Deer Hunt Area 51, Beaver Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 51 (Beaver Creek) covers 177 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 73.6% public land, most of it BLM (79,554 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 164 mule deer (66.7% success for 246 mule deer hunters) and 61 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 51Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | North Bighorn (321); white-tailed deer: Bighorn Basin |
| Size | 177 square miles (113,020 acres) |
| Public land | 73.6% (83,165 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 164 mule deer, 61 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 24 (Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer); Oct 25 to Oct 31 (Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer valid on or within one- half (1/2) mile of irrigated land) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 3, Type 7, Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Shell, Greybull, Basin and Manderson |
How much public land is in Deer Area 51?
73.6% of deer Area 51 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 83,165 of 113,020 acres. The largest share is BLM, 79,554 acres or 70.4% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 51 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 79,554 | 70.4% |
| State trust land | 3,533 | 3.1% |
| National forest | 78 | 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 3,555 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 2,838 acres next to other public land and 717 acres road access or reached from other state land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
WGFD access areas in Deer Area 51
Walk-In Hunting: 2 areas covering 845 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 51?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 246 active hunters took 164 (79 bucks), 66.7% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 186 active hunters took 61 (2 bucks), 32.8% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 246 | 164 | 79 | 83 | 2 | 66.7% | 921 | 5.6 |
| 2024 | 251 | 109 | 43 | 52 | 14 | 43.4% | 1,233 | 11.3 |
| 2023 | 291 | 179 | 79 | 86 | 14 | 61.5% | 1,391 | 7.8 |
| 2022 | 267 | 166 | 86 | 78 | 2 | 62.2% | 1,601 | 9.6 |
| 2021 | 270 | 145 | 74 | 62 | 9 | 53.7% | 1,170 | 8.1 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 186 | 61 | 2 | 50 | 9 | 32.8% | 704 | 11.5 |
| 2024 | 234 | 128 | 23 | 84 | 21 | 54.7% | 1,084 | 8.5 |
| 2023 | 238 | 154 | 34 | 72 | 48 | 64.7% | 1,082 | 7.0 |
| 2022 | 191 | 126 | 28 | 66 | 32 | 66% | 768 | 6.1 |
| 2021 | 137 | 114 | 31 | 56 | 27 | 83.2% | 903 | 7.9 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 146 | 118 | 85 | 72% | 406 |
| General | not limited | 166 | 79 | 47.6% | 515 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 14 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 51 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 24 (antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer); October 25 to 31 (antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer valid on or within one- half (1/2) mile of irrigated land). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 51:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 3 also Areas 47, 52 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Dec 15 | 75 | Any white-tailed deer |
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 24 | Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer | |
| General | Oct 25 to Oct 31 | Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer valid on or within one- half (1/2) mile of irrigated land | ||
| Type 7 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Nov 15 | 75 | Doe or fawn valid on or within one-half (1/2) mile of irrigated land |
| Type 8 | Sep 1 to Dec 31 | 100 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), pages 6 to 7. 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 51?
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 | 18 | 107 | not published | |
| Residents | 60 | 54 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 93 | 15 | not published | |
| Residents | 79 | 6 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 3 | 3 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 60 | 90 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 15 | 12 | 11 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region R general license. In the 2026 draw it had 562 licenses; 719 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 275 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 51?
Highways through the area: US 14 (about 11 miles inside it). Towns inside: Shell. Nearby: Greybull (on the line), Basin (7 miles), Manderson (16 miles) and Burlington (18 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 51?
Deer Area 51 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 47 | Webber Canyon | 559 | 79.3% | 402 (2025) |
| Area 50 | Upper Shell-Beaver Creek | 134 | 100% | 56 (2025) |
| Area 52 | Crystal Creek | 152 | 76.4% | 42 (2025) |
| Area 122 | Shoshone River | 992 | 64.2% | 323 (2025) |
| Area 124 | Emblem | 501 | 71.1% | 178 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 51?
73.6% of deer Area 51 is public land: 83,165 of its 113,020 acres, the largest share BLM (79,554 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 51?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 164 mule deer and 61 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 51. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 109.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 51 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 51?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for deer Area 51. The largest, Type 8, had 172 licenses and 21 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 51?
Shell is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Greybull (on the line), Basin (7 miles) and Manderson (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 6 to 7.
- 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 Cody Region Area 47 Area 50 Area 52 Area 122 Area 124