Elk Hunt Area 36, Rock Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 36 (Rock Creek) covers 209 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 67.9% public land, most of it national forest (70,968 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 820 active hunters took 145 elk here, 17.7% success. The 2026 season table lists 6 license rows here, including general license seasons.
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 forestState trust landArea 36Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | North Bighorn (321) |
| Size | 209 square miles (133,504 acres) |
| Public land | 67.9% (90,610 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 13,320 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 145 (17.7% of 820 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 10 to Nov 5 (Antlered elk valid on national forest; any elk off national forest) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 4, Type 6, Type 9 |
| Special archery opens | September 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Buffalo and Sheridan |
How much public land is in Elk Area 36?
67.9% of elk Area 36 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 90,610 of 133,504 acres. The largest share is national forest, 70,968 acres or 53.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 36 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 70,968 | 53.2% |
| State trust land | 19,642 | 14.7% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 19,645 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 19,645 acres road access or reached from other state land. 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 (13,320 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 36
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Bud Love (7,888 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Fort Phil Kearny (715 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 3 areas covering 1,318 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 36?
WGFD estimates 145 elk were taken in elk Area 36 in 2025: 78 bulls, 3 spikes, 50 cows and 14 calves. 820 hunters hunted, and 17.7% of them took an animal. Residents: 584 hunters, 16.1% success; nonresidents: 236 hunters, 21.6% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 820 | 145 | 78 | 3 | 50 | 14 | 17.7% | 5,918 | 40.8 |
| 2024 | 951 | 153 | 91 | 8 | 47 | 7 | 16.1% | 5,881 | 38.4 |
| 2023 | 707 | 126 | 46 | 4 | 68 | 8 | 17.8% | 5,826 | 46.2 |
| 2022 | 842 | 80 | 49 | 7 | 24 | 0 | 9.5% | 5,422 | 67.8 |
| 2021 | 858 | 156 | 44 | 20 | 92 | 0 | 18.2% | 5,709 | 36.6 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 4 | 264 | 196 | 28 | 14.3% | 1,474 |
| Type 6 | 248 | 202 | 27 | 13.4% | 1,147 |
| Type 9 | 78 | 65 | 4 | 6.2% | 575 |
| General | not limited | 456 | 86 | 18.9% | 2,722 |
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 36 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 10 to November 5 (antlered elk valid on national forest; any elk off national forest). Special archery seasons open September 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 36:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 10 to Nov 5 | Antlered elk valid on national forest; any elk off national forest | |
| Type 4 | Sep 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 10 to Nov 5 | 300 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 4 | Nov 15 to Dec 31 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 6 | Oct 1 to Oct 9 | 250 | Cow or calf valid off national forest north of Rock Creek | |
| Type 6 | Sep 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 10 to Nov 5 | Cow or calf valid in the entire area | |
| Type 9 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 75 | Any elk, archery only |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 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 36?
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 | 11 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 5 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 268 | 12 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 35 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 40 | 36 | not published | |
| Residents | 210 | 26 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 1 | 14 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 12 | not published | |
| Residents | 63 | 13 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 6 | 20 | 6 | 3 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 4 | 18 | 6 | 6 |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region W general license. In the 2026 draw it had 2,683 licenses; 5,652 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 1,208 were drawn.
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 36?
Highways through the area: US 87 (about 16 miles inside it), I-90 (about 13 miles inside it) and WY 193 (about 2 miles inside it). Nearby: Buffalo (2 miles) and Sheridan (16 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 36?
Elk Area 36 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 35 | Hunter Mesa | 251 | 75.5% | 143 (2025) |
| Area 37 | Goose | 684 | 52.9% | 282 (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 36?
67.9% of elk Area 36 is public land: 90,610 of its 133,504 acres, the largest share national forest (70,968 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 36?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 17.7%: 820 active hunters took 145 elk. In 2024 it was 16.1% (153 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 36 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 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 36?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for elk Area 36. The largest, Type 4, had 334 licenses and 17 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 36?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Buffalo (2 miles) and Sheridan (16 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 36?
Yes. Cloud Peak Wilderness (13,320 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).
Get notified about FilledTag in Wyoming
Leave your email and we will let you know when FilledTag adds something new for Wyoming hunters.
The free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wyoming included.
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 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 35 Area 37 Area 45 Area 129