Elk Hunt Area 47, Copper Mountain: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 47 (Copper Mountain) covers 697 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 62.9% public land, most of it BLM (244,130 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 143 active hunters took 46 elk here, 32.2% success. The 2026 season table lists 3 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 landWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 47Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region (also Cody) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | South Bighorn (322) |
| Size | 697 square miles (446,227 acres) |
| Public land | 62.9% (280,895 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 46 (32.2% of 143 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | East Thermopolis, Shoshoni, Thermopolis and Kirby |
How much public land is in Elk Area 47?
62.9% of elk Area 47 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 280,895 of 446,227 acres. The largest share is BLM, 244,130 acres or 54.7% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 47 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 244,130 | 54.7% |
| State trust land | 36,765 | 8.2% |
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 344 | 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 36,828 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 15,332 acres next to other public land, 12,689 acres road access or reached from other state land and 8,807 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.
PAD-US maps 344 acres here inside the Wind River Reservation. Tribal land there is not open to hunting on Wyoming licenses; some ground inside the reservation line is private or managed by WGFD and follows its own rules.
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 47
Hunter Management Area: Kirby Creek (9,806 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 3 areas covering 3,523 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 47?
WGFD estimates 46 elk were taken in elk Area 47 in 2025: 39 bulls, 0 spikes, 7 cows and 0 calves. 143 hunters hunted, and 32.2% of them took an animal. Residents: 108 hunters, 35.2% success; nonresidents: 35 hunters, 22.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 143 | 46 | 39 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 32.2% | 1,021 | 22.2 |
| 2024 | 181 | 54 | 32 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 29.8% | 1,254 | 23.2 |
| 2023 | 169 | 65 | 52 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 38.5% | 1,180 | 18.2 |
| 2022 | 152 | 30 | 16 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 19.7% | 925 | 30.8 |
| 2021 | 176 | 30 | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17% | 1,396 | 46.5 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 136 | 116 | 42 | 36.2% | 783 |
| Type 6 | 46 | 39 | 4 | 10.3% | 238 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 12 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 47 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 47:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Oct 31 | 150 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Nov 30 | 25 | Cow or calf |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 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 47?
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 | 2 | 30 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 1 | not published | |
| Residents | 104 | 61 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 8 | 39 | 9 | 5 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 9 | 8 | 2 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 4 | 7 | not published | |
| Residents | 20 | 11 | 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. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed.
How do you get to Elk Area 47?
Highways through the area: US 20 (about 9 miles inside it), US 26 (about 8 miles inside it) and WY 172 (about 8 miles inside it). Towns inside: East Thermopolis. Nearby: Shoshoni (on the line), Thermopolis (on the line), Kirby (5 miles) and Worland (20 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 47?
Elk Area 47 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 48 | Upper Nowood | 930 | 58.1% | 420 (2025) |
| Area 49 | Otter Creek | 1,237 | 69.5% | 400 (2025) |
| Area 64 | Owl Creek | 1,022 | 34.8% | 197 (2025) |
| Area 66 | Basin | 1,915 | 78.2% | 76 (2025) |
| Area 127 | Crowheart Butte | 3,080 | 0% | 54 (2025) |
| Area 128 | Muskrat | 2,198 | 80.4% | 109 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 47?
62.9% of elk Area 47 is public land: 280,895 of its 446,227 acres, the largest share BLM (244,130 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 47?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 32.2%: 143 active hunters took 46 elk. In 2024 it was 29.8% (54 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 47 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 9 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 47?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 47. The largest, Type 1, had 121 licenses and 140 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 47?
East Thermopolis is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Shoshoni (on the line), Thermopolis (on the line) and Kirby (5 miles).
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 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.
Wyoming hunting Elk hunt areas Lander Region Area 48 Area 49 Area 64 Area 66 Area 127 Area 128