Deer Hunt Area 29, Johnson: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 29 (Johnson) covers 1,002 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 20.1% public land, most of it BLM (88,152 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 133 mule deer (36% success for 369 mule deer hunters) and 216 white-tailed deer here. The 2026 season table lists 5 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 29Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Pumpkin Buttes (320); white-tailed deer: Powder River |
| Size | 1,002 square miles (641,394 acres) |
| Public land | 20.1% (128,934 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 133 mule deer, 216 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 1 to Oct 14 (Antlered mule deer three (3) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer); Nov 1 to Nov 30 (Any white-tailed deer); Dec 1 to Dec 31 (Antlerless white-tailed deer) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Kaycee, Buffalo, Edgerton and Midwest |
How much public land is in Deer Area 29?
20.1% of deer Area 29 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 128,934 of 641,394 acres. The largest share is BLM, 88,152 acres or 13.7% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 29 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 88,152 | 13.7% |
| State trust land | 40,782 | 6.4% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 40,817 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 18,422 acres no known public access, 15,519 acres road access or reached from other state land and 6,876 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.
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 29?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 369 active hunters took 133 (133 bucks), 36% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 352 active hunters took 216 (77 bucks), 61.4% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 369 | 133 | 133 | 0 | 0 | 36% | 1,407 | 10.6 |
| 2024 | 278 | 143 | 143 | 0 | 0 | 51.4% | 1,213 | 8.5 |
| 2023 | 276 | 118 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 42.8% | 1,148 | 9.7 |
| 2022 | 269 | 104 | 100 | 4 | 0 | 38.7% | 1,027 | 9.9 |
| 2021 | 323 | 139 | 139 | 0 | 0 | 43% | 1,151 | 8.3 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 352 | 216 | 77 | 133 | 6 | 61.4% | 1,029 | 4.8 |
| 2024 | 237 | 162 | 52 | 99 | 11 | 68.4% | 1,653 | 10.2 |
| 2023 | 189 | 124 | 40 | 77 | 7 | 65.6% | 529 | 4.3 |
| 2022 | 188 | 121 | 24 | 88 | 9 | 64.4% | 499 | 4.1 |
| 2021 | 344 | 222 | 83 | 124 | 15 | 64.5% | 1,556 | 7.0 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 369 | 133 | 36% | 1,407 |
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 29 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 1 to 14 (antlered mule deer three (3) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer); November 1 to 30 (any white-tailed deer); December 1 to 31 (antlerless white-tailed deer). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 29:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 14 | Antlered mule deer three (3) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer | |
| General | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | Any white-tailed deer | ||
| General | Dec 1 to Dec 31 | Antlerless white-tailed deer | ||
| Type 8 also Area 31 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 700 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid on private land | |
| Type 8 also Area 31 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 31 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid in the entire area |
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 29?
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 | 680 | 25 | not published | |
| Residents | 560 | 19 | not published |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region C general license. In the 2026 draw it had 2,173 licenses; 1,717 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 1,096 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.
How do you get to Deer Area 29?
Highways through the area: I-90 (about 52 miles inside it), US 87 (about 39 miles inside it), I-25 (about 38 miles inside it), WY 192 (about 27 miles inside it) and WY 1002 (about 27 miles inside it). Towns inside: Kaycee. Nearby: Buffalo (on the line), Edgerton (13 miles) and Midwest (13 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 29?
Deer Area 29 touches 8 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 17 | Northwest Gillette | 1,782 | 20.7% | 553 (2025) |
| Area 19 | Pumpkin Buttes | 1,518 | 13.9% | 224 (2025) |
| Area 26 | Ucross | 842 | 25.3% | 320 (2025) |
| Area 27 | Buffalo | 190 | 31.3% | 595 (2025) |
| Area 30 | Upper Powder River | 397 | 32.1% | 223 (2025) |
| Area 31 | Salt Creek | 191 | 52% | 20 (2025) |
| Area 33 | Red Fork | 430 | 39.9% | 268 (2025) |
| Area 169 | Tisdale Mountain | 236 | 51.4% | 67 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 29?
20.1% of deer Area 29 is public land: 128,934 of its 641,394 acres, the largest share BLM (88,152 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 29?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 133 mule deer and 216 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 29. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 143.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 29 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 29?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for deer Area 29. Type 8 had 1,240 licenses and 44 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 29?
Kaycee is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Buffalo (on the line), Edgerton (13 miles) and Midwest (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), 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.
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