Elk Hunt Area 54, Bald Ridge: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 54 (Bald Ridge) covers 523 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 68% public land, most of it national forest (139,583 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 284 active hunters took 195 elk here, 68.7% 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 54Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Clark's Fork (217) |
| Size | 523 square miles (334,609 acres) |
| Public land | 68% (227,389 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 86 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 195 (68.7% of 284 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, Type 6, Type 7, Type 9 |
| Towns in and near it | Cody and Powell |
How much public land is in Elk Area 54?
68% of elk Area 54 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 227,389 of 334,609 acres. The largest share is national forest, 139,583 acres or 41.7% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 54 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 139,583 | 41.7% |
| BLM | 62,938 | 18.8% |
| State trust land | 17,345 | 5.2% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 7,523 | 2.2% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 17,482 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 12,566 acres road access or reached from other state land, 3,353 acres next to other public land and 1,563 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.
Designated wilderness: North Absaroka Wilderness (86 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 54
Public Access Areas: Clarks Fork River-Clark Canyon (2,883 acres here), Newton Lakes (471 acres here), Clarks Fork River-Hatchery (281 acres here), Shoshone River-Sulphur Creek (115 acres here) and North Fork Shoshone River-Rivers Rest (90 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 54?
WGFD estimates 195 elk were taken in elk Area 54 in 2025: 75 bulls, 2 spikes, 109 cows and 9 calves. 284 hunters hunted, and 68.7% of them took an animal. Residents: 233 hunters, 68.7% success; nonresidents: 51 hunters, 68.6% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 284 | 195 | 75 | 2 | 109 | 9 | 68.7% | 1,942 | 10.0 |
| 2024 | 283 | 148 | 78 | 0 | 64 | 6 | 52.3% | 1,745 | 11.8 |
| 2023 | 451 | 256 | 54 | 0 | 146 | 56 | 56.8% | 4,097 | 16.0 |
| 2022 | 453 | 197 | 48 | 0 | 133 | 16 | 43.5% | 3,911 | 19.9 |
| 2021 | 403 | 167 | 52 | 0 | 100 | 15 | 41.4% | 3,305 | 19.8 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 51 | 49 | 31 | 63.3% | 376 |
| Type 2 | 26 | 26 | 20 | 76.9% | 179 |
| Type 3 | 25 | 23 | 17 | 73.9% | 152 |
| Type 6 | 99 | 76 | 41 | 53.9% | 356 |
| Type 7 | 102 | 93 | 74 | 79.6% | 566 |
| Type 9 | 40 | 34 | 12 | 35.3% | 313 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 13 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 54 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Every row WGFD prints for Area 54:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 50 | Any elk valid south of the Clark's Fork River; also valid in Area 65 | |
| Type 2 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 25 | Any elk valid north of the Clark's Fork River and west of Wyoming Highway 120 | |
| Type 3 | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | 15 | Any elk | |
| Type 6 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 50 | Cow or calf | |
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Dec 21 | 200 | Cow or calf valid north of the Clark's Fork River and west of Wyoming Highway 120; also valid within the North Fork of the Shoshone River drainage | |
| Type 9 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 40 | Any elk, archery only; also valid in Area 65 |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 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 54?
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 | 0 | 67 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 12 | not published | |
| Residents | 37 | 181 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 2 | 69 | 2 | 20 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 2 | 14 | 2 | 15 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 0 | 15 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 5 | not published | |
| Residents | 17 | 85 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 1 | 6 | 1 | 12 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 0 | 20 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 1 | not published | |
| Residents | 10 | 131 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 8 | 19 | not published | |
| Residents | 42 | 94 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 32 | 75 | not published | |
| Residents | 163 | 202 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 0 | 28 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 6 | not published | |
| Residents | 34 | 53 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 3 | 31 | 3 | 13 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 2 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
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 54?
Highways through the area: US 14 (about 14 miles inside it), US 16 (about 14 miles inside it), US 20 (about 14 miles inside it), WY 296 (about 13 miles inside it) and WY 120 (about 12 miles inside it). Nearby: Cody (on the line) and Powell (20 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 54?
Elk Area 54 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 51 | Sunlight-Crandall | 650 | 97.6% | 120 (2025) |
| Area 56 | Wapiti Ridge | 473 | 87.7% | 212 (2025) |
| Area 58 | Sage Creek | 255 | 33% | 168 (2025) |
| Area 65 | Heart Mountain | 1,679 | 62% | 90 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 54?
68% of elk Area 54 is public land: 227,389 of its 334,609 acres, the largest share national forest (139,583 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 54?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 68.7%: 284 active hunters took 195 elk. In 2024 it was 52.3% (148 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 54 in 2026?
The earliest regular season row opens August 15 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 54?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 6 limited quota hunts for elk Area 54. The largest, Type 7, had 195 licenses and 277 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 54?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Cody (on the line) and Powell (20 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 54?
Yes. North Absaroka Wilderness (86 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).
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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 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 51 Area 56 Area 58