Elk Hunt Area 21, Baggs: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 21 (Baggs) covers 1,002 square miles in WGFD's Green River Region and is 73.2% public land, most of it BLM (238,325 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 3,121 active hunters took 1,400 elk here, 44.9% success. The 2026 season table lists 4 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 21Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Green River Region (also Laramie) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Sierra Madre (425) |
| Size | 1,002 square miles (641,033 acres) |
| Public land | 73.2% (469,076 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 19,509 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 1,400 (44.9% of 3,121 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 11 to Oct 12 (Any elk; youth only); Oct 15 to Oct 31 (Any elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 6, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Baggs, Dixon, Encampment, Riverside and Saratoga |
How much public land is in Elk Area 21?
73.2% of elk Area 21 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 469,076 of 641,033 acres. The largest share is BLM, 238,325 acres or 37.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 21 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 238,325 | 37.2% |
| National forest | 165,626 | 25.8% |
| State trust land | 65,125 | 10.2% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 65,226 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 31,479 acres next to other public land, 27,928 acres road access or reached from other state land and 5,819 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 (19,509 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).
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 21
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Red Rim-Grizzly (26,743 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 4 areas covering 9,719 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 21?
WGFD estimates 1,400 elk were taken in elk Area 21 in 2025: 606 bulls, 234 spikes, 470 cows and 90 calves. 3,121 hunters hunted, and 44.9% of them took an animal. Residents: 2,729 hunters, 44.9% success; nonresidents: 392 hunters, 44.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,121 | 1,400 | 606 | 234 | 470 | 90 | 44.9% | 20,650 | 14.8 |
| 2024 | 3,458 | 1,223 | 506 | 253 | 380 | 84 | 35.4% | 23,306 | 19.1 |
| 2023 | 3,027 | 1,130 | 414 | 103 | 553 | 60 | 37.3% | 21,723 | 19.2 |
| 2022 | 3,519 | 1,477 | 533 | 252 | 595 | 97 | 42% | 25,229 | 17.1 |
| 2021 | 3,343 | 1,455 | 630 | 350 | 369 | 106 | 43.5% | 22,344 | 15.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 201 | 166 | 86 | 51.8% | 992 |
| Type 7 | 75 | 62 | 54 | 87.1% | 317 |
| General | not limited | 3,045 | 1,260 | 41.4% | 19,341 |
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 21 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 11 to 12 (any elk; youth only); October 15 to 31 (any elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 21:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General, Youth only | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 11 to Oct 12 | Any elk; youth only | |
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 | Any elk | |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Nov 20 | 200 | Cow or calf |
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Dec 31 | 100 | Cow or calf valid on private land |
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 21?
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 | 217 | not published | |
| Residents | 166 | 516 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 14 | 48 | not published | |
| Residents | 81 | 56 | 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.
How do you get to Elk Area 21?
Highways through the area: WY 70 (about 44 miles inside it) and WY 789 (about 23 miles inside it). Towns inside: Baggs and Dixon. Nearby: Encampment (10 miles), Riverside (11 miles), Saratoga (19 miles) and Wamsutter (19 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 21?
Elk Area 21 touches 4 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 13 | Encampment River | 303 | 73.8% | 315 (2025) |
| Area 15 | Spring Creek | 503 | 61.5% | 317 (2025) |
| Area 108 | South Rawlins | 574 | 50.7% | 325 (2025) |
| Area 124 | Powder Rim | 2,869 | 70.2% | 220 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 21?
73.2% of elk Area 21 is public land: 469,076 of its 641,033 acres, the largest share BLM (238,325 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 21?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 44.9%: 3,121 active hunters took 1,400 elk. In 2024 it was 35.4% (1,223 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 21 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens August 15 and the latest closes December 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 21?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 21. The largest, Type 6, had 198 licenses and 733 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 21?
Baggs and Dixon are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Encampment (10 miles), Riverside (11 miles) and Saratoga (19 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 21?
Yes. Huston Park Wilderness (19,509 acres) lies 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 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.
Wyoming hunting Elk hunt areas Green River Region Area 13 Area 15 Area 108 Area 124