Elk Hunt Area 78, Wilson: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 78 (Wilson) covers 71 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 36% public land, most of it national forest (14,659 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 233 active hunters took 106 elk here, 45.5% success. The 2026 season table lists 8 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 landNational wildlife refugeNational park (no general hunting)Area 78Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Jackson (102) |
| Size | 71 square miles (45,366 acres) |
| Public land | 36% (16,349 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 45 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 106 (45.5% of 233 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Aug 15 to Oct 31 (Antlerless elk valid on private land); archery only Sep 1 to Sep 25 (Any elk valid in the entire area) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Moose Wilson Road, Teton Village and Jackson |
How much public land is in Elk Area 78?
36% of elk Area 78 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 16,349 of 45,366 acres. The largest share is national forest, 14,659 acres or 32.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 78 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 14,659 | 32.3% |
| State trust land | 1,178 | 2.6% |
| BLM | 512 | 1.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 206 | 0.5% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 73 | 0.2% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 1,177 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 967 acres road access or reached from other state land, 110 acres no known public access and 100 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: Jedediah Smith Wilderness (45 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).
73 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 78
Hunter Management Area: National Elk Refuge (42 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 78?
WGFD estimates 106 elk were taken in elk Area 78 in 2025: 63 bulls, 0 spikes, 40 cows and 3 calves. 233 hunters hunted, and 45.5% of them took an animal. Residents: 166 hunters, 47% success; nonresidents: 67 hunters, 41.8% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 233 | 106 | 63 | 0 | 40 | 3 | 45.5% | 1,936 | 18.3 |
| 2024 | 292 | 138 | 76 | 3 | 55 | 4 | 47.3% | 2,827 | 20.5 |
| 2023 | 200 | 106 | 64 | 2 | 32 | 8 | 53% | 1,282 | 12.1 |
| 2022 | 204 | 125 | 60 | 0 | 53 | 12 | 61.3% | 1,314 | 10.5 |
| 2021 | 180 | 86 | 32 | 2 | 40 | 12 | 47.8% | 1,041 | 12.1 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 77 | 55 | 36 | 65.5% | 337 |
| Type 2 | 51 | 43 | 22 | 51.2% | 286 |
| Type 6 | 174 | 116 | 38 | 32.8% | 1,041 |
| General | not limited | 24 | 10 | 41.7% | 272 |
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 78 in 2026?
General license seasons: August 15 to October 31 (antlerless elk valid on private land); archery only, September 1 to 25 (any elk valid in the entire area). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 78:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Aug 15 to Oct 31 | Antlerless elk valid on private land | ||
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Any elk valid in the entire area | ||
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 25 | 75 | Any elk valid off national forest | |
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Sep 26 to Jan 31 | Any elk valid in the entire area | |
| Type 2 | Aug 15 to Oct 31 | 50 | Any elk valid on private land | |
| Type 2 | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Any elk valid in the entire area | ||
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Sep 25 | 175 | Cow or calf valid off national forest | |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Sep 26 to Jan 31 | Cow or calf valid in the entire area |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 13. 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 78?
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 | 1 | 16 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 57 | 74 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 6 | 22 | 6 | 3 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 1 | 4 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 42 | 16 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 5 | 9 | 5 | 4 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 28 | 19 | not published | |
| Residents | 153 | 54 | 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 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 78?
Highways through the area: WY 390 (about 8 miles inside it), WY 22 (about 7 miles inside it), US 189 (about 2 miles inside it), US 26 (about 2 miles inside it) and US 89 (about 2 miles inside it). Towns inside: Moose Wilson Road and Teton Village. Nearby: Jackson (on the line).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 78?
Elk Area 78 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 73 | Targhee-Alta | 382 | 96.2% | 57 (2025) |
| Area 77 | National Elk Refuge | 39 | 0% | 36 (2025) |
| Area 84 | Lower Hoback | 395 | 91.4% | 499 (2025) |
| Area 85 | Fall Creek | 280 | 92.3% | 258 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 78?
36% of elk Area 78 is public land: 16,349 of its 45,366 acres, the largest share national forest (14,659 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 78?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 45.5%: 233 active hunters took 106 elk. In 2024 it was 47.3% (138 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 78 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens August 15 and the latest closes January 31, 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 78?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for elk Area 78. The largest, Type 6, had 181 licenses and 73 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 78?
Moose Wilson Road and Teton Village are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Jackson (on the line).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 78?
Yes. Jedediah Smith Wilderness (45 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 13.
- 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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