Deer Hunt Area 127, Cottonwood: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 127 (Cottonwood) covers 265 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 78.3% public land, most of it BLM (123,385 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 30 mule deer (26.8% success for 112 mule deer hunters) and 75 white-tailed deer here. The 2026 season table lists 3 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.
BLMState trust landArea 127Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Basin (209); white-tailed deer: Bighorn Basin |
| Size | 265 square miles (169,865 acres) |
| Public land | 78.3% (132,990 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 30 mule deer, 75 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 24 (Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 3, Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Thermopolis, Kirby, Lucerne, East Thermopolis, Worland and Meeteetse |
How much public land is in Deer Area 127?
78.3% of deer Area 127 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 132,990 of 169,865 acres. The largest share is BLM, 123,385 acres or 72.6% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 127 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 123,385 | 72.6% |
| State trust land | 9,605 | 5.7% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 9,665 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 5,789 acres next to other public land and 3,876 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.
WGFD access areas in Deer Area 127
Hunter Management Area: Absaroka Front (22 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 4 areas covering 2,999 acres of private land enrolled in WGFD's Access Yes program.
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 127?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 112 active hunters took 30 (30 bucks), 26.8% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 149 active hunters took 75 (32 bucks), 50.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 112 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 26.8% | 371 | 12.4 |
| 2024 | 99 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 20.2% | 318 | 15.9 |
| 2023 | 127 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 11% | 278 | 19.9 |
| 2022 | 112 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 26.8% | 374 | 12.5 |
| 2021 | 126 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 25.4% | 325 | 10.2 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 149 | 75 | 32 | 43 | 0 | 50.3% | 1,075 | 14.3 |
| 2024 | 220 | 130 | 74 | 47 | 9 | 59.1% | 1,223 | 9.4 |
| 2023 | 198 | 104 | 68 | 33 | 3 | 52.5% | 935 | 9.0 |
| 2022 | 177 | 110 | 74 | 33 | 3 | 62.1% | 702 | 6.4 |
| 2021 | 136 | 78 | 42 | 34 | 2 | 57.4% | 542 | 6.9 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 112 | 30 | 26.8% | 371 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 19 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 127 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 24 (antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 127:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 24 | Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer | |
| Type 3 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Dec 15 | 50 | Any white-tailed deer |
| Type 8 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Dec 15 | 50 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), page 14. 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 127?
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 | 2 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 37 | 42 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 10 | 7 | not published | |
| Residents | 39 | 50 | not published |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region X general license. In the 2026 draw it had 134 licenses; 96 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 71 were drawn.
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.
How do you get to Deer Area 127?
Highways through the area: WY 789 (about 20 miles inside it), US 20 (about 20 miles inside it) and WY 120 (about 14 miles inside it). Towns inside: Thermopolis, Kirby and Lucerne. Nearby: East Thermopolis (on the line), Worland (12 miles) and Meeteetse (20 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 127?
Deer Area 127 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 37 | Copper Mountain | 372 | 51.4% | 89 (2025) |
| Area 118 | Upper Gooseberry Creek | 205 | 63% | 32 (2025) |
| Area 119 | Anchor | 439 | 61.7% | 131 (2025) |
| Area 120 | Hamilton Dome | 583 | 14.5% | 127 (2025) |
| Area 125 | Fifteen Mile | 952 | 88.4% | 46 (2025) |
| Area 164 | Nowater | 511 | 89.8% | 250 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 127?
78.3% of deer Area 127 is public land: 132,990 of its 169,865 acres, the largest share BLM (123,385 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 127?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 30 mule deer and 75 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 127. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 20.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 127 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 15 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 127?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for deer Area 127. The largest, Type 3, had 51 licenses and 45 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 127?
Thermopolis, Kirby and Lucerne are inside the hunt area. Just outside: East Thermopolis (on the line), Worland (12 miles) and Meeteetse (20 miles).
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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 14.
- 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 37 Area 118 Area 119 Area 120 Area 125 Area 164