A little history about Wyomings system for issuing coveted non-resident elk licenses. Wyoming has limited the number of non-resident full price bull licenses for over 40 years to a cap of 7,250 tags. This cap was put in place when our state had half as many elk as it currently does. Wyoming’s Elk hunt areas are managed either as limited quota or general licenses. Limited quota areas carve out 16% of the total quota to non-residents. Once all LQ licenses are drawn statewide the remaining quota is issued as general licenses good for any general elk area statewide. The number of general licenses issued went down every year as elk populations increased, causing more LQ licenses to be issued and fewer general licenses.

In 1989 the outfitting industry lobbied the state legislature to create a two-tiered license fee system. This resulted in what is called the regular license and the special license. The logic behind creating the two-tiered license was those applicants willing to pay more for a license would have better draw odds. In addition to the two-tiered license fees Wyoming allows the sale and accumulation of preference points. Preference points give an applicant a chance to draw from the PP pool of licenses which is 75% of the total license quota.

Every avid deer hunter dreams of one day going out west and hunting mule deer. Unfortunately, a good mule deer hunt is getting harder and harder to find. Wyoming’s pronghorn antelope herds have been stable with some population swings due to winter weather. Our Wyoming elk numbers have seen huge increases, but mule deer numbers continue to decline. With that said however, you can still hunt the west’s majestic mule deer with SNS Outfitter and your best bet is our Montana Mule Deer Hunt.

Our Montana hunts are an optimal opportunity for going mule deer hunting in 2024. Wyoming still offers some quality mule deer hunting, but licenses have become harder to draw and many areas require accumulating preference points. Montana licenses can be readily drawn thanks to the state capping hunters at a maximum of two points. One exception to this is if you are booked with a Montana outfitter which enables you to buy a third point, insuring a successful draw. 

Hunting season is just around the corner. Often clients struggle finding the time to make it to the shooting range. Most hunters are very experienced rifle hunters and today’s firearms and scopes are incredibly reliable, however there is always room for improvement. Here are a few tips to make sure you and your rifle are ready.

First up is to decide which rifle is the best choice for the hunt. Most hunters have an array of rifles to choose from so pick the rifle and caliber best suited for an ethical kill shot. The caliber and bullet choice will vary according to the animal you’re hunting. Do your research! If you’re not familiar with which caliber is best for the animal you will be hunting, please reach out to us for assistance.

Opening Day; marks the commencement of Rifle Elk Hunting on our private ranch lease—a tradition we eagerly look forward to every year at SNS Outfitter! For over 35 years, SNS has proudly held the hunting lease on this expansive cattle ranch. During our tenure, we have witnessed the resident elk herds stabilize and thrive, making this hunt a Wyoming icon. As we gear up for another epic Opening Day, the excitement is palpable.

This hunt is conducted via horseback, over miles of evergreen peaks & sagebrush covered ground. As our clients arrive at camp on the eve of the hunt, they are warmly welcomed by the camp manager, wrangler, cook, and our team of experienced hunting guides. The corrals are filled with trail-worthy horses. The evening is a blend of settling in, zeroing rifles, a hearty supper, safety talks, and an early bedtime, setting the stage for the adventures that await.

You booked your hunt. You successfully drew your license. Your travel plans are made. And the long wait is over. The time has come, to pack up your gear! Each SNS hunt has its own specific packing list. This is a tried and true recipe for success. During SNS’ forty plus years, we have had plenty of experience fine tuning these gear lists. There is nothing frivolous on it or that should be omitted. If you pack all the items on the list, you will be ready for any hunting conditions, or weather, that Wyoming may throw at you. While it is possible that some of the items may not get unpacked or even used, they are all still critical. So please, read the information mailed to you, gather up each item and remember, SNS Outfitter & Guides knows the ins and outs of hunting in Wyoming and Montana. Do yourself a favor; Follow the list!

Each gear list is complied of clothing items, tips for boot selection, personal care items and hunting equipment. In this month’s video we walk viewers through one of our detailed gears list and give a few tips and tricks to keep in mind as you prepare for your hunt here in Wyoming and Montana. We would like to encourage you to view the video on our YouTube channel to see all the examples of these critical items we have asked you to bring in your gear bag. We do want to recognize that purchasing all this equipment can really add up, but remind you to look at how much is invested in trophy hunting. Cutting corners to save a couple hundred dollars just doesn’t make good sense. If you don’t have everything on these gear lists, it could result in catastrophe and we by all means want you to feel prepared, properly equipped and to have a memorable and successful hunt out west with SNS Outfitter & Guides!

With hunting clients coming back for more year after year, SNS Outfitter and the team of professional hunting guides, wranglers, camp jacks & cooks, must be doing something right! SNS Client, Kevin Pollock, tell us why. He has been hunting from Camp Envy for eleven consecutive years. Each season filling out his combination hunt for both antelope and deer. There is only one tag that Kevin was unable to fill on his very first visit in 2013. A blizzard moved into the area and made for very challenging hunting conditions and limited travel. He still managed to fill his antelope tag that year, however, with the help of hunting guide, Jim Barton. Kevin said, “These guys did everything they could to get me on game, even in the worst conditions possible. If that is what they are willing to do for me when it’s this snowed in and wet, I can’t wait to see what it’s like in bluebird conditions. I am coming back!” 

Kevin says he keeps returning to SNS for his yearly antelope and mule deer hunts for multiple reasons; the experienced staff, great animals, “It’s an honest, hard working group. SNS handles all the paperwork. I know when arrive to camp, my tag will be there. It’s a quality outfit from top to bottom with great leadership from Sy,” SNS Outfitter. Over time Kevin has noticed the camp evolve while maintaining its quality. “I like this camp so well because it is remote enough for great hunting, but comfortable with warm rooms, nice beds, great food and hot, hot water showers and now, I can call home right from the cook house.” In addition to enjoying this SNS camp all these years, Kevin has been able to get to know all of the crew and become quite close with them. “It’s like old going home week; a family reunion at hunting camp each year.” And if there is one member of the team that Kevin has really hit it off with, that would have to be, Troy Gilmore, SNS camp manager and hunting guide. Matter of fact, they are more like family at this point. With their families enjoy spending time together, Kevin and his wife have become like a bonus set of grandparents for Troy and his wife’s two daughters. When asked about Kevin, Troy will tell you, “Kevin and I just clicked right from the start. He’s a joy to take hunting. He’s one that it doesn’t matter if it’s rain, snow or shine. He just loves the whole experience; the whole hunt from start to finish. He buddies up with everyone at camp, never gets worked up and is easy going. He’s like a dream client!”

At SNS Outfitter & Guides, we pride ourselves on offering the most diverse elk hunting opportunities in Wyoming. With several distinct camps to choose from, we provide top-tier hunting experiences that cater to a variety of preferences and styles. Over the years, we've guided 1,388 elk hunts with an impressive lifetime success rate of 72%—and we're just getting started! The positive feedback from our clients inspires us to keep doing what we love year after year. Here's what a few of them ha...

Rising to New Heights: Wyoming Elk Hunting's Golden Era with SNS Outfitter & Guides Wyoming elk hunting continues to reach new heights, both in quality and demand. If someone had told me 20 years ago that our state would hold the number of elk we see today, I wouldn't have believed them. Yet here we are, with elk herds thriving across much of Wyoming—even in areas of western Wyoming inhabited by wolves. For years, SNS Outfitters primarily focused on mule deer and antelope hunts. However, as ...

Still Looking for a 2024 Deer Hunt? SNS has got you covered!

Our Montana Deer Hunt features one of your best options to draw a license and go hunting in 2024. This is a great mule deer hunt, but the property has some fine whitetail hunting as well. We have hunted here for over 25 years and this ranch has a proven track record for producing quality animals.

Wyoming is currently experiencing a much more mild winter this 2024 season.

It is a welcome relief after the harsh winter we experienced in 2023 when we saw severe pronghorn antelope deaths in most of the entire southwestern corner of Wyoming. Although we had a hard winter in the rest of the state, the death loss for antelope in central Wyoming was significantly less. The result of all of that snow and summer moisture in 2023 translates into plentiful range conditions in central Wyoming. Going into the 2024 winter was off the charts.

Pronghorn Antelope need plentiful forage and healthy sagebrush in order to survive, but quality winter feed is also essential for antelope horn growth. The horn on an antelope is made up of hair. In early December our Wyoming antelope loose their horns as the new ones starts to grow underneath the old sheath forcing it off. If you go into the field this time of year, all the antelope bucks look like they are the same size and their horns resemble a 6-inch knife blade. The new horn will continue to grow all winter and spring.  If the bucks are in good condition, this will translate into a very good year for trophy antelope bucks.

Step into the shoes of Jess Johnson, an avid hunter whose September 2023 rifle hunt with guide Ryan Kertanis resulted in harvesting a magnificent trophy antelope buck with SNS Outfitter & Guides. Jess and Ryan embarked on their hunt from our Red Butte camp lodge, venturing into the sprawling landscapes of private lands meticulously managed by SNS Outfitter & Guides. Unlike Jess' previous experiences as a DIY hunter on public lands, the exclusive hunting grounds provided a serene sanctuar...

SNS Outfitter's 2024 Hunting Season was filled with success!

This hunting season has been one for the books! From the rugged mountains of Wyoming to the rolling plains of Montana, we've shared incredible adventures with hunters from across the country. At SNS Outfitter & Guides, every hunt is so much more than just about the harvest—it's about the memories made, the friendships forged, and the deep appreciation for the wild places we're privileged to explore. From Wyoming bull elk hunts, to remarkable color phase black bears, rutting mule deer in Mont...

Few hunts rival the heart-pounding excitement of a Wyoming archery elk hunt. With elk populations thriving and more hunters embracing the challenge of archery, this pursuit has become one of the most sought-after experiences in the West. The combination of abundant elk, pristine wilderness, and the thrill of the rut makes chasing trophy bulls with a bow truly unforgettable. Our hunting area offers a generous month-long archery season in September, perfectly timed with the peak of the elk rut. Th...

As we wrap up a phenomenal 2024 hunting season, the phones are ringing with inquiries from folks eager to lock in their plans for 2025. To make your booking process a little easier, we wanted to share a quick overview of what SNS Outfitter & Guides currently has available for next season. Whether you're dreaming of a thrilling horseback elk hunt, chasing trophy antelope on the open plains of Wyoming, or immersing yourself in the rut on Montana Mule Deer hunt, SNS Outfitter & Guides has t...

Rodney Smith, a long-time friend and hunter with SNS Outfitter & Guides, sums it up perfectly: "There's just no reason to go anywhere else! They take care of the details. I've never had a complaint with SNS, and that's what keeps us coming back!" Rodney Smith Rodney's journey with us started in 2002 after spotting an ad in a hunting magazine. Having grown up fishing, squirrel, and rabbit hunting with his grandfather, and eventually becoming an avid waterfowl sportsman, he was ready for big g...

If you haven't ever come out west during the summer season, it may be time to consider a Wyoming prairie dog hunt.  Shooting several rounds of ammunition a day at prairie dogs towns filled with these rodents is incredibly fun.  SNS Outfitter & Guides currently has opportunity for just a few, quality prairie dog hunts this coming summer. We limit these to small groups of 4 shooters or less for 2-3 days. Taking limited numbers each year ensures a quality hunt. The best time of year t...

Strike up a conversation about politics around a campfire and you're pretty much guaranteed not to be invited on the next hunting trip.  In fact, it seems to be an actual human characteristic that any person who loves the pursuit of wild game also hates all things politics. Hunters just want to be in the woods. They want to be surrounded by the sounds of nature. They want to stand around a campfire with their family/friends and share stories about previous hunting experiences. They want to ...

The SNS family recently lost one of our own. On January 15, 2024, Phil Marton one of our longtime guides, sportsman, predator hunter, rancher and friend passed away after a long battle with esophageal cancer.

Over the past 30 plus years many of our SNS clients hunted antelope on the Marton ranch. Phil guided many of our hunters for antelope, mule deer and elk. The last years of his guiding career he focused on hunting Montana mule deer.

Phil was an accomplished predator hunter who honed his coyote hunting skills protecting the ranches sheep herd. This skill came in handy when Phil and several SNS guides went hunting in the Northwest Territories. The caribou hunting was difficult as their numbers were so low. Phil turned his attention to the ultimate predator hunt, wolves. After a very long day of pursuing a wolf pack for miles on foot, using his calling skills Phil killed the ultimate trophy, a beautiful white wolf.

Cow Elk Hunts

Would you like to satisfy your elk hunting needs & know right where the meat you put on the table comes from? Consider doing a cow elk hunt with SNS Outfitters. For several years now we have been sending hunters home with coolers full of organic cow elk meat and it is obvious, the popularity of these hunts is on the rise. Elk meat is delicious, free of antibiotics and very low in cholesterol. In other word's, a cow elk hunt provides outstanding table fare and a great hunting trip. The demand...

SNS Outfitter's 2024 Hunting Season is underway

Q: Sy, how has the hunting season started out? The 2024 hunting season kicked off with the usual flurry of activity and preparations. This included long days of shuttling equipment and horses, always with the goal of working efficiently and minimizing wasted movement. August can be a bit overwhelming as we navigate the logistics of our many hunting camps. However, with good help and careful planning, everything was in place well before our clients arrived. This year, the execution was smooth, an...