Deer Hunt Area 171, Crowheart Butte: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 171 (Crowheart Butte) covers 2,384 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 0% public land, most of it national forest (197 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 48 mule deer (38.1% success for 126 mule deer hunters) and 161 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 forestBLMState trust landWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 171Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region (also Cody) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Project (643) |
| Size | 2,384 square miles (1,525,475 acres) |
| Public land | 0% (245 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 328 acres |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 48 mule deer, 161 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 (Any deer) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 3, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Ethete, Johnstown, Crowheart, Hudson, Riverton and Pavillion |
How much public land is in Deer Area 171?
0% of deer Area 171 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 245 of 1,525,475 acres. The largest share is national forest, 197 acres or 0% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 171 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 1,524,820 | 100% |
| National forest | 197 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 47 | under 0.1% |
| State trust land | 1 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 2,822 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 1,659 acres road access or reached from other state land, 1,154 acres no known public access and 9 acres next to other public land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Bridger Wilderness (186 acres), Fitzpatrick Wilderness (74 acres) and Washakie Wilderness (68 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 1,524,820 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 171
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Spence and Moriarity (241 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 171?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 126 active hunters took 48 (15 bucks), 38.1% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 291 active hunters took 161 (55 bucks), 55.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 126 | 48 | 15 | 33 | 0 | 38.1% | 306 | 6.4 |
| 2024 | 94 | 41 | 21 | 19 | 1 | 43.6% | 563 | 13.7 |
| 2023 | 76 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 31.6% | 251 | 10.5 |
| 2022 | 161 | 52 | 21 | 27 | 4 | 32.3% | 511 | 9.8 |
| 2021 | 113 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 26.5% | 385 | 12.8 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 291 | 161 | 55 | 82 | 24 | 55.3% | 1,369 | 8.5 |
| 2024 | 354 | 232 | 126 | 71 | 35 | 65.5% | 1,850 | 8.0 |
| 2023 | 271 | 186 | 67 | 74 | 45 | 68.6% | 1,173 | 6.3 |
| 2022 | 292 | 247 | 137 | 87 | 23 | 84.6% | 1,647 | 6.7 |
| 2021 | 332 | 241 | 108 | 118 | 15 | 72.6% | 1,479 | 6.1 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 233 | 46 | 30 | 65.2% | 57 |
| General | not limited | 83 | 18 | 21.7% | 249 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 22 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 171 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 1 to 31 (any deer). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 171:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | Any deer | |
| Type 3 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 31 | 150 | Any white-tailed deer |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 31 | 350 | Doe or fawn |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), page 19. 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 171?
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 | 7 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 120 | 68 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 22 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 248 | 19 | not published | |
| Residents | 280 | 96 | not published |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region L general license. In the 2026 draw it had 213 licenses; 300 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 105 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 171?
Highways through the area: US 287 (about 58 miles inside it), US 26 (about 35 miles inside it), WY 137 (about 20 miles inside it), WY 132 (about 16 miles inside it) and WY 789 (about 15 miles inside it). Towns inside: Ethete, Johnstown, Crowheart, Arapahoe, Fort Washakie and Boulder Flats. Nearby: Hudson (on the line), Riverton (on the line), Pavillion (on the line) and Lander (2 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 171?
Deer Area 171 touches 11 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 36 | Badwater | 899 | 68% | 89 (2025) |
| Area 37 | Copper Mountain | 372 | 51.4% | 89 (2025) |
| Area 90 | Muskrat | 1,291 | 78.4% | 25 (2025) |
| Area 92 | Table Mountain | 660 | 84.1% | 205 (2025) |
| Area 119 | Anchor | 439 | 61.7% | 131 (2025) |
| Area 120 | Hamilton Dome | 583 | 14.5% | 127 (2025) |
| Area 128 | Wind River | 1,246 | 84.8% | 390 (2025) |
| Area 138 | Boulder | 1,444 | 91.6% | 37 (2025) |
| Area 139 | Pinedale | 476 | 83.6% | 16 (2025) |
| Area 157 | Boysen | 664 | 0% | 380 (2025) |
| Area 160 | Beaver Creek | 404 | 77.6% | 24 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 171?
0% of deer Area 171 is public land: 245 of its 1,525,475 acres, the largest share national forest (197 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 171?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 48 mule deer and 161 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 171. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 41.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 171 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 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 171?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for deer Area 171. The largest, Type 6, had 528 licenses and 115 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 171?
Ethete, Johnstown and Crowheart are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Hudson (on the line), Riverton (on the line) and Pavillion (on the line).
Is there wilderness in Deer Area 171?
Yes. Bridger Wilderness (186 acres), Fitzpatrick Wilderness (74 acres) and Washakie Wilderness (68 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 19.
- 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 Lander Region Area 36 Area 37 Area 90 Area 92 Area 119 Area 120 Area 128 Area 138 Area 139 Area 157 Area 160