Deer Hunt Area 31, Salt Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 31 (Salt Creek) covers 191 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 52% public land, most of it BLM (52,780 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 20 mule deer (36.4% success for 55 mule deer hunters) and 0 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.
BLMState trust landArea 31Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Pumpkin Buttes (320); white-tailed deer: Powder River |
| Size | 191 square miles (122,395 acres) |
| Public land | 52% (63,703 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 20 mule deer, 0 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 1 to Oct 10 (Antlered mule deer three (3) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Edgerton, Midwest and Kaycee |
How much public land is in Deer Area 31?
52% of deer Area 31 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 63,703 of 122,395 acres. The largest share is BLM, 52,780 acres or 43.1% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 31 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 52,780 | 43.1% |
| State trust land | 10,923 | 8.9% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 10,931 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 6,987 acres next to other public land, 2,285 acres road access or reached from other state land and 1,659 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 31?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 55 active hunters took 20 (20 bucks), 36.4% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 15 active hunters took 0 (0 bucks), 0% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 36.4% | 166 | 8.3 |
| 2024 | 98 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 33.7% | 265 | 8.0 |
| 2023 | 78 | 40 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 51.3% | 177 | 4.4 |
| 2022 | 55 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 20% | 194 | 17.6 |
| 2021 | 47 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 38.3% | 200 | 11.1 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 40 | |
| 2024 | 33 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15.2% | 49 | 9.8 |
| 2023 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 37.5% | 8 | 2.7 |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 4 | 1.0 |
| 2021 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 26.7% | 32 | 8.0 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 55 | 20 | 36.4% | 166 |
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 31 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 1 to 10 (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 31:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 8 also Area 29 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 700 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid on private land | |
| Type 8 also Area 29 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 31 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer valid in the entire area | |
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 10 | Antlered mule deer three (3) points or more on either antler or any white-tailed deer |
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 31?
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. A license valid in more than one area is listed under the first area WGFD prints for it.
How do you get to Deer Area 31?
Highways through the area: I-25 (about 20 miles inside it), US 87 (about 20 miles inside it), WY 387 (about 12 miles inside it) and WY 196 (about 8 miles inside it). Nearby: Edgerton (on the line), Midwest (on the line) and Kaycee (9 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 31?
Deer Area 31 touches 5 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 19 | Pumpkin Buttes | 1,518 | 13.9% | 224 (2025) |
| Area 22 | Douglas | 2,538 | 19.7% | 290 (2025) |
| Area 29 | Johnson | 1,002 | 20.1% | 349 (2025) |
| Area 34 | North Natrona | 1,451 | 65.9% | 154 (2025) |
| Area 169 | Tisdale Mountain | 236 | 51.4% | 67 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 31?
52% of deer Area 31 is public land: 63,703 of its 122,395 acres, the largest share BLM (52,780 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 31?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 20 mule deer and 0 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 31. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 33.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 31 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 31?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for deer Area 31. Type 8 had 1,240 licenses and 44 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 31?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Edgerton (on the line), Midwest (on the line) and Kaycee (9 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 19 Area 22 Area 29 Area 34 Area 169