Deer Hunt Area 1, Crook: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 1 (Crook) covers 713 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 20.6% public land, most of it BLM (65,074 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 323 mule deer (41.7% success for 774 mule deer hunters) and 515 white-tailed deer here. The 2026 season table lists 2 license rows here, including general license seasons.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WGFD reports for 2021 to 2025. Seasons: WGFD Commission Chapter 6, final April 2026. Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and the Office of State Lands, read 2026-10-18.
National forestBLMState trust landNational park (no general hunting)Area 1Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Black Hills (751); white-tailed deer: Black Hills |
| Size | 713 square miles (456,342 acres) |
| Public land | 20.6% (94,020 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 323 mule deer, 515 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Nov 1 to Nov 20 (Antlered deer valid in the entire area; any white- tailed deer valid on private land) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Hulett, Pine Haven and Sundance |
How much public land is in Deer Area 1?
20.6% of deer Area 1 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 94,020 of 456,342 acres. The largest share is BLM, 65,074 acres or 14.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 1 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 65,074 | 14.3% |
| State trust land | 28,909 | 6.3% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 1,349 | 0.3% |
| National forest | 37 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 28,909 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 15,503 acres no known public access, 9,089 acres road access or reached from other state land and 4,317 acres next to other public land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
1,349 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's hunt area boundary (WGFD deer hunt areas (2026)) from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (federal land) and the Office of State Lands and Investments (state trust land). Access areas: WGFD's WHMA, PAA, HMA and Walk-In boundaries. Wilderness: USFS wilderness boundaries as WGFD publishes them.
How many deer are harvested in Deer Area 1?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 774 active hunters took 323 (323 bucks), 41.7% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 1,089 active hunters took 515 (340 bucks), 47.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 774 | 323 | 323 | 0 | 0 | 41.7% | 1,858 | 5.8 |
| 2024 | 850 | 344 | 344 | 0 | 0 | 40.5% | 2,219 | 6.5 |
| 2023 | 728 | 273 | 265 | 3 | 5 | 37.5% | 1,954 | 7.2 |
| 2022 | 1,471 | 598 | 463 | 124 | 11 | 40.7% | 5,122 | 8.6 |
| 2021 | 1,702 | 664 | 378 | 259 | 27 | 39% | 5,281 | 8.0 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,089 | 515 | 340 | 164 | 11 | 47.3% | 4,180 | 8.1 |
| 2024 | 1,247 | 588 | 428 | 149 | 11 | 47.2% | 4,144 | 7.0 |
| 2023 | 928 | 403 | 349 | 54 | 0 | 43.4% | 2,899 | 7.2 |
| 2022 | 1,403 | 620 | 398 | 195 | 27 | 44.2% | 5,271 | 8.5 |
| 2021 | 2,335 | 1,163 | 616 | 464 | 83 | 49.8% | 7,910 | 6.8 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 774 | 323 | 41.7% | 1,858 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 11 of the PDF; earlier years from 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021. An active hunter is one who hunted; the mule deer and white-tailed deer tables each count their own hunters, so they are not added together. Days per animal is worked out from WGFD's own two figures.
When is deer season in Deer Area 1 in 2026?
General license seasons: November 1 to 20 (antlered deer valid in the entire area; any white- tailed deer valid on private land). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 1:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Nov 20 | Antlered deer valid in the entire area; any white- tailed deer valid on private land | |
| Type 8 also Areas 2, 3 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Nov 20 | 350 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid on private land |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), page 1. WGFD can change a season by emergency rule: check WGFD's regulations page before you go.
What did the 2026 draw look like in Deer Area 1?
From WGFD's 2026 initial drawing demand reports: each limited quota hunt's licenses, its first-choice applicants in each drawing, how many were drawn in the preference point drawings, and the fewest points that drew. WGFD does not publish how many drew in the random drawings. The rules for points and the deadlines are on the Wyoming draw page.
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 162 | 281 | not published | |
| Residents | 278 | 171 | not published |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region A general license. In the 2026 draw it had 2,481 licenses; 2,754 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 1,272 were drawn.
Source: WGFD 2026 deer demand report, nonresident reduced price drawing and the other 2026 demand reports on WGFD's draw results page. Applicants who miss in a nonresident preference point drawing go on to the random drawing, so one person can be counted in both.
How do you get to Deer Area 1?
Highways through the area: WY 112 (about 16 miles inside it), WY 24 (about 5 miles inside it) and US 14 (about 4 miles inside it). Nearby: Hulett (on the line), Pine Haven (10 miles), Sundance (17 miles) and Moorcroft (18 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 1?
Deer Area 1 touches 3 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 2 | Bearlodge | 1,006 | 23% | 1,521 (2025) |
| Area 3 | Keyhole | 331 | 9.9% | 286 (2025) |
| Area 18 | Campbell | 953 | 22.3% | 289 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 1?
20.6% of deer Area 1 is public land: 94,020 of its 456,342 acres, the largest share BLM (65,074 acres). Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's boundary from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data.
How many deer are harvested in Deer Area 1?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 323 mule deer and 515 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 1. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 344.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 1 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens November 1 and the latest closes November 20, by WGFD Commission Chapter 6. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
How many licenses were in the 2026 draw for Deer Area 1?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for deer Area 1. Type 8 had 440 licenses and 452 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 1?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Hulett (on the line), Pine Haven (10 miles) and Sundance (17 miles).
Get notified about FilledTag in Wyoming
Leave your email and we will let you know when FilledTag adds something new for Wyoming hunters.
The free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wyoming included.
Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters and days: WGFD deer harvest reports (mule deer and white-tailed deer tables), 2021 to 2025, listed here.
- Seasons, quotas and limitations: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), page 1.
- Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports; deadlines and fees on the Wyoming draw page.
- Hunt area boundary: WGFD deer hunt areas (2026). Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (federal land) and the Office of State Lands and Investments (state trust land). Highways and towns: Census TIGER/Line 2024 and the 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Numbers are copied from WGFD and the other agencies named, or measured by FilledTag from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag. WGFD's regulations are the final word on every rule.
Wyoming hunting Deer hunt areas Sheridan Region Area 2 Area 3 Area 18