Deer Hunt Area 149, Targhee: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 149 (Targhee) covers 382 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 96.2% public land, most of it national forest (233,990 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 13 mule deer (21.3% success for 61 mule deer hunters) and 10 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.
National forestBLMBureau of ReclamationNational park (no general hunting)Area 149Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Targhee (101) |
| Size | 382 square miles (244,739 acres) |
| Public land | 96.2% (235,491 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 133,978 acres |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 13 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, Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Alta and Jackson |
How much public land is in Deer Area 149?
96.2% of deer Area 149 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 235,491 of 244,739 acres. The largest share is national forest, 233,990 acres or 95.6% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 149 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 233,990 | 95.6% |
| BLM | 1,482 | 0.6% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 674 | 0.3% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 19 | under 0.1% |
Designated wilderness: Jedediah Smith Wilderness (123,320 acres) and Winegar Hole Wilderness (10,658 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).
674 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Deer Area 149
Public Access Area: Coco Belle Van Meerendonk (43 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 149?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 61 active hunters took 13 (13 bucks), 21.3% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 26 active hunters took 10 (4 bucks), 38.5% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 61 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 21.3% | 375 | 28.8 |
| 2024 | 99 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 17.2% | 405 | 23.8 |
| 2023 | 58 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 19% | 212 | 19.3 |
| 2022 | 106 | 38 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 35.8% | 457 | 12.0 |
| 2021 | 82 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 34.1% | 336 | 12.0 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 38.5% | 273 | 27.3 |
| 2024 | 61 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 13.1% | 410 | 51.3 |
| 2023 | 47 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 36.2% | 255 | 15.0 |
| 2022 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 40% | 91 | 11.4 |
| 2021 | 23 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 43.5% | 151 | 15.1 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 61 | 13 | 21.3% | 375 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 21 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 149 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 149:
| 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 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Nov 30 | 25 | Any white-tailed deer |
| Type 8 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Nov 30 | 25 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), page 17. 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 149?
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 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 20 | 19 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 5 | 5 | not published | |
| Residents | 20 | 24 | not published |
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 149?
Highways through the area: WY 22 (about 5 miles inside it). Towns inside: Alta. Nearby: Jackson (9 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 149?
Deer Area 149 touches 3 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 148 | Teton | 684 | 93.9% | 53 (2025) |
| Area 150 | Wilson | 71 | 35.7% | 6 (2025) |
| Area 151 | Fall Creek | 280 | 92.3% | 42 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 149?
96.2% of deer Area 149 is public land: 235,491 of its 244,739 acres, the largest share national forest (233,990 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 149?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 13 mule deer and 10 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 149. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 17.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 149 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 149?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for deer Area 149. The largest, Type 3, had 27 licenses and 22 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 149?
Alta is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Jackson (9 miles).
Is there wilderness in Deer Area 149?
Yes. Jedediah Smith Wilderness (123,320 acres) and Winegar Hole Wilderness (10,658 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 17.
- 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 Jackson Region Area 148 Area 150 Area 151