Elk Hunt Area 81, Spread Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 81 (Spread Creek) covers 351 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 98.8% public land, most of it national forest (221,731 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 531 active hunters took 147 elk here, 27.7% 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 forestState trust landNational park (no general hunting)Area 81Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Jackson (102) |
| Size | 351 square miles (224,379 acres) |
| Public land | 98.8% (221,736 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 147 (27.7% of 531 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | archery only Sep 1 to Sep 25 (Any elk); Sep 26 to Oct 25 (Antlered elk, spikes excluded) |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Jackson |
How much public land is in Elk Area 81?
98.8% of elk Area 81 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 221,736 of 224,379 acres. The largest share is national forest, 221,731 acres or 98.8% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 81 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 221,731 | 98.8% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 241 | 0.1% |
| State trust land | 5 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 5 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 5 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.
241 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 81
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Patrol Cabin (133 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 81?
WGFD estimates 147 elk were taken in elk Area 81 in 2025: 142 bulls, 3 spikes, 2 cows and 0 calves. 531 hunters hunted, and 27.7% of them took an animal. Residents: 373 hunters, 23.9% success; nonresidents: 158 hunters, 36.7% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 531 | 147 | 142 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 27.7% | 3,035 | 20.6 |
| 2024 | 343 | 84 | 81 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 24.5% | 2,076 | 24.7 |
| 2023 | 424 | 156 | 144 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 36.8% | 2,638 | 16.9 |
| 2022 | 466 | 137 | 137 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29.4% | 3,498 | 25.5 |
| 2021 | 456 | 127 | 125 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 27.9% | 2,853 | 22.5 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 4 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 0% | 5 |
| General | not limited | 529 | 147 | 27.8% | 3,030 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 16 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 81 in 2026?
General license seasons: archery only, September 1 to 25 (any elk); September 26 to October 25 (antlered elk, spikes excluded). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 81:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Any elk | ||
| General | Sep 26 to Oct 25 | Antlered elk, spikes excluded |
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 81?
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 81?
Highways through the area: US 26 (about 16 miles inside it) and US 287 (about 16 miles inside it). Nearby: Jackson (15 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 81?
Elk Area 81 touches 8 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 68 | Warm Springs | 214 | 85.8% | 206 (2025) |
| Area 70 | Buffalo Fork | 448 | 99.1% | 218 (2025) |
| Area 75 | Snake River | 47 | 1.9% | 13 (2025) |
| Area 77 | National Elk Refuge | 39 | 0% | 36 (2025) |
| Area 79 | Teton Park | 65 | 0.5% | not reported |
| Area 82 | Crystal Peak | 234 | 99% | 147 (2025) |
| Area 83 | Fish Creek | 161 | 99.9% | 116 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 81?
98.8% of elk Area 81 is public land: 221,736 of its 224,379 acres, the largest share national forest (221,731 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 81?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 27.7%: 531 active hunters took 147 elk. In 2024 it was 24.5% (84 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 81 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 26 and the latest closes October 25, 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 81?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Jackson (15 miles).
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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.
Wyoming hunting Elk hunt areas Jackson Region Area 67 Area 68 Area 70 Area 75 Area 77 Area 82 Area 83