Elk Hunt Area 120, Buffalo Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 120 (Buffalo Creek) covers 1,451 square miles in WGFD's Casper Region and is 65.9% public land, most of it BLM (445,398 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 344 active hunters took 192 elk here, 55.8% success. The 2026 season table lists 4 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.
BLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationArea 120Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Casper Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | South Bighorn (322) |
| Size | 1,451 square miles (928,573 acres) |
| Public land | 65.9% (611,651 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 192 (55.8% of 344 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Bar Nunn, Midwest, Homa Hills, Mills, Casper and Edgerton |
How much public land is in Elk Area 120?
65.9% of elk Area 120 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 611,651 of 928,573 acres. The largest share is BLM, 445,398 acres or 48% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 120 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 445,398 | 48% |
| State trust land | 119,809 | 12.9% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 46,444 | 5% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 119,945 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 87,803 acres next to other public land, 25,903 acres road access or reached from other state land and 6,239 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.
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 120
Public Access Areas: Badwater Ranch (3,210 acres here) and Flying A Ranch (2,862 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Casper Creek (644 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 11 areas covering 63,647 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 120?
WGFD estimates 192 elk were taken in elk Area 120 in 2025: 104 bulls, 6 spikes, 74 cows and 8 calves. 344 hunters hunted, and 55.8% of them took an animal. Residents: 282 hunters, 57.8% success; nonresidents: 62 hunters, 46.8% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 344 | 192 | 104 | 6 | 74 | 8 | 55.8% | 3,568 | 18.6 |
| 2024 | 391 | 207 | 84 | 12 | 92 | 19 | 52.9% | 3,166 | 15.3 |
| 2023 | 302 | 222 | 103 | 12 | 92 | 15 | 73.5% | 1,993 | 9.0 |
| 2022 | 293 | 158 | 89 | 0 | 61 | 8 | 53.9% | 2,558 | 16.2 |
| 2021 | 225 | 130 | 63 | 3 | 55 | 9 | 57.8% | 1,708 | 13.1 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 177 | 169 | 112 | 66.3% | 1,664 |
| Type 4 | 125 | 112 | 37 | 33% | 1,020 |
| Type 6 | 125 | 112 | 43 | 38.4% | 884 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 20 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 120 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 120:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Oct 31 | 175 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 1 to Dec 15 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Dec 15 | 100 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Dec 15 | 100 | Cow or calf |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 21. 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 120?
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 | 3 | 126 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 33 | not published | |
| Residents | 123 | 584 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 138 | 12 | 13 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 8 | 42 | 9 | 13 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 3 | 2 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 84 | 41 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 15 | 13 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 16 | 66 | not published | |
| Residents | 83 | 239 | not published |
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. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed.
How do you get to Elk Area 120?
Highways through the area: I-25 (about 59 miles inside it), US 87 (about 59 miles inside it), US 26 (about 27 miles inside it), US 20 (about 27 miles inside it) and WY 387 (about 5 miles inside it). Towns inside: Bar Nunn, Midwest, Homa Hills, Powder River, Mountain View and Hartrandt. Nearby: Mills (on the line), Casper (on the line), Edgerton (on the line) and Evansville (3 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 120?
Elk Area 120 touches 7 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 19 | Muddy Mountain | 743 | 45% | 287 (2025) |
| Area 23 | Rattlesnake | 1,265 | 52.9% | 204 (2025) |
| Area 33 | Middle Fork | 625 | 51.9% | 120 (2025) |
| Area 48 | Upper Nowood | 930 | 58.1% | 420 (2025) |
| Area 122 | Pine Ridge | 1,275 | 26.5% | 288 (2025) |
| Area 128 | Muskrat | 2,198 | 80.4% | 109 (2025) |
| Area 129 | Non-Herd Unit | 7,750 | 18.3% | 1,087 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 120?
65.9% of elk Area 120 is public land: 611,651 of its 928,573 acres, the largest share BLM (445,398 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 120?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 55.8%: 344 active hunters took 192 elk. In 2024 it was 52.9% (207 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 120 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 9 and the latest closes December 15, 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 120?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for elk Area 120. The largest, Type 1, had 148 licenses and 923 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 120?
Bar Nunn, Midwest and Homa Hills are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Mills (on the line), Casper (on the line) and Edgerton (on the line).
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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 21.
- 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.
Wyoming hunting Elk hunt areas Casper Region Area 19 Area 23 Area 33 Area 48 Area 122 Area 128 Area 129