Elk Hunt Area 19, Muddy Mountain: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 19 (Muddy Mountain) covers 743 square miles in WGFD's Casper Region and is 45% public land, the largest part BLM (104,393 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 637 active hunters took 287 elk here, 45.1% success. The 2026 season table lists 10 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 19Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Casper Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Laramie Peak/Muddy Mountain (741) |
| Size | 743 square miles (475,686 acres) |
| Public land | 45% (213,963 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 287 (45.1% of 637 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2, Type 4, Type 5, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Casper, Casper Mountain, Bessemer Bend, Glenrock, Evansville and Mills |
How much public land is in Elk Area 19?
45% of elk Area 19 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 213,963 of 475,686 acres. The largest share is BLM, 104,393 acres or 21.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 19 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 104,393 | 21.9% |
| State trust land | 100,449 | 21.1% |
| National forest | 9,121 | 1.9% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 100,477 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 62,709 acres road access or reached from other state land, 20,153 acres next to other public land, 17,426 acres no known public access and 189 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 19
Public Access Area: North Platte River-Sechrist (52 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Muddy Mountain (21,826 acres here), Ice Cave Mountain (15,256 acres here), Hat Six (1,309 acres here) and Deer Creek (46 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 33 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 19?
WGFD estimates 287 elk were taken in elk Area 19 in 2025: 159 bulls, 2 spikes, 120 cows and 6 calves. 637 hunters hunted, and 45.1% of them took an animal. Residents: 519 hunters, 45.5% success; nonresidents: 118 hunters, 43.2% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 637 | 287 | 159 | 2 | 120 | 6 | 45.1% | 5,576 | 19.4 |
| 2024 | 694 | 348 | 191 | 12 | 127 | 18 | 50.1% | 5,134 | 14.8 |
| 2023 | 566 | 302 | 185 | 0 | 107 | 10 | 53.4% | 4,602 | 15.2 |
| 2022 | 565 | 287 | 156 | 9 | 100 | 22 | 50.8% | 4,826 | 16.8 |
| 2021 | 616 | 302 | 143 | 11 | 117 | 31 | 49% | 4,559 | 15.1 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 152 | 147 | 86 | 58.5% | 969 |
| Type 2 | 174 | 164 | 90 | 54.9% | 1,773 |
| Type 4 | 126 | 84 | 23 | 27.4% | 556 |
| Type 5 | 126 | 109 | 22 | 20.2% | 786 |
| Type 6 | 225 | 190 | 66 | 34.7% | 1,492 |
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 19 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 19:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 14 | 150 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Dec 1 to Dec 14 | Any elk | ||
| Type 1 | Dec 15 to Jan 31 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 2 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | 175 | Any elk |
| Type 2 | Dec 15 to Jan 31 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 14 | 125 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 4 | Dec 1 to Jan 31 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 5 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Jan 31 | 125 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 14 | 225 | Cow or calf |
| Type 6 | Nov 1 to Jan 31 | Cow or calf |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 3. 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 19?
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 | 114 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 38 | not published | |
| Residents | 102 | 417 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 7 | 121 | 7 | 12 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 5 | 43 | 5 | 12 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 4 | 64 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 36 | not published | |
| Residents | 145 | 308 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 76 | 12 | 11 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 45 | 9 | 8 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 5 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 106 | 7 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 15 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 5 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 110 | 10 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 15 | 2 | 2 | |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 36 | 72 | not published | |
| Residents | 187 | 305 | 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 19?
Highways through the area: I-25 (about 47 miles inside it), US 87 (about 30 miles inside it), WY 220 (about 29 miles inside it), US 26 (about 28 miles inside it) and US 20 (about 28 miles inside it). Towns inside: Casper, Casper Mountain, Bessemer Bend, Meadow Acres, Brookhurst and Red Butte. Nearby: Glenrock (on the line), Evansville (on the line), Mills (on the line) and Rolling Hills (3 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 19?
Elk Area 19 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 7 | Laramie Peak | 4,042 | 28.5% | 2,386 (2025) |
| Area 16 | Shirley Mountain | 1,756 | 52.4% | 562 (2025) |
| Area 23 | Rattlesnake | 1,265 | 52.9% | 204 (2025) |
| Area 120 | Buffalo Creek | 1,451 | 65.9% | 192 (2025) |
| Area 122 | Pine Ridge | 1,275 | 26.5% | 288 (2025) |
| Area 126 | Lost Springs | 5,489 | 18% | 367 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 19?
45% of elk Area 19 is public land: 213,963 of its 475,686 acres, the largest share BLM (104,393 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 19?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 45.1%: 637 active hunters took 287 elk. In 2024 it was 50.1% (348 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 19 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 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 19?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 5 limited quota hunts for elk Area 19. The largest, Type 6, had 223 licenses and 377 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 19?
Casper, Casper Mountain and Bessemer Bend are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Glenrock (on the line), Evansville (on the line) and Mills (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 3.
- 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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