Elk Hunt Area 49, Otter Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 49 (Otter Creek) covers 1,237 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 69.5% public land, most of it BLM (481,935 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 824 active hunters took 400 elk here, 48.5% success. The 2026 season table lists 6 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 landBureau of ReclamationArea 49Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region (also Sheridan) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | South Bighorn (322) |
| Size | 1,237 square miles (791,483 acres) |
| Public land | 69.5% (549,729 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 400 (48.5% of 824 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 | Ten Sleep, Worland and Kirby |
How much public land is in Elk Area 49?
69.5% of elk Area 49 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 549,729 of 791,483 acres. The largest share is BLM, 481,935 acres or 60.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 49 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 481,935 | 60.9% |
| State trust land | 61,562 | 7.8% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 6,159 | 0.8% |
| National forest | 73 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 61,859 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 51,066 acres road access or reached from other state land, 7,716 acres next to other public land and 3,077 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 49
Public Access Area: Wigwam Rearing Station (80 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Kirby Creek (650 acres here) and Upper Nowood (369 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 4 areas covering 1,748 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 49?
WGFD estimates 400 elk were taken in elk Area 49 in 2025: 120 bulls, 6 spikes, 249 cows and 25 calves. 824 hunters hunted, and 48.5% of them took an animal. Residents: 467 hunters, 52.9% success; nonresidents: 357 hunters, 42.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 824 | 400 | 120 | 6 | 249 | 25 | 48.5% | 7,134 | 17.8 |
| 2024 | 1,020 | 373 | 188 | 9 | 151 | 25 | 36.6% | 7,678 | 20.6 |
| 2023 | 843 | 366 | 127 | 7 | 171 | 61 | 43.4% | 7,209 | 19.7 |
| 2022 | 967 | 324 | 115 | 18 | 158 | 33 | 33.5% | 7,236 | 22.3 |
| 2021 | 995 | 355 | 146 | 0 | 173 | 36 | 35.7% | 6,495 | 18.3 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 354 | 317 | 142 | 44.8% | 3,105 |
| Type 4 | 140 | 102 | 47 | 46.1% | 1,103 |
| Type 6 | 272 | 248 | 73 | 29.4% | 1,761 |
| Type 7 | 318 | 235 | 138 | 58.7% | 1,165 |
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 49 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 49:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Oct 31 | 350 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 7 to Dec 21 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Oct 31 | 100 | Antlerless elk | |
| Type 4 | Nov 7 to Dec 21 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 9 to Oct 31 | 300 | Cow or calf |
| Type 7 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 7 to Dec 21 | 500 | Cow or calf |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), pages 7 to 8. 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 49?
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 | 5 | 87 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 37 | not published | |
| Residents | 255 | 353 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 16 | 103 | 16 | 10 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 12 | 49 | 12 | 7 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 4 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 92 | 24 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 47 | 41 | not published | |
| Residents | 256 | 53 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 80 | 24 | not published | |
| Residents | 476 | 47 | 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 49?
Highways through the area: US 16 (about 25 miles inside it), WY 434 (about 20 miles inside it), WY 432 (about 11 miles inside it) and WY 172 (about 5 miles inside it). Nearby: Ten Sleep (on the line), Worland (on the line), Kirby (on the line) and East Thermopolis (7 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 49?
Elk Area 49 touches 5 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 45 | Paint Rock Creek | 777 | 82.9% | 314 (2025) |
| Area 47 | Copper Mountain | 697 | 62.9% | 46 (2025) |
| Area 48 | Upper Nowood | 930 | 58.1% | 420 (2025) |
| Area 66 | Basin | 1,915 | 78.2% | 76 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 49?
69.5% of elk Area 49 is public land: 549,729 of its 791,483 acres, the largest share BLM (481,935 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 49?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 48.5%: 824 active hunters took 400 elk. In 2024 it was 36.6% (373 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 49 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes December 21, 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 49?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 4 limited quota hunts for elk Area 49. The largest, Type 7, had 556 licenses and 71 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 49?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Ten Sleep (on the line), Worland (on the line) and Kirby (on the line).
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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 7 to 8.
- 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 Cody Region Area 34 Area 45 Area 47 Area 48 Area 66