Elk Hunt Area 84, Lower Hoback: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 84 (Lower Hoback) covers 395 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 91.4% public land, most of it national forest (230,400 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 1,343 active hunters took 499 elk here, 37.2% success. The 2026 season table lists 7 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 84Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region (also Pinedale) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Fall Creek (103) |
| Size | 395 square miles (253,009 acres) |
| Public land | 91.4% (231,262 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 79,288 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 499 (37.2% of 1,343 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | archery only Sep 1 to Sep 25 (Any elk); Sep 26 to Oct 31 (Any elk, spikes excluded); Nov 1 to Nov 15 (Antlerless elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Jackson, Hoback, South Park, Alpine and Star Valley Ranch |
How much public land is in Elk Area 84?
91.4% of elk Area 84 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 231,262 of 253,009 acres. The largest share is national forest, 230,400 acres or 91.1% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 84 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 230,400 | 91.1% |
| State trust land | 699 | 0.3% |
| BLM | 163 | 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 703 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 664 acres next to other public land and 39 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: Gros Ventre Wilderness (79,288 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 84
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: South Park (968 acres here), Horse Creek (332 acres here) and Camp Creek (149 acres here). Public Access Area: Von Gontard Landing (28 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 84?
WGFD estimates 499 elk were taken in elk Area 84 in 2025: 221 bulls, 4 spikes, 232 cows and 42 calves. 1,343 hunters hunted, and 37.2% of them took an animal. Residents: 962 hunters, 31.9% success; nonresidents: 381 hunters, 50.4% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,343 | 499 | 221 | 4 | 232 | 42 | 37.2% | 8,632 | 17.3 |
| 2024 | 1,500 | 604 | 264 | 8 | 287 | 45 | 40.3% | 7,588 | 12.6 |
| 2023 | 1,035 | 501 | 230 | 0 | 236 | 35 | 48.4% | 6,508 | 13.0 |
| 2022 | 1,010 | 378 | 148 | 0 | 206 | 24 | 37.4% | 5,607 | 14.8 |
| 2021 | 845 | 260 | 112 | 0 | 119 | 29 | 30.8% | 4,861 | 18.7 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 100 | 31 | 22 | 71% | 110 |
| Type 6 | 402 | 332 | 113 | 34% | 2,098 |
| Type 7 | 399 | 120 | 64 | 53.3% | 519 |
| General | not limited | 988 | 300 | 30.4% | 5,905 |
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 84 in 2026?
General license seasons: archery only, September 1 to 25 (any elk); September 26 to October 31 (any elk, spikes excluded); November 1 to 15 (antlerless elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 84:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Any elk | ||
| General | Sep 26 to Oct 31 | Any elk, spikes excluded | ||
| General | Nov 1 to Nov 15 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 1 | Nov 1 to Jan 31 | 100 | Any elk valid on private land west of U.S. Highway 191 and north and east of the Snake River starting at the South Park Bridge | |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Sep 26 to Nov 30 | 400 | Cow or calf; except that portion of Area 84 east and south of Shoal Creek to the Hoback River shall be closed after Nov. 20 |
| Type 6 | Dec 1 to Dec 31 | Cow or calf valid south of the Hoback River | ||
| Type 7 also Area 85 | Aug 15 to Jan 31 | 250 | Cow or calf valid on private land in Area 84; also valid in that portion of Area 85 on or within 200 yards of irrigated land north of Fall Creek |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 14. 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 84?
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 | 2 | 39 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 84 | 28 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 7 | 46 | 7 | 2 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 64 | 114 | not published | |
| Residents | 336 | 278 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 40 | 3 | not published | |
| Residents | 244 | 44 | 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 84?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 27 miles inside it), US 189 (about 27 miles inside it), US 26 (about 10 miles inside it) and US 89 (about 10 miles inside it). Towns inside: Jackson, Hoback, South Park and Rafter J Ranch. Nearby: Alpine (12 miles) and Star Valley Ranch (17 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 84?
Elk Area 84 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 77 | National Elk Refuge | 39 | 0% | 36 (2025) |
| Area 78 | Wilson | 71 | 36% | 106 (2025) |
| Area 80 | Sheep Creek | 89 | 98.6% | 7 (2025) |
| Area 82 | Crystal Peak | 234 | 99% | 147 (2025) |
| Area 85 | Fall Creek | 280 | 92.3% | 258 (2025) |
| Area 86 | Monument Ridge | 116 | 97.1% | 227 (2025) |
| Area 87 | Raspberry Ridge | 115 | 91.3% | 132 (2025) |
| Area 89 | Lower Greys River | 263 | 99.8% | 253 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 84?
91.4% of elk Area 84 is public land: 231,262 of its 253,009 acres, the largest share national forest (230,400 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 84?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 37.2%: 1,343 active hunters took 499 elk. In 2024 it was 40.3% (604 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 84 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 84?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for elk Area 84. The largest, Type 6, had 400 licenses and 392 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 84?
Jackson, Hoback and South Park are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Alpine (12 miles) and Star Valley Ranch (17 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 84?
Yes. Gros Ventre Wilderness (79,288 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 14.
- 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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