Deer Hunt Area 106, Crandall-Sunlight: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 106 (Crandall-Sunlight) covers 488 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 97.6% public land, most of it national forest (304,866 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 191 mule deer (41.3% success for 462 mule deer hunters) and 37 white-tailed deer here. The 2026 season table lists 4 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 forestNational park (no general hunting)Area 106Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Clark's Fork (216); white-tailed deer: Bighorn Basin |
| Size | 488 square miles (312,393 acres) |
| Public land | 97.6% (304,866 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 177,397 acres |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 191 mule deer, 37 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 1 to Oct 14 (Antlered mule deer within the North Absaroka Wilderness; any white-tailed deer valid in the entire area); Oct 15 to Oct 31 (Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Cody |
How much public land is in Deer Area 106?
97.6% of deer Area 106 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 304,866 of 312,393 acres. The largest share is national forest, 304,866 acres or 97.6% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 106 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 304,866 | 97.6% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 247 | 0.1% |
Designated wilderness: North Absaroka Wilderness (177,397 acres). A nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area must be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
247 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Deer Area 106
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Sunlight Basin (1,410 acres here).
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 106?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 462 active hunters took 191 (191 bucks), 41.3% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 139 active hunters took 37 (11 bucks), 26.6% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 462 | 191 | 191 | 0 | 0 | 41.3% | 1,906 | 10.0 |
| 2024 | 351 | 109 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 31.1% | 1,786 | 16.4 |
| 2023 | 293 | 91 | 86 | 5 | 0 | 31.1% | 1,325 | 14.6 |
| 2022 | 271 | 56 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 20.7% | 1,371 | 24.5 |
| 2021 | 272 | 85 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 31.3% | 1,474 | 17.3 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 139 | 37 | 11 | 18 | 8 | 26.6% | 414 | 11.2 |
| 2024 | 72 | 23 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 31.9% | 193 | 8.4 |
| 2023 | 121 | 33 | 4 | 16 | 13 | 27.3% | 596 | 18.1 |
| 2022 | 65 | 27 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 41.5% | 180 | 6.7 |
| 2021 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 123 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 25 | 9 | 2 | 22.2% | 60 |
| General | not limited | 453 | 189 | 41.7% | 1,846 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 17 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 106 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 1 to 14 (antlered mule deer within the north absaroka wilderness; any white-tailed deer valid in the entire area); October 15 to 31 (antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 106:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 also Areas 105, 109 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Nov 20 | 50 | Any deer |
| General | Oct 1 to Oct 14 | Antlered mule deer within the North Absaroka Wilderness; any white-tailed deer valid in the entire area | ||
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 | Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer | |
| Type 8 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 15 | 50 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), pages 11 to 12. 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 106?
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 | 26 | 3 | not published | |
| Residents | 40 | 23 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 1 | 58 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 25 | not published | |
| Residents | 35 | 970 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 3 | 61 | 3 | 19 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 29 | 4 | 20 |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region F general license. In the 2026 draw it had 650 licenses; 778 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 324 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. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed. A license valid in more than one area is listed under the first area WGFD prints for it.
How do you get to Deer Area 106?
Highways through the area: WY 296 (about 19 miles inside it) and US 212 (about 5 miles inside it). Nearby: Cody (18 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 106?
Deer Area 106 touches 4 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 105 | Beartooth | 358 | 82.4% | 175 (2025) |
| Area 109 | Bald Ridge | 206 | 58.3% | 71 (2025) |
| Area 110 | Grinnell | 392 | 99.8% | 209 (2025) |
| Area 111 | Elk Fork | 431 | 88.6% | 221 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 106?
97.6% of deer Area 106 is public land: 304,866 of its 312,393 acres, the largest share national forest (304,866 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 106?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 191 mule deer and 37 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 106. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 109.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 106 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 and the latest closes December 15, 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 106?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for deer Area 106. The largest, Type 8, had 66 licenses and 26 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 106?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Cody (18 miles).
Is there wilderness in Deer Area 106?
Yes. North Absaroka Wilderness (177,397 acres) lies inside it. Wyoming law requires a nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area to be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
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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), pages 11 to 12.
- 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 Cody Region Area 105 Area 109 Area 110 Area 111