Elk Hunt Area 63, Wood River-Gooseberry Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 63 (Wood River-Gooseberry Creek) covers 366 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 70.1% public land, most of it national forest (84,233 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 538 active hunters took 278 elk here, 51.7% 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.
National forestBLMState trust landArea 63Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Gooseberry (214) |
| Size | 366 square miles (234,178 acres) |
| Public land | 70.1% (164,110 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 36,650 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 278 (51.7% of 538 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 5, Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, Type 4, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Meeteetse |
How much public land is in Elk Area 63?
70.1% of elk Area 63 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 164,110 of 234,178 acres. The largest share is national forest, 84,233 acres or 36% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 63 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 84,233 | 36% |
| BLM | 62,130 | 26.5% |
| State trust land | 17,747 | 7.6% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 17,808 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 9,219 acres road access or reached from other state land, 5,604 acres no known public access and 2,985 acres next to other public land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Washakie Wilderness (36,650 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 63
Hunter Management Area: Absaroka Front (16,341 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 63?
WGFD estimates 278 elk were taken in elk Area 63 in 2025: 159 bulls, 0 spikes, 107 cows and 12 calves. 538 hunters hunted, and 51.7% of them took an animal. Residents: 439 hunters, 47.2% success; nonresidents: 99 hunters, 71.7% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 538 | 278 | 159 | 0 | 107 | 12 | 51.7% | 3,996 | 14.4 |
| 2024 | 556 | 264 | 174 | 8 | 77 | 5 | 47.5% | 3,739 | 14.2 |
| 2023 | 416 | 212 | 133 | 2 | 66 | 11 | 51% | 3,104 | 14.6 |
| 2022 | 422 | 191 | 104 | 0 | 76 | 11 | 45.3% | 3,042 | 15.9 |
| 2021 | 375 | 177 | 88 | 3 | 78 | 8 | 47.2% | 2,583 | 14.6 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 204 | 189 | 102 | 54% | 1,305 |
| Type 2 | 36 | 36 | 26 | 72.2% | 192 |
| Type 3 | 77 | 67 | 38 | 56.7% | 450 |
| Type 4 | 100 | 92 | 45 | 48.9% | 676 |
| Type 5 | 174 | 33 | 2 | 6.1% | 97 |
| Type 6 | 202 | 157 | 65 | 41.4% | 1,276 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 14 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 63 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 63:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 5 also Area 62 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 22 to Dec 21 | 200 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 1 also Area 64 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 21 | 200 | Any elk |
| Type 2 also Area 64 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 21 | 35 | Any elk valid within the Washakie Wilderness |
| Type 3 also Area 64 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Nov 15 | 75 | Any elk |
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Dec 21 | 100 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Oct 31 | 200 | Cow or calf valid off national forest north of Gooseberry Creek | |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Dec 21 | Cow or calf valid in the entire area |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 10. 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 63?
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 | 2 | 215 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 90 | not published | |
| Residents | 134 | 632 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 7 | 222 | 7 | 17 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 96 | 6 | 16 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 0 | 10 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 13 | not published | |
| Residents | 27 | 90 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 3 | 13 | 3 | 17 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 16 | 3 | 10 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 1 | 102 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 35 | not published | |
| Residents | 55 | 226 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 5 | 108 | 6 | 15 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 4 | 41 | 6 | 15 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 3 | 3 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 84 | 18 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 15 | 12 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 32 | 86 | not published | |
| Residents | 167 | 175 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 6 | 7 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 168 | 126 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 20 | 28 | 21 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
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. A license valid in more than one area is listed under the first area WGFD prints for it.
How do you get to Elk Area 63?
Highways through the area: WY 120 (about 15 miles inside it) and WY 290 (about 6 miles inside it). Towns inside: Meeteetse.
Which elk hunt areas border Area 63?
Elk Area 63 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 61 | North Greybull River | 385 | 69.3% | 537 (2025) |
| Area 62 | South Greybull River | 256 | 80% | 187 (2025) |
| Area 64 | Owl Creek | 1,022 | 34.8% | 197 (2025) |
| Area 66 | Basin | 1,915 | 78.2% | 76 (2025) |
| Area 67 | Wigins Fork | 700 | 80.4% | 953 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 63?
70.1% of elk Area 63 is public land: 164,110 of its 234,178 acres, the largest share national forest (84,233 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 63?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 51.7%: 538 active hunters took 278 elk. In 2024 it was 47.5% (264 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 63 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. 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 63?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 6 limited quota hunts for elk Area 63. The largest, Type 5, had 207 licenses and 166 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 63?
Meeteetse is inside the hunt area.
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 63?
Yes. Washakie Wilderness (36,650 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).
Get notified about FilledTag in Wyoming
Leave your email and we will let you know when FilledTag adds something new for Wyoming hunters.
The free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wyoming included.
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 10.
- 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 61 Area 62 Area 64 Area 66 Area 67