Elk Hunt Area 15, Spring Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 15 (Spring Creek) covers 503 square miles in WGFD's Laramie Region and is 61.5% public land, most of it BLM (122,021 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 1,002 active hunters took 317 elk here, 31.6% 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 15Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Laramie Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Sierra Madre (425) |
| Size | 503 square miles (322,052 acres) |
| Public land | 61.5% (198,151 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 317 (31.6% of 1,002 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 | Saratoga, Encampment, Riverside, Sinclair and Rawlins |
How much public land is in Elk Area 15?
61.5% of elk Area 15 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 198,151 of 322,052 acres. The largest share is BLM, 122,021 acres or 37.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 15 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 122,021 | 37.9% |
| National forest | 53,451 | 16.6% |
| State trust land | 22,679 | 7% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 22,795 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 14,726 acres next to other public land, 6,218 acres road access or reached from other state land, 1,839 acres no known public access and 12 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 Elk Area 15
Public Access Areas: North Platte River-Sanger (134 acres here) and North Platte River-Pick Bridge (42 acres here).
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 15?
WGFD estimates 317 elk were taken in elk Area 15 in 2025: 134 bulls, 60 spikes, 94 cows and 29 calves. 1,002 hunters hunted, and 31.6% of them took an animal. Residents: 848 hunters, 30.1% success; nonresidents: 154 hunters, 40.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,002 | 317 | 134 | 60 | 94 | 29 | 31.6% | 6,836 | 21.6 |
| 2024 | 1,181 | 412 | 150 | 43 | 171 | 48 | 34.9% | 7,813 | 19.0 |
| 2023 | 910 | 292 | 109 | 25 | 137 | 21 | 32.1% | 6,996 | 24.0 |
| 2022 | 1,072 | 279 | 142 | 14 | 83 | 40 | 26% | 7,265 | 26.0 |
| 2021 | 1,107 | 348 | 121 | 50 | 165 | 12 | 31.4% | 6,738 | 19.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 200 | 171 | 85 | 49.7% | 1,213 |
| Type 7 | 396 | 14 | 0 | 0% | 70 |
| General | not limited | 905 | 232 | 25.6% | 5,553 |
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 15 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 31 (any elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 15:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 7 also Areas 12, 13, 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 | 200 | 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 15?
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 | 32 | 115 | not published | |
| Residents | 168 | 232 | 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 15?
Highways through the area: WY 70 (about 9 miles inside it), WY 230 (about 3 miles inside it) and WY 130 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Saratoga and Encampment. Nearby: Riverside (on the line), Sinclair (14 miles) and Rawlins (17 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 15?
Elk Area 15 touches 6 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 12 | Kennaday Peak | 446 | 56.5% | 561 (2025) |
| Area 13 | Encampment River | 303 | 73.8% | 315 (2025) |
| Area 21 | Baggs | 1,002 | 73.2% | 1,400 (2025) |
| Area 108 | South Rawlins | 574 | 50.7% | 325 (2025) |
| Area 110 | Upper Platte River | 457 | 72.7% | 596 (2025) |
| Area 130 | Bolten Rim | 268 | 46.8% | 4 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 15?
61.5% of elk Area 15 is public land: 198,151 of its 322,052 acres, the largest share BLM (122,021 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 15?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 31.6%: 1,002 active hunters took 317 elk. In 2024 it was 34.9% (412 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 15 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 15?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 15. The largest, Type 7, had 383 licenses and 219 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 15?
Saratoga and Encampment are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Riverside (on the line), Sinclair (14 miles) and Rawlins (17 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 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.
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