Deer Hunt Area 30, Upper Powder River: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 30 (Upper Powder River) covers 397 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 32.1% public land, most of it BLM (44,316 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 99 mule deer (29.9% success for 331 mule deer hunters) and 124 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.
National forestBLMState trust landArea 30Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Upper Powder River (322); white-tailed deer: Powder River |
| Size | 397 square miles (253,812 acres) |
| Public land | 32.1% (81,494 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 99 mule deer, 124 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 (Antlered mule deer 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 | Buffalo, Kaycee and Ten Sleep |
How much public land is in Deer Area 30?
32.1% of deer Area 30 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 81,494 of 253,812 acres. The largest share is BLM, 44,316 acres or 17.5% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 30 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 44,316 | 17.5% |
| State trust land | 37,118 | 14.6% |
| National forest | 60 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 37,129 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 21,076 acres road access or reached from other state land, 8,461 acres next to other public land and 7,592 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.
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 30?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 331 active hunters took 99 (99 bucks), 29.9% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 336 active hunters took 124 (45 bucks), 36.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 331 | 99 | 99 | 0 | 0 | 29.9% | 1,752 | 17.7 |
| 2024 | 265 | 55 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 20.8% | 1,252 | 22.8 |
| 2023 | 254 | 63 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 24.8% | 1,343 | 21.3 |
| 2022 | 198 | 67 | 67 | 0 | 0 | 33.8% | 1,045 | 15.6 |
| 2021 | 256 | 71 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 27.7% | 1,099 | 15.5 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 336 | 124 | 45 | 71 | 8 | 36.9% | 1,307 | 10.5 |
| 2024 | 303 | 112 | 38 | 62 | 12 | 37% | 1,480 | 13.2 |
| 2023 | 296 | 206 | 84 | 94 | 28 | 69.6% | 1,319 | 6.4 |
| 2022 | 186 | 88 | 44 | 40 | 4 | 47.3% | 701 | 8.0 |
| 2021 | 303 | 144 | 70 | 58 | 16 | 47.5% | 1,485 | 10.3 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 331 | 99 | 29.9% | 1,752 |
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 30 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 31 (antlered mule deer 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 30:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 | Antlered mule deer 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 Areas 32, 33, 163, 169 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 1000 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid on private land | |
| Type 8 also Areas 32, 33, 163, 169 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Dec 31 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid in the entire area |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), pages 4 to 5. 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 30?
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.
How do you get to Deer Area 30?
Highways through the area: I-25 (about 33 miles inside it), US 87 (about 33 miles inside it) and WY 196 (about 22 miles inside it). Nearby: Buffalo (7 miles), Kaycee (11 miles) and Ten Sleep (16 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 30?
Deer Area 30 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 27 | Buffalo | 190 | 31.3% | 595 (2025) |
| Area 28 | Hunter Mesa | 342 | 99.6% | 91 (2025) |
| Area 29 | Johnson | 1,002 | 20.1% | 349 (2025) |
| Area 32 | Beartrap Creek | 142 | 36.4% | 3 (2025) |
| Area 33 | Red Fork | 430 | 39.9% | 268 (2025) |
| Area 40 | Buffalo Creek | 721 | 55% | 431 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 30?
32.1% of deer Area 30 is public land: 81,494 of its 253,812 acres, the largest share BLM (44,316 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 30?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 99 mule deer and 124 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 30. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 55.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 30 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 30?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for deer Area 30. Type 8 had 1,778 licenses and 48 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 30?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Buffalo (7 miles), Kaycee (11 miles) and Ten Sleep (16 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 4 to 5.
- 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 27 Area 28 Area 29 Area 32 Area 33 Area 40