Elk Hunt Area 70, Buffalo Fork: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 70 (Buffalo Fork) covers 448 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 99.1% public land, most of it national forest (283,946 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 528 active hunters took 218 elk here, 41.3% 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 forestNational park (no general hunting)Area 70Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Jackson (102) |
| Size | 448 square miles (286,595 acres) |
| Public land | 99.1% (283,946 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 247,622 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 218 (41.3% of 528 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | archery only Sep 1 to Sep 19 (Any elk); Sep 20 to Oct 31 (Antlered elk, spikes excluded) |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | None within 20 miles |
How much public land is in Elk Area 70?
99.1% of elk Area 70 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 283,946 of 286,595 acres. The largest share is national forest, 283,946 acres or 99.1% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 70 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 283,946 | 99.1% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 161 | 0.1% |
Designated wilderness: Teton Wilderness (247,461 acres) and Washakie Wilderness (161 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).
161 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 70?
WGFD estimates 218 elk were taken in elk Area 70 in 2025: 215 bulls, 0 spikes, 3 cows and 0 calves. 528 hunters hunted, and 41.3% of them took an animal. Residents: 355 hunters, 32.1% success; nonresidents: 173 hunters, 60.1% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 528 | 218 | 215 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 41.3% | 2,674 | 12.3 |
| 2024 | 519 | 214 | 205 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 41.2% | 3,228 | 15.1 |
| 2023 | 441 | 224 | 216 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 50.8% | 2,571 | 11.5 |
| 2022 | 401 | 160 | 160 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.9% | 2,818 | 17.6 |
| 2021 | 424 | 122 | 122 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.8% | 2,125 | 17.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 4 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 |
| General | not limited | 528 | 218 | 41.3% | 2,674 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 15 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 70 in 2026?
General license seasons: archery only, September 1 to 19 (any elk); September 20 to October 31 (antlered elk, spikes excluded). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 70:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 19 | Any elk | ||
| General | Sep 20 to Oct 31 | Antlered elk, spikes excluded |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), pages 11 to 12. 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 70?
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.
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 70?
Highways through the area: US 26 (about 6 miles inside it) and US 287 (about 6 miles inside it).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 70?
Elk Area 70 touches 7 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 59 | Boulder Basin | 393 | 91.1% | 307 (2025) |
| Area 60 | Thorofare | 331 | 99.9% | 154 (2025) |
| Area 67 | Wigins Fork | 700 | 80.4% | 953 (2025) |
| Area 68 | Warm Springs | 214 | 85.8% | 206 (2025) |
| Area 71 | Pacific Creek | 234 | 84% | 108 (2025) |
| Area 79 | Teton Park | 65 | 0.5% | not reported |
| Area 81 | Spread Creek | 351 | 98.8% | 147 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 70?
99.1% of elk Area 70 is public land: 283,946 of its 286,595 acres, the largest share national forest (283,946 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 70?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 41.3%: 528 active hunters took 218 elk. In 2024 it was 41.2% (214 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 70 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 20 and the latest closes October 31, by WGFD Commission Chapter 7. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 70?
No incorporated town lies within 20 miles of it.
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 70?
Yes. Teton Wilderness (247,461 acres) and Washakie Wilderness (161 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 11 to 12.
- 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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