Elk Hunt Area 123, Black Thunder: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 123 (Black Thunder) covers 626 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 32.5% public land, most of it national forest (68,977 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 436 active hunters took 266 elk here, 61% 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.
National forestBLMState trust landArea 123Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region (also Casper) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Rochelle Hills (344) |
| Size | 626 square miles (400,926 acres) |
| Public land | 32.5% (130,338 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 266 (61% of 436 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4, Type 6, Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Wright, Moorcroft and Upton |
How much public land is in Elk Area 123?
32.5% of elk Area 123 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 130,338 of 400,926 acres. The largest share is national forest, 68,977 acres or 17.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 123 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 68,977 | 17.2% |
| BLM | 33,640 | 8.4% |
| State trust land | 27,721 | 6.9% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 27,722 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 19,009 acres no known public access, 5,219 acres next to other public land and 3,494 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.
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 123?
WGFD estimates 266 elk were taken in elk Area 123 in 2025: 98 bulls, 0 spikes, 159 cows and 9 calves. 436 hunters hunted, and 61% of them took an animal. Residents: 297 hunters, 59.3% success; nonresidents: 139 hunters, 64.7% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 436 | 266 | 98 | 0 | 159 | 9 | 61% | 2,850 | 10.7 |
| 2024 | 380 | 293 | 50 | 8 | 202 | 33 | 77.1% | 1,611 | 5.5 |
| 2023 | 254 | 206 | 114 | 10 | 69 | 13 | 81.1% | 1,729 | 8.4 |
| 2022 | 157 | 109 | 33 | 2 | 66 | 8 | 69.4% | 853 | 7.8 |
| 2021 | 141 | 75 | 8 | 0 | 55 | 12 | 53.2% | 857 | 11.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 154 | 146 | 98 | 67.1% | 1,170 |
| Type 4 | 101 | 83 | 38 | 45.8% | 372 |
| Type 6 | 101 | 95 | 20 | 21.1% | 839 |
| Type 8 | 179 | 165 | 110 | 66.7% | 469 |
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 123 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 123:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Oct 20 | 150 | Any elk |
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Nov 30 | 100 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 6 | Sep 15 to Nov 30 | 100 | Cow or calf | |
| Type 8 | Sep 1 to Jan 31 | Unlimited | Cow or calf valid on private land |
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 123?
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 | 2 | 102 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 20 | not published | |
| Residents | 112 | 212 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 9 | 111 | 9 | 17 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 26 | 6 | 11 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 4 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 84 | 18 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 16 | 28 | not published | |
| Residents | 83 | 87 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | no limit | 4 | not published | |
| Residents | no limit | 11 | 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.
How do you get to Elk Area 123?
Highways through the area: WY 450 (about 14 miles inside it). Nearby: Wright (7 miles), Moorcroft (11 miles), Upton (18 miles) and Gillette (18 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 123?
Elk Area 123 touches 3 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 113 | Rochelle Hills | 860 | 54.2% | 349 (2025) |
| Area 126 | Lost Springs | 5,489 | 18% | 367 (2025) |
| Area 129 | Non-Herd Unit | 7,750 | 18.3% | 1,087 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 123?
32.5% of elk Area 123 is public land: 130,338 of its 400,926 acres, the largest share national forest (68,977 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 123?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 61%: 436 active hunters took 266 elk. In 2024 it was 77.1% (293 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 123 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes January 31, 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 123?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 4 limited quota hunts for elk Area 123. The largest, Type 1, had 131 licenses and 471 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 123?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Wright (7 miles), Moorcroft (11 miles) and Upton (18 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 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 Sheridan Region Area 113 Area 126 Area 129