Elk Hunt Area 13, Encampment River: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 13 (Encampment River) covers 303 square miles in WGFD's Laramie Region and is 73.8% public land, most of it national forest (117,125 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 1,116 active hunters took 315 elk here, 28.2% success. The 2026 season table lists 3 license rows here, including general license seasons.
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 13Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Laramie Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Sierra Madre (425) |
| Size | 303 square miles (194,239 acres) |
| Public land | 73.8% (143,405 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 21,689 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 315 (28.2% of 1,116 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 (Any elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 7, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Riverside, Encampment and Saratoga |
How much public land is in Elk Area 13?
73.8% of elk Area 13 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 143,405 of 194,239 acres. The largest share is national forest, 117,125 acres or 60.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 13 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 117,125 | 60.3% |
| BLM | 19,368 | 10% |
| State trust land | 6,912 | 3.6% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 6,912 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, 1,505 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 (11,488 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 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 13?
WGFD estimates 315 elk were taken in elk Area 13 in 2025: 182 bulls, 14 spikes, 109 cows and 10 calves. 1,116 hunters hunted, and 28.2% of them took an animal. Residents: 882 hunters, 28.8% success; nonresidents: 234 hunters, 26.1% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,116 | 315 | 182 | 14 | 109 | 10 | 28.2% | 8,480 | 26.9 |
| 2024 | 1,109 | 305 | 157 | 32 | 96 | 20 | 27.5% | 7,363 | 24.1 |
| 2023 | 1,030 | 296 | 155 | 19 | 106 | 16 | 28.7% | 7,805 | 26.4 |
| 2022 | 1,073 | 327 | 167 | 22 | 128 | 10 | 30.5% | 7,377 | 22.6 |
| 2021 | 1,117 | 381 | 180 | 30 | 158 | 13 | 34.1% | 7,442 | 19.5 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 150 | 123 | 45 | 36.6% | 825 |
| Type 7 | 396 | 29 | 4 | 13.8% | 217 |
| General | not limited | 1,038 | 266 | 25.6% | 7,438 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 9 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 13 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 31 (any elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 13:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 7 also Areas 12, 15, 110 | Aug 15 to Jan 31 | 400 | Cow or calf valid on private land | |
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 | Any elk | |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 31 | 150 | Cow or calf |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 2. 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 13?
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, reduced price, random | 24 | 136 | not published | |
| Residents | 124 | 253 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 64 | 84 | not published | |
| Residents | 319 | 135 | not published |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region S general license. In the 2026 draw it had 1,019 licenses; 2,680 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 459 were drawn.
Source: WGFD 2026 elk demand report, nonresident reduced price 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 Elk Area 13?
Highways through the area: WY 230 (about 9 miles inside it) and WY 70 (about 4 miles inside it). Towns inside: Riverside. Nearby: Encampment (on the line) and Saratoga (16 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 13?
Elk Area 13 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 15 | Spring Creek | 503 | 61.5% | 317 (2025) |
| Area 21 | Baggs | 1,002 | 73.2% | 1,400 (2025) |
| Area 110 | Upper Platte River | 457 | 72.7% | 596 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 13?
73.8% of elk Area 13 is public land: 143,405 of its 194,239 acres, the largest share national forest (117,125 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 13?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 28.2%: 1,116 active hunters took 315 elk. In 2024 it was 27.5% (305 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 13 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens August 15 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 13?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 13. The largest, Type 7, had 383 licenses and 219 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 13?
Riverside is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Encampment (on the line) and Saratoga (16 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 13?
Yes. Huston Park Wilderness (11,488 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 elk harvest reports, 2021 to 2025, listed here.
- Seasons, quotas and limitations: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 2.
- 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 Laramie Region Area 15 Area 21 Area 110