Elk Hunt Area 23, Rattlesnake: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 23 (Rattlesnake) covers 1,265 square miles in WGFD's Casper Region and is 52.9% public land, most of it BLM (336,878 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 479 active hunters took 204 elk here, 42.6% 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.
BLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationArea 23Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Casper Region (also Lander) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Rattlesnake (742) |
| Size | 1,265 square miles (809,617 acres) |
| Public land | 52.9% (427,911 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 204 (42.6% of 479 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4, Type 6, Type 9 |
| Towns in and near it | Mills, Vista West, Casper, Evansville and Bar Nunn |
How much public land is in Elk Area 23?
52.9% of elk Area 23 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 427,911 of 809,617 acres. The largest share is BLM, 336,878 acres or 41.6% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 23 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 336,878 | 41.6% |
| State trust land | 71,521 | 8.8% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 19,512 | 2.4% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 71,571 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 31,454 acres road access or reached from other state land, 28,986 acres next to other public land, 10,684 acres no known public access and 447 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 23
Public Access Area: North Platte River-Sechrist (31 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Rattlesnake Mountain (11,769 acres here) and Rattle Snake Mountain (37 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 11 areas covering 58,266 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 23?
WGFD estimates 204 elk were taken in elk Area 23 in 2025: 102 bulls, 2 spikes, 86 cows and 14 calves. 479 hunters hunted, and 42.6% of them took an animal. Residents: 397 hunters, 40.3% success; nonresidents: 82 hunters, 53.7% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 479 | 204 | 102 | 2 | 86 | 14 | 42.6% | 4,666 | 22.9 |
| 2024 | 526 | 291 | 100 | 8 | 146 | 37 | 55.3% | 4,662 | 16.0 |
| 2023 | 404 | 218 | 62 | 2 | 122 | 32 | 54% | 4,868 | 22.3 |
| 2022 | 380 | 193 | 74 | 0 | 92 | 27 | 50.8% | 2,910 | 15.1 |
| 2021 | 379 | 196 | 62 | 7 | 79 | 48 | 51.7% | 3,690 | 18.8 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 151 | 140 | 90 | 64.3% | 1,032 |
| Type 4 | 200 | 180 | 51 | 28.3% | 1,725 |
| Type 6 | 200 | 172 | 49 | 28.5% | 1,337 |
| Type 9 | 52 | 52 | 14 | 26.9% | 572 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 10 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 23 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Every row WGFD prints for Area 23:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Oct 1 to Oct 21 | 175 | Any elk | |
| Type 1 | Nov 1 to Nov 21 | Any elk; also valid in Area 128 | ||
| Type 1 | Dec 1 to Dec 15 | Any elk; also valid in Area 128 | ||
| Type 4 | Oct 1 to Oct 21 | 200 | Antlerless elk | |
| Type 4 | Nov 1 to Nov 21 | Antlerless elk; also valid in Area 128 | ||
| Type 4 | Dec 1 to Dec 15 | Antlerless elk; also valid in Area 128 | ||
| Type 6 | Oct 1 to Oct 21 | 200 | Cow or calf | |
| Type 6 | Nov 1 to Nov 21 | Cow or calf; also valid in Area 128 | ||
| Type 6 | Dec 1 to Dec 15 | Cow or calf; also valid in Area 128 | ||
| Type 9 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 50 | Any elk, archery only |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 4. 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 23?
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 | 3 | 143 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 20 | not published | |
| Residents | 116 | 602 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 10 | 154 | 11 | 13 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 7 | 27 | 7 | 7 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 8 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 168 | 17 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 24 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 32 | 80 | not published | |
| Residents | 165 | 217 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 1 | 18 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 4 | not published | |
| Residents | 42 | 59 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 3 | 22 | 4 | 9 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 |
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. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed.
How do you get to Elk Area 23?
Highways through the area: US 26 (about 23 miles inside it), US 20 (about 23 miles inside it) and WY 220 (about 22 miles inside it). Towns inside: Mills and Vista West. Nearby: Casper (on the line), Evansville (4 miles) and Bar Nunn (5 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 23?
Elk Area 23 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 16 | Shirley Mountain | 1,756 | 52.4% | 562 (2025) |
| Area 19 | Muddy Mountain | 743 | 45% | 287 (2025) |
| Area 48 | Upper Nowood | 930 | 58.1% | 420 (2025) |
| Area 111 | Seminoe | 919 | 57.7% | 165 (2025) |
| Area 120 | Buffalo Creek | 1,451 | 65.9% | 192 (2025) |
| Area 128 | Muskrat | 2,198 | 80.4% | 109 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 23?
52.9% of elk Area 23 is public land: 427,911 of its 809,617 acres, the largest share BLM (336,878 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 23?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 42.6%: 479 active hunters took 204 elk. In 2024 it was 55.3% (291 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 23 in 2026?
The earliest regular season row opens September 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 23?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 4 limited quota hunts for elk Area 23. The largest, Type 4, had 213 licenses and 23 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 23?
Mills and Vista West are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Casper (on the line), Evansville (4 miles) and Bar Nunn (5 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 4.
- 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 Casper Region Area 16 Area 19 Area 48 Area 111 Area 120 Area 128