Deer Hunt Area 25, Tongue-Goose: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 25 (Tongue-Goose) covers 756 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 99.4% public land, most of it national forest (479,049 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 167 mule deer (21.7% success for 768 mule deer hunters) and 31 white-tailed deer here. The 2026 season table lists 1 license row 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 landArea 25Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region (also Cody) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | North Bighorn (321); white-tailed deer: Powder River |
| Size | 756 square miles (483,924 acres) |
| Public land | 99.4% (481,052 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 57,490 acres |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 167 mule deer, 31 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 24 (Antlered mule deer three (3) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer) |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Dayton, Ranchester and Sheridan |
How much public land is in Deer Area 25?
99.4% of deer Area 25 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 481,052 of 483,924 acres. The largest share is national forest, 479,049 acres or 99% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 25 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 479,049 | 99% |
| State trust land | 1,987 | 0.4% |
| BLM | 16 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 1,990 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 1,510 acres road access or reached from other state land and 480 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: Cloud Peak Wilderness (57,490 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).
WGFD access areas in Deer Area 25
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Amsden Creek (74 acres here). Public Access Area: Tongue River Canyon (104 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 482 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 25?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 768 active hunters took 167 (164 bucks), 21.7% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 137 active hunters took 31 (29 bucks), 22.6% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 768 | 167 | 164 | 0 | 3 | 21.7% | 4,579 | 27.4 |
| 2024 | 415 | 119 | 119 | 0 | 0 | 28.7% | 2,118 | 17.8 |
| 2023 | 744 | 233 | 233 | 0 | 0 | 31.3% | 4,388 | 18.8 |
| 2022 | 708 | 171 | 171 | 0 | 0 | 24.2% | 3,825 | 22.4 |
| 2021 | 621 | 105 | 101 | 4 | 0 | 16.9% | 3,847 | 36.6 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 137 | 31 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 22.6% | 421 | 13.6 |
| 2024 | 122 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 23% | 287 | 10.3 |
| 2023 | 177 | 35 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 19.8% | 562 | 16.1 |
| 2022 | 120 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 23.3% | 478 | 17.1 |
| 2021 | 96 | 29 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 30.2% | 267 | 9.2 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 768 | 167 | 21.7% | 4,579 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 13 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 25 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 24 (antlered mule deer three (3) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 25:
| 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 three (3) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), page 4. 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 25?
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.
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 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 25?
Highways through the area: US 14 (about 28 miles inside it). Nearby: Dayton (3 miles), Ranchester (9 miles), Sheridan (13 miles) and Buffalo (18 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 25?
Deer Area 25 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 24 | Sheridan | 491 | 8.2% | 1,680 (2025) |
| Area 27 | Buffalo | 190 | 31.3% | 595 (2025) |
| Area 28 | Hunter Mesa | 342 | 99.6% | 91 (2025) |
| Area 46 | Cloud Peak | 358 | 99.6% | 100 (2025) |
| Area 50 | Upper Shell-Beaver Creek | 134 | 100% | 56 (2025) |
| Area 53 | Devils Canyon | 230 | 87.5% | 70 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 25?
99.4% of deer Area 25 is public land: 481,052 of its 483,924 acres, the largest share national forest (479,049 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 25?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 167 mule deer and 31 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 25. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 119.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 25 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 15 and the latest closes October 24, by WGFD Commission Chapter 6. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 25?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Dayton (3 miles), Ranchester (9 miles) and Sheridan (13 miles).
Is there wilderness in Deer Area 25?
Yes. Cloud Peak Wilderness (57,490 acres) lies 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 4.
- 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 24 Area 27 Area 28 Area 46 Area 50 Area 53