Deer Hunt Area 118, Upper Gooseberry Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 118 (Upper Gooseberry Creek) covers 205 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 63% public land, most of it BLM (60,062 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 11 mule deer (52.4% success for 21 mule deer hunters) and 21 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 118Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Owl Creek/Meeteetse (212); white-tailed deer: Bighorn Basin |
| Size | 205 square miles (131,113 acres) |
| Public land | 63% (82,546 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 52 acres |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 11 mule deer, 21 white-tailed deer |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Meeteetse |
How much public land is in Deer Area 118?
63% of deer Area 118 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 82,546 of 131,113 acres. The largest share is BLM, 60,062 acres or 45.8% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 118 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 60,062 | 45.8% |
| State trust land | 12,183 | 9.3% |
| National forest | 10,301 | 7.9% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 12,241 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 6,711 acres road access or reached from other state land, 2,985 acres next to other public land and 2,545 acres no known public access. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Washakie Wilderness (52 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 118
Hunter Management Area: Absaroka Front (14,896 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 118?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 21 active hunters took 11 (11 bucks), 52.4% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 24 active hunters took 21 (4 bucks), 87.5% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 52.4% | 107 | 9.7 |
| 2024 | 22 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 63.6% | 130 | 9.3 |
| 2023 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 50% | 64 | 7.1 |
| 2022 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 66.7% | 69 | 4.9 |
| 2021 | 23 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 60.9% | 122 | 8.7 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | 21 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 87.5% | 45 | 2.1 |
| 2024 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 21.4% | 44 | 14.7 |
| 2023 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 46.2% | 16 | 2.7 |
| 2022 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 61.5% | 28 | 3.5 |
| 2021 | 20 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 25% | 36 | 7.2 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 25 | 21 | 11 | 52.4% | 107 |
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 118 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 118:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 | 25 | Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer |
| Type 1 | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | Any white-tailed deer | ||
| Type 8 also Area 119 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Nov 30 | 50 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), page 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 118?
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 | 0 | 8 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 4 | not published | |
| Residents | 11 | 65 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 10 | 2 | 15 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 2 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 10 | 21 | not published | |
| Residents | 40 | 67 | 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. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed.
How do you get to Deer Area 118?
Highways through the area: WY 120 (about 12 miles inside it). Nearby: Meeteetse (on the line).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 118?
Deer Area 118 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 116 | Meeteetse | 373 | 46.2% | 171 (2025) |
| Area 117 | Franc's Peak | 430 | 99.5% | 35 (2025) |
| Area 119 | Anchor | 439 | 61.7% | 131 (2025) |
| Area 125 | Fifteen Mile | 952 | 88.4% | 46 (2025) |
| Area 127 | Cottonwood | 265 | 78.3% | 105 (2025) |
| Area 165 | Yu Bench | 333 | 77.6% | 217 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 118?
63% of deer Area 118 is public land: 82,546 of its 131,113 acres, the largest share BLM (60,062 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 118?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 11 mule deer and 21 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 118. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 14.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 118 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 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 118?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for deer Area 118. The largest, Type 8, had 50 licenses and 88 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 118?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Meeteetse (on the line).
Is there wilderness in Deer Area 118?
Yes. Washakie Wilderness (52 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), page 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 116 Area 117 Area 119 Area 125 Area 127 Area 165