Elk Hunt Area 31, Little Mountain: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 31 (Little Mountain) covers 280 square miles in WGFD's Green River Region and is 89.5% public land, most of it BLM (127,717 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 139 active hunters took 85 elk here, 61.2% success. The 2026 season table lists 2 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 31Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Green River Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | South Rock Springs (424) |
| Size | 280 square miles (179,481 acres) |
| Public land | 89.5% (160,569 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 85 (61.2% of 139 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Green River |
How much public land is in Elk Area 31?
89.5% of elk Area 31 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 160,569 of 179,481 acres. The largest share is BLM, 127,717 acres or 71.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 31 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 127,717 | 71.2% |
| National forest | 21,351 | 11.9% |
| State trust land | 11,501 | 6.4% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 11,544 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 8,342 acres next to other public land, 2,563 acres road access or reached from other state land and 639 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.
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 31?
WGFD estimates 85 elk were taken in elk Area 31 in 2025: 34 bulls, 0 spikes, 47 cows and 4 calves. 139 hunters hunted, and 61.2% of them took an animal. Residents: 115 hunters, 65.2% success; nonresidents: 24 hunters, 41.7% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 139 | 85 | 34 | 0 | 47 | 4 | 61.2% | 1,304 | 15.3 |
| 2024 | 229 | 125 | 32 | 0 | 88 | 5 | 54.6% | 1,743 | 13.9 |
| 2023 | 264 | 172 | 46 | 0 | 115 | 11 | 65.2% | 1,800 | 10.5 |
| 2022 | 255 | 183 | 63 | 0 | 109 | 11 | 71.8% | 1,690 | 9.2 |
| 2021 | 204 | 171 | 60 | 0 | 102 | 9 | 83.8% | 1,341 | 7.8 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 40 | 40 | 34 | 85% | 619 |
| Type 4 | 103 | 99 | 51 | 51.5% | 685 |
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 31 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 31:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 40 | Any elk |
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 6 to Nov 15 | 50 | Antlerless elk |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 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 31?
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 | 0 | 44 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 17 | not published | |
| Residents | 32 | 1,062 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 1 | 24 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 42 | 194 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 6 | 31 | 7 | 11 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 0 | 0 |
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 31?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 16 miles inside it). Nearby: Green River (13 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 31?
Elk Area 31 touches 3 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 30 | Aspen Mountain | 552 | 57.4% | 102 (2025) |
| Area 32 | Pine Mountain | 378 | 96.2% | 116 (2025) |
| Area 107 | Hickey Mountain | 1,525 | 69.7% | 166 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 31?
89.5% of elk Area 31 is public land: 160,569 of its 179,481 acres, the largest share BLM (127,717 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 31?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 61.2%: 139 active hunters took 85 elk. In 2024 it was 54.6% (125 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 31 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 and the latest closes November 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 31?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 31. The largest, Type 4, had 53 licenses and 249 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 31?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Green River (13 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 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 Green River Region Area 30 Area 32 Area 107