e. target shooting 

and sighting in). 

■ Indiscriminant shooting, shooting 

multiple times into a running herd, 

or injuring multiple animals.

■ Shooting from parking areas or public 

roads. 

■ Possessing more than seven cartridges 

per license per day.

■ Interfering with or harassing other 

hunters.

■ Using decoys outside of the Archery 

Only Area or using blinds that 

completely obstruct visible fluorescent 

orange or fluorescent pink garment. 

Transportation activities prohibited on 

the Refuge:

■ Driving off designated roads. 

■ Stopping or unloading hunters along 

Refuge roads. 

■ Parking outside of designated hunt 

parking lots. 

■ Overnight camping or parking.

■ Using bicycles off designated roads. 

■ ATVs are allowed on public roads 

but must be registered, insured, and 

operated by a licensed driver. ATVs 

and snowmobiles are not allowed on 

Refuge retrieval roads. 

■ Horses used for hunting are restricted 

to the Any Weapon Area north of 

Flat Creek (including West Hunt 

Lot) as depicted on the hunt map. 

Horses are allowed Refuge-wide for 

retrieval purposes.

Other activities illegal on the NER:

■ Collecting natural or cultural 

resources, including but not limited 

to antlers, skulls, and artifacts. 

■ Possession or use of alcoholic 

beverages.

■ Possession of non-certified 

weed-free hay. 

■ Starting or maintaining any fires.

5. What are the requirements for 

animal retrieval? 

■ Following harvest, elk hunters 

may use retrieval roads starting at 

10:00 am. If retrieving after dark, 

hunters should notify Refuge staff by 

leaving a message on the NER Hunt 

Information Line at 307 / 201 5437.

■ Hunters may not leave animal parts, 

including gut piles and carcasses, 

within 100 feet of parking areas.

■ No game retrieval is allowed within 

Grand Teton National Park. This 

includes retrieval to Gros Ventre Road 

parking areas at Milepost 1.1 and 2.3 

or across Highway 89. Hunters must 

bring their vehicle inside the gate to 

load the animal at the Highway 89 

parking lot.

(Regulations continued on page 2)
Jackson National 

Fish Hatchery

Hwy 89

Hatchery

Gate

Peterson

Fishing

Gate

Miller House

scale

Pump House

Elk Hunt Areas

#

Refuge boundaryFederal highwayHunt retrieval loopHunt retrieval spurSpur road numbersDirect access routePublic roadNorth boundary of horse-freehunting areaVisitor centerAdministrative

Linked symbols designate accessible features (For Peterson & Long Hollow, see Section 13.)Parking Any weapon areaArchery only areaLimited range areaArea closedto huntingand hunter accessArea closed to hunting and 

Flat Creek

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Elk Refuge

not to 
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Elk Refuge

Elk Hunting Information and Regulations Page 3

9. What else do I need to know?

■ Hunters may fill up to three WGFD elk

licenses on a single NER permit.

■ Prior to the start date of their hunt

period, hunters may only access

Refuge areas open to the general

public.

■ Hunters are only allowed in hunt areas

when they have a Refuge permit and a

valid matching license.

■ Refuge roads or parking areas may be

closed or inaccessible due to inclement

weather or management decisions.

■ Harvest Reports are included with

every Refuge permit and must be

completed for each hunt period drawn

whether successful or not. Directions

for submission are on the Harvest

Report.

■ Use of non-lead ammunition is

encouraged.

■ During high fire danger, a fire

extinguisher and shovel are

recommended.

■ Grizzly bears frequent the Refuge.

Carrying bear spray is recommended.

10. What guide and retrieval companies

are permitted to operate on the Refuge?

Commercial guiding and retrieval 

companies may be available. The 

company currently permitted to 

operate on the NER is Double 

Diamond Tag-n-Drag, 307 / 248 1490.

11. Does the Refuge allow Wyoming hunter

assistance / disabled hunter programs?

Hunters enrolled in the WGFD 

Hunter Mentor Program may receive 

a Refuge permit. 

The NER encourages hunters with 

disabilities to participate in the 

hunt program and offers reasonable 

accommodation for the activity. 

Hunters who have both a WGFD 

Disabled Hunter Permit and a Refuge 

hunting permit are eligible to reserve 

one of two designated hunt sites. 

Reservations must be made at the 

Refuge Administrative Offices at 

675 E. Broadway in Jackson, WY. 

The reservation is limited to a 4-day 

period. The WGFD Disabled Hunter 

Companion Permit is also valid on the 

Refuge. Contact the WGFD for further 

information on these programs.

12. What do I need to know about

biological testing of elk?

Hunters are required to participate in 

a Chronic Wasting Disease sampling 

program by depositing the animal’s 

head at a collection box or allowing a 

biologist to collect samples in the field. 

Hunters are advised to take personal 

safety precautions by wearing rubber 

gloves while field dressing. All ear 

tags and radio collars from harvested 

animals must be returned to the NER 

or WGFD, Jackson Regional Office. 

13. What do I need to know about

youth hunter opportunities?

The NER Youth Only Hunt will 

occur Thursday through Saturday of 

Thanksgiving weekend. For those three

days, full-priced youth license holders

who have applied for and drawn a

Refuge permit may take one bull elk.

Youth hunters may take two additional

cow/calf elk with additional licenses.

The Youth Hunter Development

Program on the NER provides

opportunities for youth mentoring

when the adult has drawn a permit and

wishes to hunt with a youth that has not

drawn a permit. This program does not

allow an adult to hunt when the youth

hunter draws a permit but the adult

did not. For more information, please

call the NER Hunt Information Line.

Per Wyoming Statute, any hunter

that is 12 or 13 years old shall at all

times be accompanied by an adult who

possesses and can exhibit a hunter safety

certificate, or who currently holds or has

been issued a Wyoming big game hunting

license within the last five years. If the

person who is accompanying the hunter

under the age of 14 years old is not the

parent or guardian of the hunter, the

hunter shall have in their possession a

permission slip signed by their parent or

guardian allowing them to hunt under

supervision.

Each accompanying adult shall

supervise only one hunter

under the age of 14 years.

Accessibility Information 

Equal opportunity to participate in and 

benefit from programs and activities 

of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is 

available to all individuals regardless 

of physical or mental ability. Dial 711 

for a free connection to the State relay 

service for TTY and voice calls to and 

from people with hearing and speech 

disabilities. For more information or 

to address accessibility needs, please 

contact the Refuge staff at 307 / 733 9212, 

or the U.S. Department of the Interior, 

Office of Equal Opportunity, 1849 C 

Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.

National Elk Refuge (NER) 

Hunt Information Line

307 / 201 5437

National Elk Refuge Administrative Office

(PO Box 510) 675 E. Broadway Avenue 

Jackson, WY 83001 

307 / 733 9212 

www.fws.gov/refuge/

national_elk_refuge/ 

Wyoming Game & Fish Department 

Jackson Office

(PO Box 67) 420 North Cache Street 

Jackson, WY 83001 

307 / 733 2321 

Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone 

Visitor Center

532 North Cache Street 

Jackson, WY 83001 

Teton Interagency Dispatch 

307 / 739 3301

In an emergency, dial 911 

For State relay service TTY / Voice: 711 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 

http://www.fws.gov

June 2020