Elk Hunt Area 33, Middle Fork: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 33 (Middle Fork) covers 625 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 51.9% public land, most of it BLM (159,623 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 402 active hunters took 120 elk here, 29.9% success. The 2026 season table lists 6 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 landArea 33Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | South Bighorn (322) |
| Size | 625 square miles (400,011 acres) |
| Public land | 51.9% (207,437 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 120 (29.9% of 402 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Kaycee, Midwest and Edgerton |
How much public land is in Elk Area 33?
51.9% of elk Area 33 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 207,437 of 400,011 acres. The largest share is BLM, 159,623 acres or 39.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 33 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 159,623 | 39.9% |
| State trust land | 47,814 | 12% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 47,881 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 23,554 acres next to other public land, 18,811 acres road access or reached from other state land and 5,516 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.
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 33
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Ed O. Taylor (10,211 acres here) and Ellis (3,954 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 2 areas covering 5,559 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 33?
WGFD estimates 120 elk were taken in elk Area 33 in 2025: 55 bulls, 3 spikes, 51 cows and 11 calves. 402 hunters hunted, and 29.9% of them took an animal. Residents: 296 hunters, 27.4% success; nonresidents: 106 hunters, 36.8% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 402 | 120 | 55 | 3 | 51 | 11 | 29.9% | 3,677 | 30.6 |
| 2024 | 478 | 119 | 45 | 0 | 67 | 7 | 24.9% | 3,708 | 31.2 |
| 2023 | 367 | 73 | 44 | 0 | 24 | 5 | 19.9% | 2,895 | 39.7 |
| 2022 | 363 | 102 | 64 | 4 | 27 | 7 | 28.1% | 2,509 | 24.6 |
| 2021 | 429 | 112 | 47 | 5 | 51 | 9 | 26.1% | 3,553 | 31.7 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 203 | 184 | 63 | 34.2% | 2,170 |
| Type 4 | 106 | 93 | 22 | 23.7% | 657 |
| Type 6 | 189 | 142 | 35 | 24.6% | 850 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 11 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 33 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 33:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Oct 31 | 200 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 7 to Dec 31 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 4 | Aug 15 to Sep 30 | 100 | Antlerless elk valid on private land east of Buffalo Creek and the Bar C Road (B.L.M. Road 6214) | |
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Oct 31 | Antlerless elk valid in the entire area | |
| Type 4 | Nov 7 to Dec 31 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 7 to Dec 31 | 200 | Cow or calf |
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 33?
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 | 56 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 7 | not published | |
| Residents | 163 | 146 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 14 | 70 | 14 | 7 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 16 | 9 | 5 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 4 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 89 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 32 | 8 | not published | |
| Residents | 177 | 27 | 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.
How do you get to Elk Area 33?
Highways through the area: I-25 (about 21 miles inside it), US 87 (about 21 miles inside it), WY 190 (about 8 miles inside it) and WY 196 (about 5 miles inside it). Nearby: Kaycee (on the line), Midwest (5 miles) and Edgerton (7 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 33?
Elk Area 33 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 34 | Upper Powder River | 826 | 40.2% | 470 (2025) |
| Area 48 | Upper Nowood | 930 | 58.1% | 420 (2025) |
| Area 120 | Buffalo Creek | 1,451 | 65.9% | 192 (2025) |
| Area 129 | Non-Herd Unit | 7,750 | 18.3% | 1,087 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 33?
51.9% of elk Area 33 is public land: 207,437 of its 400,011 acres, the largest share BLM (159,623 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 33?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 29.9%: 402 active hunters took 120 elk. In 2024 it was 24.9% (119 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 33 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 33?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for elk Area 33. The largest, Type 6, had 209 licenses and 35 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 33?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Kaycee (on the line), Midwest (5 miles) and Edgerton (7 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 Sheridan Region Area 34 Area 48 Area 120 Area 129