Elk Hunt Area 2, Fortification: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 2 (Fortification) covers 392 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 32.7% public land, most of it BLM (68,972 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 442 active hunters took 224 elk here, 50.7% 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.
BLMState trust landArea 2Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Fortification (320) |
| Size | 392 square miles (251,156 acres) |
| Public land | 32.7% (82,235 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 224 (50.7% of 442 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 1 to Oct 20 (Any elk); Oct 21 to Nov 15 (Antlerless elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 20 |
| Towns in and near it | Gillette and Clearmont |
How much public land is in Elk Area 2?
32.7% of elk Area 2 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 82,235 of 251,156 acres. The largest share is BLM, 68,972 acres or 27.5% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 2 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 68,972 | 27.5% |
| State trust land | 13,263 | 5.3% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 13,269 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 7,412 acres no known public access, 3,244 acres next to other public land and 2,613 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 2?
WGFD estimates 224 elk were taken in elk Area 2 in 2025: 139 bulls, 4 spikes, 73 cows and 8 calves. 442 hunters hunted, and 50.7% of them took an animal. Residents: 237 hunters, 51.1% success; nonresidents: 205 hunters, 50.2% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 442 | 224 | 139 | 4 | 73 | 8 | 50.7% | 2,017 | 9.0 |
| 2024 | 412 | 185 | 112 | 3 | 62 | 8 | 44.9% | 2,000 | 10.8 |
| 2023 | 414 | 236 | 150 | 13 | 49 | 24 | 57% | 1,739 | 7.4 |
| 2022 | 404 | 197 | 112 | 3 | 71 | 11 | 48.8% | 1,965 | 10.0 |
| 2021 | 156 | 116 | 42 | 2 | 60 | 12 | 74.4% | 605 | 5.2 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 825 | 158 | 68 | 43% | 732 |
| General | not limited | 302 | 156 | 51.7% | 1,285 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 8 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 2 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 1 to 20 (any elk); October 21 to November 15 (antlerless elk). Special archery seasons open September 20. Every row WGFD prints for Area 2:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 20 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 20 | Any elk | |
| General | Oct 21 to Nov 15 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 6 | Oct 1 to Dec 15 | 200 | Cow or calf |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 1. 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 2?
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 | 17 | not published | |
| Residents | 183 | 24 | not published |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region E general license. In the 2026 draw it had 1,025 licenses; 1,017 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 489 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.
How do you get to Elk Area 2?
Highways through the area: I-90 (about 10 miles inside it). Nearby: Gillette (7 miles) and Clearmont (12 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 2?
Elk Area 2 touches 1 other elk hunt area. Its size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 129 | Non-Herd Unit | 7,750 | 18.3% | 1,087 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 2?
32.7% of elk Area 2 is public land: 82,235 of its 251,156 acres, the largest share BLM (68,972 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 2?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 50.7%: 442 active hunters took 224 elk. In 2024 it was 44.9% (185 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 2 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 20. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 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 2?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for elk Area 2. Type 6 had 215 licenses and 41 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 2?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Gillette (7 miles) and Clearmont (12 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 1.
- 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.