Deer Hunt Area 97, Sweetwater Rocks: harvest, draw results and public land
Deer Hunt Area 97 (Sweetwater Rocks) covers 907 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 83.4% public land, most of it BLM (443,737 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates hunters took 38 mule deer (24.8% success for 153 mule deer hunters) and 12 white-tailed deer here. The 2026 season table lists 1 license row 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 97Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Sweetwater (646) |
| Size | 907 square miles (580,454 acres) |
| Public land | 83.4% (484,190 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 38 mule deer, 12 white-tailed deer |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 20 (Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer) |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Bairoil |
How much public land is in Deer Area 97?
83.4% of deer Area 97 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 484,190 of 580,454 acres. The largest share is BLM, 443,737 acres or 76.4% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 97 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 443,737 | 76.4% |
| State trust land | 40,453 | 7% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 40,542 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 31,124 acres next to other public land, 8,697 acres road access or reached from other state land, 559 acres no known public access and 162 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 97
Hunter Management Area: Rattlesnake Mountain (2,736 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 8 areas covering 9,925 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 97?
WGFD reports mule deer and white-tailed deer separately. Mule deer, 2025: 153 active hunters took 38 (38 bucks), 24.8% success. White-tailed deer, 2025: 42 active hunters took 12 (5 bucks), 28.6% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 153 | 38 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 24.8% | 517 | 13.6 |
| 2024 | 208 | 78 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 37.5% | 697 | 8.9 |
| 2023 | 99 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 22.2% | 320 | 14.5 |
| 2022 | 201 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 16.4% | 564 | 17.1 |
| 2021 | 186 | 36 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 19.4% | 683 | 19.0 |
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 28.6% | 60 | 5.0 |
| 2024 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | ||
| 2023 | 66 | 31 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 47% | 613 | 19.8 |
| 2022 | 53 | 28 | 9 | 17 | 2 | 52.8% | 177 | 6.3 |
| 2021 | 66 | 35 | 14 | 18 | 3 | 53% | 339 | 9.7 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 153 | 38 | 24.8% | 517 |
Source: WGFD 2025 deer harvest report, page 17 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 97 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 20 (antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 97:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 20 | Antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 6 (final, April 2026), page 11. 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 97?
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.
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region Q general license. In the 2026 draw it had 70 licenses; 187 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 32 were drawn.
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.
How do you get to Deer Area 97?
Highways through the area: WY 789 (about 35 miles inside it), US 287 (about 35 miles inside it), WY 220 (about 17 miles inside it) and WY 135 (about 3 miles inside it). Nearby: Bairoil (11 miles).
Which deer hunt areas border Area 97?
Deer Area 97 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 87 | Ferris | 1,220 | 65.4% | 43 (2025) |
| Area 89 | Rattlesnake | 1,065 | 53.5% | 92 (2025) |
| Area 90 | Muskrat | 1,291 | 78.4% | 25 (2025) |
| Area 94 | Twin Creek | 641 | 83.2% | 57 (2025) |
| Area 96 | Green Mountain | 679 | 90.7% | 158 (2025) |
| Area 160 | Beaver Creek | 404 | 77.6% | 24 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Deer Area 97?
83.4% of deer Area 97 is public land: 484,190 of its 580,454 acres, the largest share BLM (443,737 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 97?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 38 mule deer and 12 white-tailed deer were taken in deer Area 97. In 2024 the mule deer estimate was 78.
When does deer season open in Deer Area 97 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 15 and the latest closes October 20, by WGFD Commission Chapter 6. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
What is the closest town to Deer Area 97?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Bairoil (11 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), page 11.
- 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 Lander Region Area 87 Area 89 Area 90 Area 94 Area 96 Area 160