Elk Hunt Area 68, Warm Springs: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 68 (Warm Springs) covers 214 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 85.8% public land, most of it national forest (111,417 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 670 active hunters took 206 elk here, 30.7% success. The 2026 season table lists 5 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 landArea 68Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Wiggins Fork (635) |
| Size | 214 square miles (137,257 acres) |
| Public land | 85.8% (117,808 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 9,871 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 206 (30.7% of 670 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | archery only Sep 15 to Sep 30 (Any elk); Oct 1 to Oct 10 (Antlered elk); Oct 11 to Oct 31 (Antlered elk, spikes excluded) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 9, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Dubois |
How much public land is in Elk Area 68?
85.8% of elk Area 68 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 117,808 of 137,257 acres. The largest share is national forest, 111,417 acres or 81.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 68 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 111,417 | 81.2% |
| BLM | 5,401 | 3.9% |
| State trust land | 990 | 0.7% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 991 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 628 acres next to other public land and 363 acres road access or reached from other state land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Fitzpatrick Wilderness (9,871 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 68
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Whiskey Basin (2,623 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 68?
WGFD estimates 206 elk were taken in elk Area 68 in 2025: 133 bulls, 10 spikes, 61 cows and 2 calves. 670 hunters hunted, and 30.7% of them took an animal. Residents: 515 hunters, 29.5% success; nonresidents: 155 hunters, 34.8% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 670 | 206 | 133 | 10 | 61 | 2 | 30.7% | 5,807 | 28.2 |
| 2024 | 504 | 125 | 79 | 5 | 39 | 2 | 24.8% | 3,495 | 28.0 |
| 2023 | 424 | 116 | 78 | 9 | 27 | 2 | 27.4% | 2,841 | 24.5 |
| 2022 | 500 | 117 | 69 | 14 | 26 | 8 | 23.4% | 3,912 | 33.4 |
| 2021 | 505 | 151 | 113 | 2 | 35 | 1 | 29.9% | 3,324 | 22.0 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 98 | 87 | 52 | 59.8% | 607 |
| Type 9 | 153 | 37 | 5 | 13.5% | 265 |
| General | not limited | 572 | 149 | 26% | 4,935 |
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 68 in 2026?
General license seasons: archery only, September 15 to 30 (any elk); October 1 to 10 (antlered elk); October 11 to 31 (antlered elk, spikes excluded). Special archery seasons open September 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 68:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 9 also Areas 67, 69 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 150 | Any elk, archery only | |
| General | Sep 15 to Sep 30 | Any elk | ||
| General | Oct 1 to Oct 10 | Antlered elk | ||
| General | Oct 11 to Oct 31 | Antlered elk, spikes excluded | ||
| Type 6 | Sep 15 to Sep 30 | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | 150 | 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 68?
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 | 24 | 41 | not published | |
| Residents | 124 | 166 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 3 | 78 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 8 | not published | |
| Residents | 126 | 29 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 11 | 90 | 12 | 6 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 8 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
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. 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 68?
Highways through the area: US 287 (about 28 miles inside it) and US 26 (about 28 miles inside it). Nearby: Dubois (on the line).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 68?
Elk Area 68 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 67 | Wigins Fork | 700 | 80.4% | 953 (2025) |
| Area 69 | Whiskey Mountain | 332 | 93.4% | 115 (2025) |
| Area 70 | Buffalo Fork | 448 | 99.1% | 218 (2025) |
| Area 81 | Spread Creek | 351 | 98.8% | 147 (2025) |
| Area 83 | Fish Creek | 161 | 99.9% | 116 (2025) |
| Area 95 | Green River | 322 | 99.5% | 169 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 68?
85.8% of elk Area 68 is public land: 117,808 of its 137,257 acres, the largest share national forest (111,417 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 68?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 30.7%: 670 active hunters took 206 elk. In 2024 it was 24.8% (125 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 68 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes November 30, 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 68?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 68. The largest, Type 9, had 150 licenses and 222 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 68?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Dubois (on the line).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 68?
Yes. Fitzpatrick Wilderness (9,871 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 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.
Wyoming hunting Elk hunt areas Lander Region Area 67 Area 69 Area 70 Area 81 Area 83 Area 95