Elk Hunt Area 60, Thorofare: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 60 (Thorofare) covers 331 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 99.9% public land, most of it national forest (211,518 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 243 active hunters took 154 elk here, 63.4% success. The 2026 season table lists 3 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 forestNational park (no general hunting)Area 60Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region (also Jackson) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Cody (216) |
| Size | 331 square miles (211,790 acres) |
| Public land | 99.9% (211,518 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 211,626 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 154 (63.4% of 243 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | archery only Sep 1 to Sep 19 (Any elk); Sep 20 to Oct 27 (Antlered elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 9 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | None within 20 miles |
How much public land is in Elk Area 60?
99.9% of elk Area 60 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 211,518 of 211,790 acres. The largest share is national forest, 211,518 acres or 99.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 60 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 211,518 | 99.9% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 176 | 0.1% |
Designated wilderness: Teton Wilderness (211,111 acres) and Washakie Wilderness (515 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).
176 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
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 60?
WGFD estimates 154 elk were taken in elk Area 60 in 2025: 147 bulls, 3 spikes, 4 cows and 0 calves. 243 hunters hunted, and 63.4% of them took an animal. Residents: 75 hunters, 61.3% success; nonresidents: 168 hunters, 64.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 243 | 154 | 147 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 63.4% | 1,202 | 7.8 |
| 2024 | 231 | 142 | 142 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61.5% | 1,525 | 10.7 |
| 2023 | 266 | 210 | 206 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 78.9% | 1,324 | 6.3 |
| 2022 | 162 | 84 | 84 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51.9% | 820 | 9.8 |
| 2021 | 247 | 157 | 157 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63.6% | 1,180 | 7.5 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 9 | 20 | 17 | 4 | 23.5% | 79 |
| General | not limited | 227 | 150 | 66.1% | 1,123 |
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 60 in 2026?
General license seasons: archery only, September 1 to 19 (any elk); September 20 to October 27 (antlered elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 60:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 19 | Any elk | ||
| General | Sep 20 to Oct 27 | Antlered elk | ||
| Type 9 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 20 | Any elk, archery only |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 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 60?
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 | 22 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 8 | not published | |
| Residents | 17 | 3 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 24 | 2 | 12 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 2 | 10 | 2 |
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. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed.
How do you get to Elk Area 60?
No numbered highway crosses the area.
Which elk hunt areas border Area 60?
Elk Area 60 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 55 | Grinnell | 392 | 99.8% | 40 (2025) |
| Area 56 | Wapiti Ridge | 473 | 87.7% | 212 (2025) |
| Area 59 | Boulder Basin | 393 | 91.1% | 307 (2025) |
| Area 70 | Buffalo Fork | 448 | 99.1% | 218 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 60?
99.9% of elk Area 60 is public land: 211,518 of its 211,790 acres, the largest share national forest (211,518 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 60?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 63.4%: 243 active hunters took 154 elk. In 2024 it was 61.5% (142 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 60 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes October 27, 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 60?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for elk Area 60. Type 9 had 20 licenses and 67 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 60?
No incorporated town lies within 20 miles of it.
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 60?
Yes. Teton Wilderness (211,111 acres) and Washakie Wilderness (515 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), page 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 55 Area 56 Area 59 Area 70