Elk Hunt Area 82, Crystal Peak: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 82 (Crystal Peak) covers 234 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 99% public land, most of it national forest (148,293 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 318 active hunters took 147 elk here, 46.2% success. The 2026 season table lists 4 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 wildlife refugeArea 82Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Jackson (102) |
| Size | 234 square miles (149,757 acres) |
| Public land | 99% (148,293 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 132,882 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 147 (46.2% of 318 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | archery only Sep 1 to Sep 25 (Any elk); Sep 26 to Oct 25 (Antlered elk, spikes excluded) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 4 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Jackson |
How much public land is in Elk Area 82?
99% of elk Area 82 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 148,293 of 149,757 acres. The largest share is national forest, 148,293 acres or 99% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 82 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 148,293 | 99% |
| National wildlife refuge | 8 | under 0.1% |
Designated wilderness: Gros Ventre Wilderness (132,882 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 82
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Patrol Cabin (27 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 82?
WGFD estimates 147 elk were taken in elk Area 82 in 2025: 121 bulls, 7 spikes, 19 cows and 0 calves. 318 hunters hunted, and 46.2% of them took an animal. Residents: 257 hunters, 43.2% success; nonresidents: 61 hunters, 59% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 318 | 147 | 121 | 7 | 19 | 0 | 46.2% | 1,661 | 11.3 |
| 2024 | 252 | 88 | 61 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 34.9% | 1,253 | 14.2 |
| 2023 | 170 | 85 | 52 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 50% | 760 | 8.9 |
| 2022 | 241 | 76 | 47 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 31.5% | 930 | 12.2 |
| 2021 | 154 | 45 | 26 | 0 | 15 | 4 | 29.2% | 782 | 17.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 4 | 40 | 29 | 13 | 44.8% | 134 |
| General | not limited | 292 | 134 | 45.9% | 1,527 |
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 82 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 82:
| 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 | ||
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 9 | Sep 10 to Nov 5 | 40 | Antlerless elk |
| Type 4 | Nov 6 to Jan 31 | Antlerless elk valid on private land; also valid on private land in Areas 70 and 81 |
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 82?
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 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 34 | 35 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 3 | 0 | 0 |
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 82?
No numbered highway crosses the area. Nearby: Jackson (14 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 82?
Elk Area 82 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 77 | National Elk Refuge | 39 | 0% | 36 (2025) |
| Area 80 | Sheep Creek | 89 | 98.6% | 7 (2025) |
| Area 81 | Spread Creek | 351 | 98.8% | 147 (2025) |
| Area 83 | Fish Creek | 161 | 99.9% | 116 (2025) |
| Area 84 | Lower Hoback | 395 | 91.4% | 499 (2025) |
| Area 87 | Raspberry Ridge | 115 | 91.3% | 132 (2025) |
| Area 93 | Waterdog Lakes | 260 | 65.1% | 162 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 82?
99% of elk Area 82 is public land: 148,293 of its 149,757 acres, the largest share national forest (148,293 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 82?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 46.2%: 318 active hunters took 147 elk. In 2024 it was 34.9% (88 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 82 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 10 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 82?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for elk Area 82. Type 4 had 43 licenses and 40 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 82?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Jackson (14 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 82?
Yes. Gros Ventre Wilderness (132,882 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).
Get notified about FilledTag in Wyoming
Leave your email and we will let you know when FilledTag adds something new for Wyoming hunters.
The free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wyoming included.
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 77 Area 80 Area 81 Area 83 Area 84 Area 87 Area 93