Elk Hunt Area 1, Black Hills: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 1 (Black Hills) covers 100 square miles in WGFD's Casper Region and is 89.1% public land, most of it national forest (55,248 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 169 active hunters took 98 elk here, 58% success. The 2026 season table lists 2 license rows here.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WGFD reports for 2021 to 2025. Seasons: WGFD Commission Chapter 7, final April 2026. Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and the Office of State Lands, read 2026-10-18.
National forestState trust landArea 1Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Casper Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Black Hills (740) |
| Size | 100 square miles (64,305 acres) |
| Public land | 89.1% (57,268 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 98 (58% of 169 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Sundance |
How much public land is in Elk Area 1?
89.1% of elk Area 1 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 57,268 of 64,305 acres. The largest share is national forest, 55,248 acres or 85.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 1 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 55,248 | 85.9% |
| State trust land | 2,020 | 3.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 2,020 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 2,020 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 Elk Area 1
Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 830 acres of private land enrolled in WGFD's Access Yes program.
Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's hunt area boundary (WGFD elk hunt areas) 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 elk are harvested in Elk Area 1?
WGFD estimates 98 elk were taken in elk Area 1 in 2025: 47 bulls, 12 spikes, 25 cows and 14 calves. 169 hunters hunted, and 58% of them took an animal. Residents: 138 hunters, 58% success; nonresidents: 31 hunters, 58.1% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 169 | 98 | 47 | 12 | 25 | 14 | 58% | 1,767 | 18.0 |
| 2024 | 163 | 93 | 40 | 7 | 46 | 0 | 57.1% | 1,387 | 14.9 |
| 2023 | 164 | 81 | 46 | 5 | 29 | 1 | 49.4% | 1,423 | 17.6 |
| 2022 | 158 | 87 | 49 | 2 | 36 | 0 | 55.1% | 1,585 | 18.2 |
| 2021 | 171 | 72 | 38 | 5 | 28 | 1 | 42.1% | 1,581 | 22.0 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 99 | 97 | 65 | 67% | 1,300 |
| Type 4 | 77 | 72 | 33 | 45.8% | 467 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 8 of the PDF; earlier years from 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021. WGFD counts a hunter as active if he hunted. Days per animal is worked out from WGFD's own two figures. A bull, in WGFD's tables, is a branch-antlered bull; spikes are counted apart.
When is elk season in Elk Area 1 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 1:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Nov 30 | 100 | Any elk |
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 25 to Nov 30 | 75 | Antlerless elk |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 1. WGFD can change a season by emergency rule: check WGFD's regulations page before you go.
What did the 2026 draw look like in Elk Area 1?
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 | 1 | 375 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 77 | not published | |
| Residents | 83 | 975 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 6 | 381 | 6 | 17 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 5 | 82 | 5 | 15 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 2 | 13 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 63 | 100 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 9 | 22 | 9 | 2 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Source: WGFD 2026 elk 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 Elk Area 1?
No numbered highway crosses the area. Nearby: Sundance (9 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 1?
Elk Area 1 touches 1 other elk hunt area. Its size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 117 | South Black Hills | 758 | 22.4% | 664 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 1?
89.1% of elk Area 1 is public land: 57,268 of its 64,305 acres, the largest share national forest (55,248 acres). Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's boundary from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data.
What is the hunter success in Elk Area 1?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 58%: 169 active hunters took 98 elk. In 2024 it was 57.1% (93 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 1 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 15 and the latest closes November 30, by WGFD Commission Chapter 7. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
How many licenses were in the 2026 draw for Elk Area 1?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 1. The largest, Type 1, had 96 licenses and 1,890 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 1?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Sundance (9 miles).
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters and days: WGFD elk harvest reports, 2021 to 2025, listed here.
- Seasons, quotas and limitations: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 1.
- Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports; deadlines and fees on the Wyoming draw page.
- Hunt area boundary: WGFD elk hunt areas. 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.