Elk Hunt Area 85, Fall Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 85 (Fall Creek) covers 280 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 92.3% public land, most of it national forest (164,100 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 733 active hunters took 258 elk here, 35.2% 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 forestBLMState trust landArea 85Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Fall Creek (103) |
| Size | 280 square miles (179,061 acres) |
| Public land | 92.3% (165,217 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 258 (35.2% of 733 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | archery only Sep 1 to Sep 25 (Any elk); Sep 26 to Oct 31 (Any elk, spikes excluded) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 7, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Wilson, Alpine Northeast, Alpine Northwest, Alpine, Jackson and Star Valley Ranch |
How much public land is in Elk Area 85?
92.3% of elk Area 85 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 165,217 of 179,061 acres. The largest share is national forest, 164,100 acres or 91.6% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 85 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 164,100 | 91.6% |
| State trust land | 825 | 0.5% |
| BLM | 292 | 0.2% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 827 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 636 acres road access or reached from other state land, 159 acres next to other public land and 32 acres access not yet researched. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 85
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: South Park (38 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 85?
WGFD estimates 258 elk were taken in elk Area 85 in 2025: 134 bulls, 0 spikes, 105 cows and 19 calves. 733 hunters hunted, and 35.2% of them took an animal. Residents: 620 hunters, 36.3% success; nonresidents: 113 hunters, 29.2% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 733 | 258 | 134 | 0 | 105 | 19 | 35.2% | 5,367 | 20.8 |
| 2024 | 860 | 221 | 119 | 0 | 71 | 31 | 25.7% | 5,642 | 25.5 |
| 2023 | 758 | 282 | 144 | 14 | 100 | 24 | 37.2% | 5,631 | 20.0 |
| 2022 | 672 | 202 | 105 | 0 | 76 | 21 | 30.1% | 4,753 | 23.5 |
| 2021 | 753 | 195 | 121 | 4 | 61 | 9 | 25.9% | 4,390 | 22.5 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 100 | 84 | 32 | 38.1% | 612 |
| Type 7 | 250 | 9 | 4 | 44.4% | 47 |
| General | not limited | 692 | 222 | 32.1% | 4,708 |
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 85 in 2026?
General license seasons: archery only, September 1 to 25 (any elk); September 26 to October 31 (any elk, spikes excluded). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 85:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 7 also Area 84 | 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 | |
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Any elk | ||
| General | Sep 26 to Oct 31 | Any elk, spikes excluded | ||
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Sep 26 to Nov 15 | 100 | Cow or calf |
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 85?
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, reduced price, random | 16 | 59 | not published | |
| Residents | 84 | 143 | 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 reduced price 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. A license valid in more than one area is listed under the first area WGFD prints for it.
How do you get to Elk Area 85?
Highways through the area: US 26 (about 28 miles inside it), US 89 (about 26 miles inside it), WY 22 (about 5 miles inside it), US 189 (about 3 miles inside it) and US 191 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Wilson, Alpine Northeast and Alpine Northwest. Nearby: Alpine (on the line), Jackson (4 miles), Star Valley Ranch (13 miles) and Thayne (17 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 85?
Elk Area 85 touches 5 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 78 | Wilson | 71 | 36% | 106 (2025) |
| Area 84 | Lower Hoback | 395 | 91.4% | 499 (2025) |
| Area 88 | Greys Feedground | 18 | 63.4% | 32 (2025) |
| Area 89 | Lower Greys River | 263 | 99.8% | 253 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 85?
92.3% of elk Area 85 is public land: 165,217 of its 179,061 acres, the largest share national forest (164,100 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 85?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 35.2%: 733 active hunters took 258 elk. In 2024 it was 25.7% (221 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 85 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 85?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 85. The largest, Type 7, had 284 licenses and 47 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 85?
Wilson, Alpine Northeast and Alpine Northwest are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Alpine (on the line), Jackson (4 miles) and Star Valley Ranch (13 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 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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