Deer Hunt Area 81, Blackhall: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 81 (Blackhall) covers 304 square miles in WGFD's Laramie Region and is 73.8% public land, most of it national forest (117,236 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 115 mule deer (74.2% success for 155 mule deer hunters) and 2 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 81Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Laramie Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Platte Valley (541); white-tailed deer: Southeast Wyoming |
| Size | 304 square miles (194,497 acres) |
| Public land | 73.8% (143,529 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 21,591 acres |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 115 mule deer, 2 white-tailed deer |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 3, Type 8, Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Riverside, Encampment and Saratoga |
How much public land is in Deer Area 81?
73.8% of deer Area 81 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 143,529 of 194,497 acres. The largest share is national forest, 117,236 acres or 60.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 81 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 117,236 | 60.3% |
| BLM | 19,380 | 10% |
| State trust land | 6,913 | 3.6% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 6,914 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 5,169 acres next to other public land, 1,507 acres road access or reached from other state land and 238 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.
Designated wilderness: Huston Park Wilderness (11,390 acres) and Encampment River Wilderness (10,201 acres). A nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area must be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
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 81?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 155 active hunters took 115 (115 bucks), 74.2% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 13 active hunters took 2 (2 bucks), 15.4% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 155 | 115 | 115 | 0 | 0 | 74.2% | 755 | 6.6 |
| 2024 | 159 | 49 | 48 | 1 | 0 | 30.8% | 979 | 20.0 |
| 2023 | 203 | 101 | 101 | 0 | 0 | 49.8% | 1,307 | 12.9 |
| 2022 | 213 | 139 | 139 | 0 | 0 | 65.3% | 1,158 | 8.3 |
| 2021 | 234 | 164 | 164 | 0 | 0 | 70.1% | 1,542 | 9.4 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15.4% | 30 | 15.0 |
| 2024 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 25% | 29 | 14.5 |
| 2023 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 36.4% | 30 | 7.5 |
| 2022 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 12 | |
| 2021 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 33.3% | 50 | 12.5 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 180 | 155 | 115 | 74.2% | 755 |
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 81 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 81:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 3 also Areas 78, 79, 80 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 31 | 50 | Any white-tailed deer |
| Type 8 also Areas 78, 79, 80 | Sep 1 to Dec 31 | 125 | Doe or fawn white-tailed deer | |
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 14 | 175 | 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 81?
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 | 117 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 32 | not published | |
| Residents | 132 | 554 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 15 | 132 | 15 | 10 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 11 | 43 | 11 | 7 |
| 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. 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 81?
Highways through the area: WY 70 (about 9 miles inside it) and WY 230 (about 9 miles inside it). Towns inside: Riverside. Nearby: Encampment (on the line) and Saratoga (16 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 81?
Deer Area 81 touches 3 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 80 | Spring Creek | 771 | 56.4% | 93 (2025) |
| Area 82 | Baggs | 1,002 | 73.2% | 548 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 81?
73.8% of deer Area 81 is public land: 143,529 of its 194,497 acres, the largest share national forest (117,236 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 81?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 115 mule deer and 2 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 81. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 49.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 81 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 81?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for deer Area 81. The largest, Type 1, had 165 licenses and 878 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 81?
Riverside is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Encampment (on the line) and Saratoga (16 miles).
Is there wilderness in Deer Area 81?
Yes. Huston Park Wilderness (11,390 acres) and Encampment River Wilderness (10,201 acres) lie inside it. Wyoming law requires a nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area to be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
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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.
Wyoming hunting Deer hunt areas Laramie Region Area 78 Area 80 Area 82