Elk Hunt Area 39, Deer Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 39 (Deer Creek) covers 230 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 87.5% public land, most of it BLM (71,642 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 503 active hunters took 231 elk here, 45.9% success. The 2026 season table lists 5 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 landNational park (no general hunting)Area 39Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | North Bighorn (321) |
| Size | 230 square miles (147,267 acres) |
| Public land | 87.5% (128,918 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 231 (45.9% of 503 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4, Type 6, Type 9 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Lovell, Cowley and Byron |
How much public land is in Elk Area 39?
87.5% of elk Area 39 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 128,918 of 147,267 acres. The largest share is BLM, 71,642 acres or 48.6% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 39 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 71,642 | 48.6% |
| National forest | 51,776 | 35.2% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 5,865 | 4% |
| State trust land | 5,500 | 3.7% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 5,597 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 5,596 acres road access or reached from other state land and 1 acres next to other public land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
5,865 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 39
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Yellowtail (88 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Yellowtail (88 acres here).
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 39?
WGFD estimates 231 elk were taken in elk Area 39 in 2025: 88 bulls, 10 spikes, 129 cows and 4 calves. 503 hunters hunted, and 45.9% of them took an animal. Residents: 417 hunters, 45.6% success; nonresidents: 86 hunters, 47.7% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 503 | 231 | 88 | 10 | 129 | 4 | 45.9% | 3,973 | 17.2 |
| 2024 | 440 | 237 | 78 | 16 | 109 | 34 | 53.9% | 3,107 | 13.1 |
| 2023 | 469 | 234 | 81 | 0 | 113 | 40 | 49.9% | 3,550 | 15.2 |
| 2022 | 455 | 250 | 100 | 8 | 120 | 22 | 54.9% | 3,050 | 12.2 |
| 2021 | 408 | 202 | 72 | 9 | 110 | 11 | 49.5% | 2,715 | 13.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 214 | 212 | 107 | 50.5% | 1,586 |
| Type 4 | 164 | 150 | 74 | 49.3% | 729 |
| Type 6 | 74 | 69 | 25 | 36.2% | 427 |
| Type 9 | 101 | 97 | 25 | 25.8% | 1,231 |
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 39 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 39:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Oct 10 to Nov 4 | 175 | Any elk | |
| Type 1 | Nov 5 to Nov 30 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 4 | Oct 1 to Nov 30 | 150 | Antlerless elk | |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 5 to Nov 30 | 75 | Cow or calf |
| Type 9 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 100 | Any elk, archery only |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), pages 6 to 7. 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 39?
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 | 158 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 61 | not published | |
| Residents | 143 | 479 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 170 | 12 | 11 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 70 | 9 | 9 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 5 | 20 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 126 | 140 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 18 | 38 | 18 | 1 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 12 | 65 | not published | |
| Residents | 61 | 348 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 2 | 82 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 28 | not published | |
| Residents | 84 | 257 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 7 | 90 | 8 | 14 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 35 | 7 | 12 |
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 39?
No numbered highway crosses the area. Nearby: Lovell (10 miles), Cowley (11 miles), Byron (16 miles) and Deaver (17 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 39?
Elk Area 39 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 38 | Tongue | 564 | 76.5% | 407 (2025) |
| Area 40 | Horse Creek | 462 | 82.2% | 131 (2025) |
| Area 65 | Heart Mountain | 1,679 | 62% | 90 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 39?
87.5% of elk Area 39 is public land: 128,918 of its 147,267 acres, the largest share BLM (71,642 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 39?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 45.9%: 503 active hunters took 231 elk. In 2024 it was 53.9% (237 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 39 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes November 30, 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 39?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 4 limited quota hunts for elk Area 39. The largest, Type 1, had 171 licenses and 938 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 39?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Lovell (10 miles), Cowley (11 miles) and Byron (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), pages 6 to 7.
- 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.