Elk Hunt Area 66, Basin: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 66 (Basin) covers 1,915 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 78.2% public land, most of it BLM (897,392 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 259 active hunters took 76 elk here, 29.3% success. The 2026 season table lists 2 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 ReclamationArea 66Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Cody (216) |
| Size | 1,915 square miles (1,225,393 acres) |
| Public land | 78.2% (958,778 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 76 (29.3% of 259 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 1 to Oct 21 (Any elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Thermopolis, Basin, Greybull, East Thermopolis, Meeteetse and Manderson |
How much public land is in Elk Area 66?
78.2% of elk Area 66 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 958,778 of 1,225,393 acres. The largest share is BLM, 897,392 acres or 73.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 66 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 897,392 | 73.2% |
| State trust land | 56,965 | 4.6% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 4,418 | 0.4% |
| National forest | 3 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 57,662 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 29,034 acres next to other public land, 25,710 acres road access or reached from other state land and 2,918 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 66
Hunter Management Areas: Greybull River (16,910 acres here), Carter Mountain (61 acres here) and Absaroka Front (22 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 31 areas covering 26,732 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 66?
WGFD estimates 76 elk were taken in elk Area 66 in 2025: 27 bulls, 3 spikes, 41 cows and 5 calves. 259 hunters hunted, and 29.3% of them took an animal. Residents: 224 hunters, 29% success; nonresidents: 35 hunters, 31.4% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 259 | 76 | 27 | 3 | 41 | 5 | 29.3% | 1,934 | 25.4 |
| 2024 | 309 | 92 | 38 | 10 | 37 | 7 | 29.8% | 1,987 | 21.6 |
| 2023 | 194 | 58 | 21 | 4 | 27 | 6 | 29.9% | 1,135 | 19.6 |
| 2022 | 231 | 47 | 24 | 6 | 17 | 0 | 20.3% | 1,421 | 30.2 |
| 2021 | 492 | 57 | 17 | 11 | 29 | 0 | 11.6% | 3,523 | 61.8 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 151 | 130 | 36 | 27.7% | 1,140 |
| General | not limited | 153 | 40 | 26.1% | 794 |
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 66 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 1 to 21 (any elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 66:
| 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 6 | Aug 15 to Jan 15 | 300 | Cow or calf |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 11. 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 66?
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, reduced price, random | 46 | 24 | not published | |
| Residents | 261 | 118 | not published |
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 reduced price 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 66?
Highways through the area: US 20 (about 86 miles inside it), WY 789 (about 55 miles inside it), US 16 (about 54 miles inside it), US 14 (about 36 miles inside it) and WY 120 (about 34 miles inside it). Towns inside: Thermopolis, Basin, Greybull, Burlington, Kirby and Lucerne. Nearby: East Thermopolis (on the line), Meeteetse (on the line), Manderson (on the line) and Worland (on the line).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 66?
Elk Area 66 touches 10 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 40 | Horse Creek | 462 | 82.2% | 131 (2025) |
| Area 41 | Medicine Lodge | 666 | 84.9% | 356 (2025) |
| Area 45 | Paint Rock Creek | 777 | 82.9% | 314 (2025) |
| Area 47 | Copper Mountain | 697 | 62.9% | 46 (2025) |
| Area 49 | Otter Creek | 1,237 | 69.5% | 400 (2025) |
| Area 58 | Sage Creek | 255 | 33% | 168 (2025) |
| Area 61 | North Greybull River | 385 | 69.3% | 537 (2025) |
| Area 63 | Wood River-Gooseberry Creek | 366 | 70.1% | 278 (2025) |
| Area 64 | Owl Creek | 1,022 | 34.8% | 197 (2025) |
| Area 65 | Heart Mountain | 1,679 | 62% | 90 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 66?
78.2% of elk Area 66 is public land: 958,778 of its 1,225,393 acres, the largest share BLM (897,392 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 66?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 29.3%: 259 active hunters took 76 elk. In 2024 it was 29.8% (92 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 66 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens August 15 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 66?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for elk Area 66. Type 6 had 307 licenses and 142 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 66?
Thermopolis, Basin and Greybull are inside the hunt area. Just outside: East Thermopolis (on the line), Meeteetse (on the line) and Manderson (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), page 11.
- 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.
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