Elk Hunt Area 25, South Pass: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 25 (South Pass) covers 1,213 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 83.6% public land, most of it BLM (579,017 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 429 active hunters took 250 elk here, 58.3% success. The 2026 season table lists 5 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 landWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 25Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | South Wind River (637) |
| Size | 1,213 square miles (776,102 acres) |
| Public land | 83.6% (649,068 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 250 (58.3% of 429 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4, Type 5, Type 6, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Hudson, Atlantic City, Lander and Riverton |
How much public land is in Elk Area 25?
83.6% of elk Area 25 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 649,068 of 776,102 acres. The largest share is BLM, 579,017 acres or 74.6% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 25 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 579,017 | 74.6% |
| State trust land | 67,831 | 8.7% |
| National forest | 2,220 | 0.3% |
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 388 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 67,938 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 42,848 acres next to other public land, 23,606 acres road access or reached from other state land and 1,484 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.
PAD-US maps 388 acres here inside the Wind River Reservation. Tribal land there is not open to hunting on Wyoming licenses; some ground inside the reservation line is private or managed by WGFD and follows its own rules.
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 25
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Red Canyon (39 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 4 areas covering 6,691 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 25?
WGFD estimates 250 elk were taken in elk Area 25 in 2025: 101 bulls, 4 spikes, 132 cows and 13 calves. 429 hunters hunted, and 58.3% of them took an animal. Residents: 367 hunters, 55.9% success; nonresidents: 62 hunters, 72.6% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 429 | 250 | 101 | 4 | 132 | 13 | 58.3% | 2,622 | 10.5 |
| 2024 | 428 | 245 | 102 | 14 | 109 | 20 | 57.2% | 2,803 | 11.4 |
| 2023 | 345 | 227 | 95 | 4 | 109 | 19 | 65.8% | 2,175 | 9.6 |
| 2022 | 316 | 198 | 92 | 0 | 92 | 14 | 62.7% | 1,820 | 9.2 |
| 2021 | 297 | 154 | 45 | 2 | 102 | 5 | 51.9% | 1,687 | 11.0 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 203 | 181 | 113 | 62.4% | 1,272 |
| Type 4 | 104 | 93 | 39 | 41.9% | 514 |
| Type 5 | 79 | 59 | 31 | 52.5% | 349 |
| Type 6 | 102 | 85 | 44 | 51.8% | 429 |
| Type 7 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 100% | 58 |
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 25 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 25:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 also Area 27 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 200 | Any elk |
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 10 to Oct 31 | 100 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 5 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 21 to Nov 10 | 75 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Nov 20 | 100 | Cow or calf valid north of the Sweetwater River |
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Sep 30 | 35 | Cow or calf valid on or within one-half (1/2) mile of private land adjoining the Sweetwater River in Area 25 and Area 100 west of the Three Forks-Atlantic City Road (Fremont County Road 512 and B.L.M. Road 2317) |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), pages 4 to 5. 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 25?
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 | 4 | 189 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 48 | not published | |
| Residents | 140 | 971 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 13 | 202 | 13 | 13 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 57 | 9 | 10 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 4 | 8 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 84 | 57 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 21 | 13 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 2 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 63 | 22 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 9 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 14 | 45 | not published | |
| Residents | 83 | 292 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 6 | 10 | not published | |
| Residents | 29 | 45 | 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. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed.
How do you get to Elk Area 25?
Highways through the area: WY 789 (about 46 miles inside it), US 287 (about 36 miles inside it), WY 28 (about 31 miles inside it) and WY 135 (about 15 miles inside it). Towns inside: Hudson and Atlantic City. Nearby: Lander (on the line) and Riverton (8 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 25?
Elk Area 25 touches 7 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 24 | Green Mountain | 679 | 90.7% | 216 (2025) |
| Area 27 | Upper Sweetwater | 118 | 93.8% | 47 (2025) |
| Area 28 | Cony Mountain | 542 | 82% | 398 (2025) |
| Area 99 | Big Sandy | 688 | 91.5% | 153 (2025) |
| Area 100 | Steamboat | 3,735 | 72.6% | 425 (2025) |
| Area 127 | Crowheart Butte | 3,080 | 0% | 54 (2025) |
| Area 128 | Muskrat | 2,198 | 80.4% | 109 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 25?
83.6% of elk Area 25 is public land: 649,068 of its 776,102 acres, the largest share BLM (579,017 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 25?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 58.3%: 429 active hunters took 250 elk. In 2024 it was 57.2% (245 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 25 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens August 15 and the latest closes November 20, 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 25?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 5 limited quota hunts for elk Area 25. The largest, Type 1, had 169 licenses and 1,467 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 25?
Hudson and Atlantic City are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Lander (on the line) and Riverton (8 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), pages 4 to 5.
- 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 Lander Region Area 24 Area 27 Area 28 Area 99 Area 100 Area 127 Area 128