Elk Hunt Area 34, Upper Powder River: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 34 (Upper Powder River) covers 826 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 40.2% public land, most of it BLM (113,794 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 1,267 active hunters took 470 elk here, 37.1% success. The 2026 season table lists 4 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 34Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | South Bighorn (322) |
| Size | 826 square miles (528,514 acres) |
| Public land | 40.2% (212,706 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 470 (37.1% of 1,267 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Kaycee, Buffalo and Ten Sleep |
How much public land is in Elk Area 34?
40.2% of elk Area 34 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 212,706 of 528,514 acres. The largest share is BLM, 113,794 acres or 21.5% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 34 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 113,794 | 21.5% |
| State trust land | 55,256 | 10.5% |
| National forest | 43,656 | 8.3% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 55,293 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 26,500 acres road access or reached from other state land, 15,776 acres next to other public land and 13,017 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 34
Public Access Area: Beartrap Creek/Pheasant (64 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 12 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 34?
WGFD estimates 470 elk were taken in elk Area 34 in 2025: 191 bulls, 8 spikes, 237 cows and 34 calves. 1,267 hunters hunted, and 37.1% of them took an animal. Residents: 874 hunters, 37.1% success; nonresidents: 393 hunters, 37.2% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,267 | 470 | 191 | 8 | 237 | 34 | 37.1% | 14,236 | 30.3 |
| 2024 | 1,316 | 448 | 193 | 28 | 204 | 23 | 34% | 14,390 | 32.1 |
| 2023 | 963 | 379 | 185 | 15 | 159 | 20 | 39.4% | 10,264 | 27.1 |
| 2022 | 1,169 | 354 | 141 | 8 | 152 | 53 | 30.3% | 10,987 | 31.0 |
| 2021 | 1,181 | 310 | 143 | 6 | 117 | 44 | 26.2% | 12,035 | 38.8 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 803 | 730 | 247 | 33.8% | 10,283 |
| Type 6 | 665 | 555 | 223 | 40.2% | 3,953 |
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 34 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 34:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Nov 15 | 800 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 16 to Dec 31 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Oct 8 | 700 | Cow or calf valid on private land on or within one (1) mile of irrigated land | |
| Type 7 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Dec 31 | Cow or calf valid off national forest |
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 34?
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 | 17 | 166 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 12 | 66 | not published | |
| Residents | 652 | 582 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 53 | 219 | 53 | 7 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 36 | 102 | 36 | 6 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 112 | 42 | not published | |
| Residents | 650 | 63 | 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 34?
Highways through the area: I-25 (about 36 miles inside it), US 87 (about 36 miles inside it), WY 196 (about 29 miles inside it), WY 191 (about 11 miles inside it) and WY 190 (about 8 miles inside it). Nearby: Kaycee (on the line), Buffalo (7 miles) and Ten Sleep (16 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 34?
Elk Area 34 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 33 | Middle Fork | 625 | 51.9% | 120 (2025) |
| Area 35 | Hunter Mesa | 251 | 75.5% | 143 (2025) |
| Area 45 | Paint Rock Creek | 777 | 82.9% | 314 (2025) |
| Area 48 | Upper Nowood | 930 | 58.1% | 420 (2025) |
| Area 49 | Otter Creek | 1,237 | 69.5% | 400 (2025) |
| Area 129 | Non-Herd Unit | 7,750 | 18.3% | 1,087 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 34?
40.2% of elk Area 34 is public land: 212,706 of its 528,514 acres, the largest share BLM (113,794 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 34?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 37.1%: 1,267 active hunters took 470 elk. In 2024 it was 34% (448 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 34 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 34?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 34. The largest, Type 1, had 770 licenses and 1,135 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 34?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Kaycee (on the line), Buffalo (7 miles) and Ten Sleep (16 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 33 Area 35 Area 45 Area 48 Area 49 Area 129