Deer Hunt Area 80, Spring Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 80 (Spring Creek) covers 771 square miles in WGFD's Laramie Region and is 56.4% public land, most of it BLM (195,731 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 90 mule deer (66.7% success for 135 mule deer hunters) and 3 white-tailed deer here. The 2026 season table lists 3 license rows here.
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 80Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Laramie Region (also Lander) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Platte Valley (541); white-tailed deer: Southeast Wyoming |
| Size | 771 square miles (493,606 acres) |
| Public land | 56.4% (278,498 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 90 mule deer, 3 white-tailed deer |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 3, Type 8, Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Saratoga, Encampment, Sinclair, Riverside and Rawlins |
How much public land is in Deer Area 80?
56.4% of deer Area 80 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 278,498 of 493,606 acres. The largest share is BLM, 195,731 acres or 39.7% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 80 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 195,731 | 39.7% |
| National forest | 53,386 | 10.8% |
| State trust land | 29,381 | 6% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 29,496 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 14,726 acres next to other public land, 7,484 acres road access or reached from other state land, 6,730 acres no known public access and 556 acres possible access by water. 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 80
Public Access Areas: North Platte River-Rochelle (161 acres here), North Platte River-Sanger (134 acres here) and North Platte River-Pick Bridge (42 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 80?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 135 active hunters took 90 (90 bucks), 66.7% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 11 active hunters took 3 (3 bucks), 27.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 135 | 90 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 66.7% | 758 | 8.4 |
| 2024 | 124 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 48.4% | 894 | 14.9 |
| 2023 | 138 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 25.4% | 842 | 24.1 |
| 2022 | 223 | 123 | 121 | 2 | 0 | 55.2% | 1,275 | 10.4 |
| 2021 | 234 | 111 | 111 | 0 | 0 | 47.4% | 1,361 | 12.3 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 27.3% | 39 | 13.0 |
| 2024 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | ||
| 2023 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11.5% | 128 | 42.7 |
| 2022 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 14 | |
| 2021 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12.5% | 47 | 23.5 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 154 | 135 | 90 | 66.7% | 758 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 16 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 80 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 80:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 3 also Areas 78, 79, 81 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 31 | 50 | Any white-tailed deer |
| Type 8 also Areas 78, 79, 81 | Sep 1 to Dec 31 | 125 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer | |
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 14 | 150 | Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), pages 9 to 10. 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 80?
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, regular, random | 4 | 55 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 17 | not published | |
| Residents | 118 | 289 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 67 | 12 | 9 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 27 | 10 | 5 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 2 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 35 | 51 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 25 | 26 | not published | |
| Residents | 98 | 201 | not published |
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. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed. 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 80?
Highways through the area: I-80 (about 11 miles inside it), US 30 (about 11 miles inside it), WY 71 (about 9 miles inside it), US 287 (about 7 miles inside it) and WY 70 (about 4 miles inside it). Towns inside: Saratoga and Encampment. Nearby: Sinclair (on the line), Riverside (on the line) and Rawlins (on the line).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 80?
Deer Area 80 touches 7 other deer hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 78 | French Creek | 457 | 72.7% | 214 (2025) |
| Area 79 | Kennaday Peak | 914 | 46.7% | 131 (2025) |
| Area 81 | Blackhall | 304 | 73.8% | 117 (2025) |
| Area 82 | Baggs | 1,002 | 73.2% | 548 (2025) |
| Area 84 | Atlantic Rim | 574 | 50.7% | 13 (2025) |
| Area 87 | Ferris | 1,220 | 65.4% | 43 (2025) |
| Area 98 | Chain Lakes | 1,093 | 66.4% | 23 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 80?
56.4% of deer Area 80 is public land: 278,498 of its 493,606 acres, the largest share BLM (195,731 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 80?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 90 mule deer and 3 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 80. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 60.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 80 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 80?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for deer Area 80. The largest, Type 1, had 145 licenses and 455 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 80?
Saratoga and Encampment are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Sinclair (on the line), Riverside (on the line) and Rawlins (on the line).
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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 9 to 10.
- 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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