Deer Hunt Area 138, Boulder: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 138 (Boulder) covers 1,444 square miles in WGFD's Pinedale Region and is 91.6% public land, most of it BLM (676,202 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 27 mule deer (17.2% success for 157 mule deer hunters) and 10 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 landBureau of ReclamationWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 138Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Pinedale Region (also Green River) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Sublette (104) |
| Size | 1,444 square miles (924,480 acres) |
| Public land | 91.6% (847,196 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 93,666 acres |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 27 mule deer, 10 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Sep 15 to Oct 2 (Antlered mule deer four (4) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 3 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Boulder, Big Piney, Marbleton and La Barge |
How much public land is in Deer Area 138?
91.6% of deer Area 138 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 847,196 of 924,480 acres. The largest share is BLM, 676,202 acres or 73.1% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 138 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 676,202 | 73.1% |
| National forest | 128,949 | 13.9% |
| State trust land | 39,658 | 4.3% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 2,387 | 0.3% |
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 8 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 39,736 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 20,495 acres road access or reached from other state land, 19,152 acres next to other public land, 47 acres possible access by water and 42 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: Bridger Wilderness (93,560 acres) and Popo Agie Wilderness (106 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).
PAD-US maps 8 acres here inside the Wind River Reservation. Tribal land there is not open to hunting on Wyoming licenses; some ground inside the reservation line is private or managed by WGFD and follows its own rules.
WGFD access areas in Deer Area 138
Public Access Area: Boulder Rearing Station (449 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Chimney Butte (10,690 acres here) and Chimey Butte (1,569 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 138?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 157 active hunters took 27 (27 bucks), 17.2% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 33 active hunters took 10 (10 bucks), 30.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 157 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 17.2% | 832 | 30.8 |
| 2024 | 169 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 16.6% | 755 | 27.0 |
| 2023 | 138 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 13.8% | 604 | 31.8 |
| 2022 | 231 | 41 | 38 | 3 | 0 | 17.7% | 1,040 | 25.4 |
| 2021 | 257 | 57 | 53 | 4 | 0 | 22.2% | 1,236 | 21.7 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 30.3% | 229 | 22.9 |
| 2024 | 54 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 9.3% | 360 | 72.0 |
| 2023 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 30.8% | 47 | 5.9 |
| 2022 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5.6% | 134 | 67.0 |
| 2021 | 48 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% | 429 | 26.8 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 157 | 27 | 17.2% | 832 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 20 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 138 in 2026?
General license seasons: September 15 to October 2 (antlered mule deer four (4) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 138:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Oct 2 | Antlered mule deer four (4) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer | |
| Type 3 also Areas 139, 140, 142, 143 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Nov 30 | 50 | Any white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), page 16. 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 138?
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 | 40 | 54 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region H general license. In the 2026 draw it had 335 licenses; 1,176 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 154 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 138?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 42 miles inside it), WY 353 (about 16 miles inside it) and WY 351 (about 15 miles inside it). Towns inside: Boulder. Nearby: Big Piney (3 miles), Marbleton (3 miles), La Barge (7 miles) and Pinedale (8 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 138?
Deer Area 138 touches 7 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 92 | Table Mountain | 660 | 84.1% | 205 (2025) |
| Area 130 | Big Sandy | 688 | 91.5% | 32 (2025) |
| Area 131 | Steamboat | 4,232 | 75.2% | 108 (2025) |
| Area 139 | Pinedale | 476 | 83.6% | 16 (2025) |
| Area 142 | Piney-Horse Creek | 596 | 52.5% | 131 (2025) |
| Area 143 | South Piney | 1,161 | 78.1% | 76 (2025) |
| Area 171 | Crowheart Butte | 2,384 | 0% | 209 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 138?
91.6% of deer Area 138 is public land: 847,196 of its 924,480 acres, the largest share BLM (676,202 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 138?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 27 mule deer and 10 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 138. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 28.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 138 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 138?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for deer Area 138. Type 3 had 54 licenses and 57 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 138?
Boulder is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Big Piney (3 miles), Marbleton (3 miles) and La Barge (7 miles).
Is there wilderness in Deer Area 138?
Yes. Bridger Wilderness (93,560 acres) and Popo Agie Wilderness (106 acres) lie 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 16.
- 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 Pinedale Region Area 92 Area 130 Area 131 Area 139 Area 142 Area 143 Area 171