Wyoming has no shortage of elk, and many of the state’s herds are as big as they’ve ever been, but finding them has been supremely challenging for hunters this year.
Massive wildfires that burned more than 850,000 acres struck prime elk habitat in some parts of the state, such as in the Bighorn Mountains above Dayton.
Elk were pushed down out of the mountains there and into mostly privately owned lowlands much earlier than usual, which ruined hunting seasons in that region.
And hunting was less than ideal in much of the rest of the state as well.
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“It seems like across the board, everybody had a little harder time hunting elk this year,” Cade Cole, and avid backcountry elk hunter and hunting guide from the Dubois area, told Cowboy State Daily.
There’s still some opportunity for elk hunters who haven’t yet filled their freezers, as some late-season hunts run through the end of December.
Fires Push Hunters Around
Even in areas where the elk herds weren’t directly hit by the fires, there was still a ripple effect. Hunters who had their chances ruined in the burn areas piled into areas in the other parts of Wyoming, upping the competition there.
“The fire that was going on west of Dubois, that really took a lot of the land that people were hunting away,” said Cole, who runs 3C Outfitting. “So there was a lot of hunters hunting in areas where they don’t normally go.
“I think there was increased hunter competition and a lot of hunter displacement, because they weren’t able to hunt where they normally hunt.”
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Pat Ginder, owner of At Ease Hunting, offers guided hunts across central Wyoming, from Casper to Rawlins.
He told Cowboy State Daily that he didn’t see an uptick in elk hunters in that region.
That’s likely because the elk hunt areas his company guides in are limited quota. That means hunters must apply ahead of time to draw elk tags that are limited in number and specific to those areas.
He did, however, see a noticeable jump in the number of deer hunters this fall. Many of the deer hunt areas in that region are for general tags, which may be bought over the counter.
He thinks many of the newcomers out after deer might have been displaced from their usual hunting spots by the fires.
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Hot Weather Didn’t Help Either
On top of the fires, it was also an usually hot, dry fall, Cole said. That could have thrown off the timing of the elk rut, or mating season.
Archery hunters in particular count on using calls to lure in bull elk during the rut.
Elk are “always on the move” anyway, and the hot, dry conditions could have changed the patterns of their movement, he said.
That could explain why some hunters weren’t seeing elk in areas where they had consistently found herds in the past, Cole said.
Cade Cole hunts and guides hunts for elk in the Dubois area. He said hunting was rough this year in the aftermath of massive wildfires. (Courtesy Cade Cole)
Scouting Pays Off
Ginder said he had a good year in central Wyoming, with numerous clients happy with filling elk tags. He credits that to thorough scouting of his hunt areas during the summer, well before the season opened.
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Elk move in patterns, but those patterns can change because of a variety of factors, including weather, the availability of forage and water, and pressure from hunters, he said.
Herds also are led by wise, older cow elk.
“The lead cow is always going to take her herd where she feels it is safe,” he said.
Elk patterns changed this year because of a confluence of factors, Ginder said. There was the devastating winter of 2022-2023, during which many big game animals froze or starved to death.
That was followed by the relatively mild winter of 2023-2024, but then a drought came on the heels of that, Ginder said.
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Factoring all of that in, scouting this summer wasn’t so much about spotting elk as it was a matter of gauging the quality of the habitat, he said.
“It’s not just electronic (checking online maps). It’s about getting out there and finding where there’s still water, where there’s still feed, and the places off the beaten path where there will be fewer people,” he said.
Competition Won’t Ease Up
Across much of Wyoming, and particularly in the eastern part of the state, elk herds continue to thrive. Some herd units remain well above population objectives set by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
But regardless of what Mother Nature does in terms of fires and weather, the competition among hunters will likely keep increasing too, Cole said.
“It seems almost like elk hunting has become a popular fad. I think there’s a lot of non-residents coming in, and a lot of residents who might not have been interested in it before, but have taken a greater interest in it,” he said.
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Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
When a clinic closes in Wyoming, it doesn’t just close a door; it can cut off access to care for entire communities.
For many residents, getting to a health care provider already means traveling long distances across multiple counties, and local clinics are often the only nearby option for basic health care. With one Title X Family Planning clinic in western Wyoming now closed, the challenge is becoming even more real for many people.
Reproductive and sexual health care is a key part of overall health, but it’s often one of the first services people lose access to when clinics close. Title X Family Planning is a federal program that helps people get essential preventive care, no matter their income. These clinics offer services like birth control, cancer screenings, STI and HIV testing, and care before pregnancy. They help people stay healthy, catch problems early, and plan for their futures.
The need is real. Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system, helping bridge gaps in both access and affordability. With 9 clinics currently serving communities across the state, these providers cared for nearly 12,000 patients through more than 28,000 visits between 2022 and 2025. For many, these clinics are their only source of care: 49% of patients were uninsured, and nearly half were living at or below the federal poverty level.
In a state where distance and cost can both be barriers, affordable care is essential. About 14.6% of Wyoming women ages 19–44 are uninsured, higher than the national average. Title X clinics help meet this need by offering low- or no-cost care, while also connecting patients to referrals and additional health services when needed, ensuring more individuals can get the care they deserve.
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These clinics are also on the front lines of prevention. In recent years, they delivered more than 3,100 cervical cancer screenings and about 20,000 STI and HIV tests. Services like these support early detection and treatment, helping reduce the need for more serious and costly care down the line.
In rural states like Wyoming, once a clinic closes, it is very hard to bring it back. These clinics are more than buildings; they are part of the local health care system that keeps communities healthy.
The good news is that Title X Family Planning clinics are still open, working every day to serve their communities. The Wyoming Health Council supports this network of clinics and works to ensure that people across the state can access the care they need. Through partnerships, education, and community-based programs, the organization helps connect Wyoming residents to reproductive and sexual health services, no matter where they live.
In a state where distance, cost, and provider shortages all play a role, these clinics, and the work supporting them, are more than just a convenience. They are a lifeline.
To help sustain this work and protect access to care across Wyoming, consider making a donation to the Wyoming Health Council.
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Donation Link: givebutter.com/WYTitleX
Required Federal Funding statement: This project is supported by the Office of Populations Affairs (OPA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award 1 FPHPA 006541-0-00 totaling $978,380 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS or the U.S. Government.
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CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council voted Tuesday to approve on first reading a zoning change for a vacant 2.4-acre parcel located at 1530 SE Wyoming Boulevard, transitioning the property from residential to commercial use.
The ordinance reclassifies Lot 4 of the Methodist Church Addition from Residential Estate to General Business. Located between East 15th and East 18th streets, the irregular-shaped property has remained undeveloped since it was first platted in 1984.
While original plans for the subdivision envisioned a church and an associated preschool, Community Development Director Liz Becher reported those projects never materialized.
According to Becher, the applicant sought the rezoning to facilitate the potential installation of a cell tower or an off-premises sign. Under the new C-2 designation, a cell tower up to 130 feet in height is considered a permitted use by right, though any off-premises sign would still require a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant also owns the adjacent lot to the north, which the city rezoned to general business in 2021.
Becher said the change aligns with the “Employment Mixed Use” classification in the Generation Casper comprehensive land use plan. This designation typically supports civic, institutional and employment spaces.
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Despite the new zoning, the property remains subject to a subdivision agreement that limits traffic access. Entry and exit are restricted to right turns onto or from East 15th Street, and no access is permitted from East 18th Street.
The council will vote on two more readings of the ordinance before it is officially ratified.
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Two men were detained in Wyoming in connection with a fatal shooting at a downtown Salt Lake hotel that killed one man.
Carlos Chee, 23, and Chino Aguilar, 21, were both wanted for first-degree felony murder after the victim, identified as Christian Lee, 32, was found dead in a room at the Springhill Suites near 600 South and 300 West.
According to warrants issued for their arrest, Chee and Aguilar met with Lee and another woman at the hotel to sell marijuana. During the alleged drug deal, Aguilar allegedly shot and killed Lee after he tried to grab at his gun.
MORE | Shootings
Investigators said they found Lee dead in the room upon arrival, as well as a single shell casing on the floor and a small amount of marijuana on the television stand.
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The woman told investigators she had met Chee on a dating app and that he agreed to come to the hotel to sell her marijuana. She had been hanging out with him in the room, which Lee rented for her to use, when Lee asked them to leave. Lee was then shot and killed following a brief confrontation.
Chee and Aguilar allegedly fled the scene in a 2013 Toyota Camry with a Texas license plate that was later found outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming just a few hours later.
The two men were taken into custody and detained at the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office.
