Hunt area 117 elk, type 1 (Any Elk)

Hunt code
E-117-1
Unit
117, South Black Hills
Weapon
Any weapon
Draw years
2021–2026

In 2026, 526 residents applied as their first choice for 335 licenses: roughly 64% of them drew, since first choices are drawn before any second choice.

In 2026, 248 nonresidents applied. The preference draw reached 10 points. The random draw's winners aren't counted by point level in the report.

Harvest success in 2023 was 62.6%.

2026 draw by point level

First-choice applicants at each point level, and how many of them drew. “Drew” counts the preference draw only; WGFD doesn't report random-draw winners by point level.

PointsNonresidents
AppliedDrewRate
1511100%
Over 12, under 1322100%
1222100%
1133100%
1066100%
Over 9, under 101515100%
9 or fewer21900%
All248––

Year by year

YearPermitsResidentsNonresidents
AppliedDrewPts neededAppliedDrewPts needed
2026370526––2482910
2025363603––217257
2024357638––236269
2023454582––214336
2022266619––209217
2021265675––217217
0510202120222023202420252026
NonresidentsPoints needed, by year: the trend of past cutoffs, not a forecast.

Harvest

YearHuntersHarvestSuccess
202356435362.6%

Reading these numbers

Nonresident elk, deer and antelope, and everyone's moose and bighorn sheep: 75% of each hunt's licenses go to the preference-point draw, highest points first (party points are averaged), and the other 25% are drawn at random among everyone who missed, points ignored. Residents draw elk, deer and antelope at random with no points; mountain goat, bison and the doe/fawn, cow/calf and ewe/lamb licenses are random for everyone. Nonresident 'special' licenses cost more and are drawn as a separate pool (hunt codes ending -S).

Sources

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Other hunts in unit 117

Units listed next to it

In WGFD's unit order, which often but not always means nearby.