Elk Hunt Area 56, Wapiti Ridge: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 56 (Wapiti Ridge) covers 473 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 87.7% public land, most of it national forest (236,341 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 661 active hunters took 212 elk here, 32.1% success. The 2026 season table lists 7 license rows here, including general license seasons.
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 ReclamationOther public (state parks, military)Area 56Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Cody (216) |
| Size | 473 square miles (302,411 acres) |
| Public land | 87.7% (265,306 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 163,896 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 212 (32.1% of 661 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 1 to Oct 21 (Any elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6, Type 7, Type 9 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Cody |
How much public land is in Elk Area 56?
87.7% of elk Area 56 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 265,306 of 302,411 acres. The largest share is national forest, 236,341 acres or 78.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 56 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 236,341 | 78.2% |
| BLM | 19,817 | 6.6% |
| State trust land | 4,620 | 1.5% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 4,528 | 1.5% |
| Other public (state parks, military) | 112 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 4,661 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 2,954 acres next to other public land, 1,063 acres road access or reached from other state land and 644 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: Washakie Wilderness (112,994 acres) and North Absaroka Wilderness (50,902 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 56
Public Access Areas: North Fork Shoshone River-Big Creek (318 acres here), South Fork Shoshone River-Houlihan/Bobcat (56 acres here), North Fork Shoshone River-Wapiti (49 acres here), South Fork Shoshone River-Twin Creek Trailhead (47 acres here), South Fork Shoshone River-Cody Canal (23 acres here) and North Fork Shoshone River-Trout Creek (22 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Bear Creek (1,225 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 79 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 56?
WGFD estimates 212 elk were taken in elk Area 56 in 2025: 102 bulls, 6 spikes, 94 cows and 10 calves. 661 hunters hunted, and 32.1% of them took an animal. Residents: 511 hunters, 32.1% success; nonresidents: 150 hunters, 32% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 661 | 212 | 102 | 6 | 94 | 10 | 32.1% | 4,346 | 20.5 |
| 2024 | 641 | 174 | 71 | 7 | 85 | 11 | 27.1% | 4,726 | 27.2 |
| 2023 | 466 | 175 | 86 | 8 | 75 | 6 | 37.6% | 2,533 | 14.5 |
| 2022 | 419 | 147 | 64 | 10 | 67 | 6 | 35.1% | 2,383 | 16.2 |
| 2021 | 461 | 125 | 74 | 8 | 36 | 7 | 27.1% | 2,788 | 22.3 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 20 | 19 | 11 | 57.9% | 113 |
| Type 6 | 201 | 170 | 35 | 20.6% | 1,168 |
| Type 7 | 199 | 167 | 59 | 35.3% | 1,011 |
| Type 9 | 30 | 25 | 8 | 32% | 150 |
| General | not limited | 334 | 99 | 29.6% | 1,904 |
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 56 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 1 to 21 (any elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 56:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 21 | Any elk | |
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 5 to Nov 30 | 10 | Any elk; also valid in Area 55 |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 21 | 200 | Cow or calf |
| Type 7 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Cow or calf | ||
| Type 7 | Sep 1 to Dec 21 | 200 | Cow or calf valid off national forest | |
| Type 7 | Jan 1 to Jan 15 | Cow or calf valid off national forest south of the North Fork of the Shoshone River | ||
| Type 9 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 30 | Any elk, archery only |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), pages 8 to 9. 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 56?
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 | 41 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 17 | not published | |
| Residents | 8 | 264 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 42 | 1 | 20 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 1 | 18 | 1 | 20 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 31 | 46 | not published | |
| Residents | 166 | 217 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 30 | 11 | not published | |
| Residents | 180 | 39 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 0 | 7 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 2 | not published | |
| Residents | 25 | 2 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 3 | 10 | 3 | |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region W general license. In the 2026 draw it had 2,683 licenses; 5,652 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 1,208 were drawn.
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 56?
Highways through the area: US 14 (about 11 miles inside it), US 16 (about 11 miles inside it) and US 20 (about 11 miles inside it). Nearby: Cody (8 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 56?
Elk Area 56 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 51 | Sunlight-Crandall | 650 | 97.6% | 120 (2025) |
| Area 54 | Bald Ridge | 523 | 68% | 195 (2025) |
| Area 55 | Grinnell | 392 | 99.8% | 40 (2025) |
| Area 58 | Sage Creek | 255 | 33% | 168 (2025) |
| Area 59 | Boulder Basin | 393 | 91.1% | 307 (2025) |
| Area 60 | Thorofare | 331 | 99.9% | 154 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 56?
87.7% of elk Area 56 is public land: 265,306 of its 302,411 acres, the largest share national forest (236,341 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 56?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 32.1%: 661 active hunters took 212 elk. In 2024 it was 27.1% (174 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 56 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes January 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 56?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 4 limited quota hunts for elk Area 56. The largest, Type 7, had 210 licenses and 50 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 56?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Cody (8 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 56?
Yes. Washakie Wilderness (112,994 acres) and North Absaroka Wilderness (50,902 acres) lie 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), pages 8 to 9.
- 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 54 Area 55 Area 58 Area 59 Area 60