Deer Hunt Area 163, Middle Fork: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 163 (Middle Fork) covers 176 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 65.3% public land, most of it BLM (55,666 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 69 mule deer (46% success for 150 mule deer hunters) and 3 white-tailed deer here. The 2026 season table lists 4 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 163Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Upper Powder River (322); white-tailed deer: Powder River |
| Size | 176 square miles (112,797 acres) |
| Public land | 65.3% (73,607 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 69 mule deer, 3 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 21 (Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer); Nov 1 to Nov 15 (Any white-tailed deer) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Kaycee |
How much public land is in Deer Area 163?
65.3% of deer Area 163 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 73,607 of 112,797 acres. The largest share is BLM, 55,666 acres or 49.4% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 163 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 55,666 | 49.4% |
| State trust land | 17,941 | 15.9% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 17,975 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 11,203 acres next to other public land, 6,061 acres road access or reached from other state land and 711 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.
WGFD access areas in Deer Area 163
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Ed O. Taylor (10,211 acres here) and Ellis (3,954 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 163?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 150 active hunters took 69 (69 bucks), 46% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 17 active hunters took 3 (3 bucks), 17.6% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 150 | 69 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 46% | 514 | 7.4 |
| 2024 | 234 | 76 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 32.5% | 934 | 12.3 |
| 2023 | 150 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 40% | 466 | 7.8 |
| 2022 | 174 | 48 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 27.6% | 708 | 14.8 |
| 2021 | 208 | 63 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 30.3% | 1,022 | 16.2 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17.6% | 36 | 12.0 |
| 2024 | 23 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 21.7% | 26 | 5.2 |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 8 | |
| 2022 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 38 | |
| 2021 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 66 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 150 | 69 | 46% | 514 |
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 163 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 21 (antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer); November 1 to 15 (any white-tailed deer). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 163:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 8 also Areas 30, 32, 33, 169 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 1000 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid on private land | |
| Type 8 also Areas 30, 32, 33, 169 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Dec 31 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid in the entire area | |
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 21 | Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer | |
| General | Nov 1 to Nov 15 | Any white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), pages 5 to 18. 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 163?
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, reduced price, random | 978 | 27 | not published | |
| Residents | 800 | 21 | not published |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region Y general license. In the 2026 draw it had 1,216 licenses; 1,324 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 618 were drawn.
Source: WGFD 2026 deer demand report, nonresident reduced price 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 163?
No numbered highway crosses the area. Nearby: Kaycee (13 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 163?
Deer Area 163 touches 4 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 32 | Beartrap Creek | 142 | 36.4% | 3 (2025) |
| Area 33 | Red Fork | 430 | 39.9% | 268 (2025) |
| Area 34 | North Natrona | 1,451 | 65.9% | 154 (2025) |
| Area 35 | Upper Nowood | 188 | 37.7% | 31 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 163?
65.3% of deer Area 163 is public land: 73,607 of its 112,797 acres, the largest share BLM (55,666 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 163?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 69 mule deer and 3 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 163. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 76.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 163 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes December 31, 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 163?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for deer Area 163. Type 8 had 1,778 licenses and 48 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 163?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Kaycee (13 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), pages 5 to 18.
- 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 Sheridan Region Area 32 Area 33 Area 34 Area 35