Elk Hunt Area 48, Upper Nowood: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 48 (Upper Nowood) covers 930 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 58.1% public land, most of it BLM (279,535 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 1,040 active hunters took 420 elk here, 40.4% success. The 2026 season table lists 7 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 landArea 48Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region (also Cody, Sheridan and Casper) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | South Bighorn (322) |
| Size | 930 square miles (595,494 acres) |
| Public land | 58.1% (346,231 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 420 (40.4% of 1,040 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4, Type 6, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Kirby, East Thermopolis and Thermopolis |
How much public land is in Elk Area 48?
58.1% of elk Area 48 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 346,231 of 595,494 acres. The largest share is BLM, 279,535 acres or 46.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 48 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 279,535 | 46.9% |
| State trust land | 66,696 | 11.2% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 66,860 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 32,089 acres road access or reached from other state land, 25,260 acres next to other public land and 9,511 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 48
Public Access Area: Badwater Ranch (7,001 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Upper Nowood (3,614 acres here), Deep Creek (2,000 acres here) and Kirby Creek (1,047 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 2 areas covering 4,275 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 48?
WGFD estimates 420 elk were taken in elk Area 48 in 2025: 128 bulls, 12 spikes, 266 cows and 14 calves. 1,040 hunters hunted, and 40.4% of them took an animal. Residents: 625 hunters, 39% success; nonresidents: 415 hunters, 42.4% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,040 | 420 | 128 | 12 | 266 | 14 | 40.4% | 6,979 | 16.6 |
| 2024 | 1,118 | 605 | 198 | 15 | 328 | 64 | 54.1% | 6,473 | 10.7 |
| 2023 | 793 | 464 | 106 | 0 | 282 | 76 | 58.5% | 5,612 | 12.1 |
| 2022 | 945 | 417 | 88 | 35 | 250 | 44 | 44.1% | 5,220 | 12.5 |
| 2021 | 860 | 446 | 140 | 0 | 242 | 64 | 51.9% | 4,990 | 11.2 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 390 | 353 | 160 | 45.3% | 2,603 |
| Type 4 | 75 | 64 | 12 | 18.8% | 403 |
| Type 6 | 553 | 467 | 186 | 39.8% | 3,074 |
| Type 7 | 255 | 219 | 62 | 28.3% | 899 |
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 48 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 48:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Oct 31 | 400 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 7 to Dec 15 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Oct 31 | 125 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 4 | Nov 7 to Dec 15 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Oct 31 | 600 | Cow or calf |
| Type 6 | Nov 7 to Nov 30 | Cow or calf | ||
| Type 7 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 7 to Dec 15 | 300 | 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 48?
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 | 9 | 66 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 6 | 16 | not published | |
| Residents | 309 | 239 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 27 | 93 | 27 | 7 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 18 | 34 | 18 | 4 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 5 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 118 | 1 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 96 | 64 | not published | |
| Residents | 522 | 59 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 48 | 8 | not published | |
| Residents | 291 | 24 | 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 48?
Highways through the area: US 20 (about 5 miles inside it) and US 26 (about 5 miles inside it). Nearby: Kirby (15 miles), East Thermopolis (15 miles), Thermopolis (16 miles) and Shoshoni (20 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 48?
Elk Area 48 touches 7 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 23 | Rattlesnake | 1,265 | 52.9% | 204 (2025) |
| Area 33 | Middle Fork | 625 | 51.9% | 120 (2025) |
| Area 34 | Upper Powder River | 826 | 40.2% | 470 (2025) |
| Area 47 | Copper Mountain | 697 | 62.9% | 46 (2025) |
| Area 49 | Otter Creek | 1,237 | 69.5% | 400 (2025) |
| Area 120 | Buffalo Creek | 1,451 | 65.9% | 192 (2025) |
| Area 128 | Muskrat | 2,198 | 80.4% | 109 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 48?
58.1% of elk Area 48 is public land: 346,231 of its 595,494 acres, the largest share BLM (279,535 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 48?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 40.4%: 1,040 active hunters took 420 elk. In 2024 it was 54.1% (605 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 48 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 9 and the latest closes December 15, 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 48?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 4 limited quota hunts for elk Area 48. The largest, Type 6, had 618 licenses and 123 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 48?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Kirby (15 miles), East Thermopolis (15 miles) and Thermopolis (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 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 23 Area 33 Area 34 Area 47 Area 49 Area 120 Area 128