In most western states, hiring an outfitter is purely a choice. In Wyoming, it sometimes is not. Nonresidents who want to hunt elk in designated wilderness must have a licensed outfitter or a resident guide with them. Outside wilderness, you can hunt on your own. So the first question is where you want to hunt, and the second is how much help you want.

The three options at a glance

	DIY	Drop camp	Fully guided
Who finds the elk	You	You	Your guide
Camp and gear	You bring everything	Outfitter provides camp, you bring personal gear	Outfitter provides everything
Getting in and out	You hike or drive in	Outfitter packs you in and out by horse	Outfitter handles it
Packing out an elk	You	Outfitter, usually at the end of the hunt	Outfitter
Wilderness allowed for nonresidents?	No	No	Yes
Typical cost (beyond license)	Lowest	Middle, about $2,500 per hunter and up	Highest, often $6,500–$11,000+
Best for	Experienced, fit hunters with time to scout	Hunters who want backcountry access outside wilderness	First-timers, wilderness hunts, or a specific bull

The wilderness rule in plain English

• If you are a nonresident and the land is federally designated wilderness, you need a licensed outfitter or a resident guide to hunt big game there.
• A resident guide is a Wyoming resident who holds a resident guide license. They can take up to two nonresidents a year and cannot accept pay.
• National forest outside wilderness, BLM land, state land, and private land (with permission) are open to nonresidents hunting on their own.

Wilderness boundaries do not always follow hunt area lines. Use a mapping app that shows wilderness boundaries and know where you are at all times.

DIY: hunting on your own

Pros: The lowest cost, your own schedule, and the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Wyoming’s general regions give you a lot of non-wilderness country to choose from.

Cons: You have to learn new country, handle altitude and weather, and get several hundred pounds of meat out. Some of the best elk country is off limits to you without a guide.

DIY works best if you:

• Can scout in summer or have hunted the area before
• Are in good shape and comfortable at 8,000 to 11,000 feet
• Know exactly where the wilderness boundaries are
• Have a plan, and a partner, for packing out an elk

Drop camp: the middle ground

An outfitter packs you and a set-up camp into the backcountry, often miles from a trailhead, and comes back to pack you and your elk out. In Wyoming, drop camps for nonresidents must be outside designated wilderness.

Pros: You get deep into the backcountry without carrying camp on your back, at a fraction of the price of a guided hunt.

Cons: You still have to find the elk. Weather or an injury far from the road is a real risk, and meat care is up to you until the outfitter returns.

Ask before you book a drop camp:

• Is the camp outside designated wilderness?
• What is in camp: tent, stove, cots, cooking gear, food?
• How often do you check on camp, and how do you pack out elk?
• How much pressure from other hunters is in this area?

Fully guided: the highest odds and full access

A guide scouts before the season, knows where elk go when pressure starts, calls during the rut, and handles field care and pack-out. Wilderness hunts in Wyoming are often traditional horseback trips from a tent camp many miles from the road, with a cook and wrangler.

Pros: The best odds, access to wilderness, and many outfitters hold permits or leases on ground you can’t hunt on your own.

Cons: It is the most expensive option. Because nonresidents must apply by late January or early February, good outfitters are usually booked before the application deadline.

Questions to ask any Wyoming elk outfitter

1. Are you licensed? Wyoming outfitters and professional guides must be licensed by the state. Ask for the outfitter’s license number.
2. Do you have a permit for the land you hunt? Outfitters on national forest land need a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service.
3. Which hunt areas and license types do you guide? Then check how many points those hunts take at regular and special price.
4. What were your success and opportunity rates the last few years?
5. How many hunters per guide? 1-on-1 and 2-on-1 hunts are priced and feel very different.
6. What’s included, and what costs extra? Lodging, meals, meat care, taxes, and transport.
7. What happens to my deposit if I don’t draw?
8. Can I talk to past clients? Read reviews, too.

So which should you choose?

• Want to hunt wilderness? You need an outfitter, unless you have a resident friend who can serve as your resident guide.
• First elk hunt or short on time? Go guided.
• Experienced and want to get past the crowds outside wilderness? A drop camp.
• Have time to scout and want the lowest cost? DIY on a region general or limited quota license.

Related: How Wyoming draw points work · Draw odds by unit · Wyoming Elk Hunting Guide · Cost of a Wyoming elk hunt · General vs. limited quota licenses

The wilderness guide rule and license information are from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for 2026. Confirm the current requirements in the WGFD regulations before you book.