Deer Hunt Area 28, Hunter Mesa: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 28 (Hunter Mesa) covers 342 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 99.6% public land, most of it national forest (216,765 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 52 mule deer (18.4% success for 282 mule deer hunters) and 39 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 landArea 28Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | North Bighorn (321); white-tailed deer: Powder River |
| Size | 342 square miles (218,599 acres) |
| Public land | 99.6% (217,629 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 41,707 acres |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 52 mule deer, 39 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 24 (Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer); Oct 25 to Nov 30 (Any white-tailed deer) |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Buffalo, Ten Sleep and Sheridan |
How much public land is in Deer Area 28?
99.6% of deer Area 28 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 217,629 of 218,599 acres. The largest share is national forest, 216,765 acres or 99.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 28 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 216,765 | 99.2% |
| State trust land | 845 | 0.4% |
| BLM | 19 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 850 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 844 acres road access or reached from other state land and 6 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 (41,707 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 28
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Bud Love (60 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 28?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 282 active hunters took 52 (50 bucks), 18.4% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 178 active hunters took 39 (30 bucks), 21.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 282 | 52 | 50 | 2 | 0 | 18.4% | 1,731 | 33.3 |
| 2024 | 414 | 89 | 89 | 0 | 0 | 21.5% | 2,917 | 32.8 |
| 2023 | 247 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 12.1% | 1,040 | 34.7 |
| 2022 | 294 | 71 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 24.2% | 1,805 | 25.4 |
| 2021 | 305 | 41 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 13.4% | 1,516 | 37.0 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 178 | 39 | 30 | 9 | 0 | 21.9% | 672 | 17.2 |
| 2024 | 237 | 64 | 51 | 8 | 5 | 27% | 1,092 | 17.1 |
| 2023 | 151 | 33 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 21.9% | 501 | 15.2 |
| 2022 | 153 | 24 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 15.7% | 465 | 19.4 |
| 2021 | 169 | 42 | 38 | 4 | 0 | 24.9% | 575 | 13.7 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 282 | 52 | 18.4% | 1,731 |
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 28 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 24 (antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer); October 25 to November 30 (any white-tailed deer). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 28:
| 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 or any white-tailed deer | |
| General | Oct 25 to Nov 30 | 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 28?
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 28?
Highways through the area: US 16 (about 28 miles inside it). Nearby: Buffalo (6 miles), Ten Sleep (16 miles) and Sheridan (17 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 28?
Deer Area 28 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 25 | Tongue-Goose | 756 | 99.4% | 198 (2025) |
| Area 27 | Buffalo | 190 | 31.3% | 595 (2025) |
| Area 30 | Upper Powder River | 397 | 32.1% | 223 (2025) |
| Area 40 | Buffalo Creek | 721 | 55% | 431 (2025) |
| Area 46 | Cloud Peak | 358 | 99.6% | 100 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 28?
99.6% of deer Area 28 is public land: 217,629 of its 218,599 acres, the largest share national forest (216,765 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 28?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 52 mule deer and 39 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 28. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 89.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 28 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 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.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 28?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Buffalo (6 miles), Ten Sleep (16 miles) and Sheridan (17 miles).
Is there wilderness in Deer Area 28?
Yes. Cloud Peak Wilderness (41,707 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 25 Area 27 Area 30 Area 40 Area 46