Elk Hunt Area 35, Hunter Mesa: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 35 (Hunter Mesa) covers 251 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 75.5% public land, most of it national forest (102,543 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 540 active hunters took 143 elk here, 26.5% success. The 2026 season table lists 8 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 35Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | North Bighorn (321) |
| Size | 251 square miles (160,586 acres) |
| Public land | 75.5% (121,289 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 28,485 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 143 (26.5% of 540 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4, Type 7, Type 9 |
| Special archery opens | September 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Buffalo and Ten Sleep |
How much public land is in Elk Area 35?
75.5% of elk Area 35 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 121,289 of 160,586 acres. The largest share is national forest, 102,543 acres or 63.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 35 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 102,543 | 63.9% |
| State trust land | 17,407 | 10.8% |
| BLM | 1,339 | 0.8% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 17,419 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 16,221 acres road access or reached from other state land and 1,198 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.
Designated wilderness: Cloud Peak Wilderness (28,485 acres). A nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area must be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 35
Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 931 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 35?
WGFD estimates 143 elk were taken in elk Area 35 in 2025: 49 bulls, 8 spikes, 76 cows and 10 calves. 540 hunters hunted, and 26.5% of them took an animal. Residents: 409 hunters, 25.4% success; nonresidents: 131 hunters, 29.8% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 540 | 143 | 49 | 8 | 76 | 10 | 26.5% | 5,376 | 37.6 |
| 2024 | 627 | 200 | 72 | 7 | 100 | 21 | 31.9% | 5,686 | 28.4 |
| 2023 | 517 | 188 | 60 | 9 | 85 | 34 | 36.4% | 4,230 | 22.5 |
| 2022 | 628 | 145 | 60 | 3 | 67 | 15 | 23.1% | 5,374 | 37.1 |
| 2021 | 655 | 166 | 29 | 6 | 106 | 25 | 25.3% | 5,457 | 32.9 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 150 | 136 | 44 | 32.4% | 1,622 |
| Type 4 | 175 | 160 | 16 | 10% | 1,639 |
| Type 6 | 253 | 187 | 66 | 35.3% | 1,316 |
| Type 9 | 78 | 69 | 17 | 24.6% | 799 |
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 35 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 35:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 10 to Nov 5 | 150 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 15 to Dec 31 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 4 | Sep 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 10 to Nov 5 | 175 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 4 | Nov 15 to Dec 31 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Oct 9 | 425 | Cow or calf valid on private land | |
| Type 7 | Sep 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 10 to Nov 5 | Cow or calf valid off national forest | |
| Type 7 | Nov 15 to Dec 31 | Cow or calf valid off national forest | ||
| Type 9 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 75 | Any elk, archery only |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), pages 5 to 6. 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 35?
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 | 66 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 37 | not published | |
| Residents | 122 | 476 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 9 | 75 | 9 | 10 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 7 | 46 | 9 | 7 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 6 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 147 | 82 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 21 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 68 | 16 | not published | |
| Residents | 403 | 37 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 1 | 48 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 26 | not published | |
| Residents | 61 | 212 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 6 | 54 | 6 | 11 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 4 | 32 | 6 | 9 |
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 35?
Highways through the area: US 16 (about 30 miles inside it) and WY 196 (about 9 miles inside it). Towns inside: Buffalo. Nearby: Ten Sleep (20 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 35?
Elk Area 35 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 36 | Rock Creek | 209 | 67.9% | 145 (2025) |
| Area 45 | Paint Rock Creek | 777 | 82.9% | 314 (2025) |
| Area 129 | Non-Herd Unit | 7,750 | 18.3% | 1,087 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 35?
75.5% of elk Area 35 is public land: 121,289 of its 160,586 acres, the largest share national forest (102,543 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 35?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 26.5%: 540 active hunters took 143 elk. In 2024 it was 31.9% (200 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 35 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 15. 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 35?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 4 limited quota hunts for elk Area 35. The largest, Type 7, had 471 licenses and 53 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 35?
Buffalo is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Ten Sleep (20 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 35?
Yes. Cloud Peak Wilderness (28,485 acres) lies inside it. Wyoming law requires a nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area to be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
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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 5 to 6.
- 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 36 Area 45 Area 129