Deer Hunt Area 117, Franc's Peak: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 117 (Franc's Peak) covers 430 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 99.5% public land, most of it national forest (272,053 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 35 mule deer (71.4% success for 49 mule deer hunters) and 0 white-tailed deer here. The 2026 season table lists 3 license rows here.
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 landArea 117Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Owl Creek/Meeteetse (212); white-tailed deer: Bighorn Basin |
| Size | 430 square miles (275,099 acres) |
| Public land | 99.5% (273,586 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 132,807 acres |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 35 mule deer, 0 white-tailed deer |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 3, Type 8, Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Meeteetse and Cody |
How much public land is in Deer Area 117?
99.5% of deer Area 117 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 273,586 of 275,099 acres. The largest share is national forest, 272,053 acres or 98.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 117 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 272,053 | 98.9% |
| State trust land | 1,432 | 0.5% |
| BLM | 101 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 1,465 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 1,055 acres next to other public land and 410 acres road access or reached from other state land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Washakie Wilderness (132,807 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).
WGFD access areas in Deer Area 117
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Sunshine (21 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Pitchfork (160 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 117?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 49 active hunters took 35 (35 bucks), 71.4% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 25 active hunters took 0 (0 bucks), 0% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 71.4% | 411 | 11.7 |
| 2024 | 45 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 55.6% | 248 | 9.9 |
| 2023 | 57 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 64.9% | 369 | 10.0 |
| 2022 | 49 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 49% | 340 | 14.2 |
| 2021 | 45 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 68.9% | 319 | 10.3 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 80 | |
| 2024 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10.5% | 32 | 16.0 |
| 2023 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13.3% | 50 | 25.0 |
| 2022 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% | 16 | 3.2 |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 11 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 51 | 49 | 35 | 71.4% | 411 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 18 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 117 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 117:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 3 also Area 116 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | 100 | Any white-tailed deer |
| Type 8 also Area 116 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Nov 30 | 200 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer |
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Oct 15 | 50 | Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), pages 12 to 13. 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 117?
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, regular, random | 1 | 26 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 25 | not published | |
| Residents | 40 | 252 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 3 | 29 | 3 | 11 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 28 | 3 | 6 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 4 | 6 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 78 | 190 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 13 | 19 | 13 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 40 | 51 | not published | |
| Residents | 160 | 179 | not published |
Source: WGFD 2026 deer demand report, nonresident preference point 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. 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 117?
No numbered highway crosses the area. Nearby: Meeteetse (14 miles) and Cody (18 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 117?
Deer Area 117 touches 6 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 113 | Boulder | 397 | 49.4% | 304 (2025) |
| Area 114 | Wall Mountain | 182 | 100% | 0 (2025) |
| Area 116 | Meeteetse | 373 | 46.2% | 171 (2025) |
| Area 118 | Upper Gooseberry Creek | 205 | 63% | 32 (2025) |
| Area 119 | Anchor | 439 | 61.7% | 131 (2025) |
| Area 128 | Wind River | 1,246 | 84.8% | 390 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 117?
99.5% of deer Area 117 is public land: 273,586 of its 275,099 acres, the largest share national forest (272,053 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 117?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 35 mule deer and 0 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 117. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 25.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 117 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 15 and the latest closes November 30, 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 117?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for deer Area 117. The largest, Type 8, had 200 licenses and 230 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 117?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Meeteetse (14 miles) and Cody (18 miles).
Is there wilderness in Deer Area 117?
Yes. Washakie Wilderness (132,807 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 12 to 13.
- 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 113 Area 114 Area 116 Area 118 Area 119 Area 128