Elk Hunt Area 87, Raspberry Ridge: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 87 (Raspberry Ridge) covers 115 square miles in WGFD's Pinedale Region and is 91.3% public land, most of it national forest (67,294 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 492 active hunters took 132 elk here, 26.8% success. The 2026 season table lists 5 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 forestArea 87Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Pinedale Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Upper Green River (107) |
| Size | 115 square miles (73,674 acres) |
| Public land | 91.3% (67,294 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 8,754 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 132 (26.8% of 492 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 (Any elk); Nov 1 to Nov 20 (Antlerless elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | None within 20 miles |
How much public land is in Elk Area 87?
91.3% of elk Area 87 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 67,294 of 73,674 acres. The largest share is national forest, 67,294 acres or 91.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 87 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 67,294 | 91.3% |
Designated wilderness: Gros Ventre Wilderness (8,754 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).
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 87?
WGFD estimates 132 elk were taken in elk Area 87 in 2025: 53 bulls, 0 spikes, 69 cows and 10 calves. 492 hunters hunted, and 26.8% of them took an animal. Residents: 364 hunters, 28.6% success; nonresidents: 128 hunters, 21.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 492 | 132 | 53 | 0 | 69 | 10 | 26.8% | 3,467 | 26.3 |
| 2024 | 603 | 163 | 50 | 0 | 83 | 30 | 27% | 4,476 | 27.5 |
| 2023 | 423 | 116 | 29 | 10 | 60 | 17 | 27.4% | 3,553 | 30.6 |
| 2022 | 451 | 142 | 59 | 14 | 54 | 15 | 31.5% | 2,998 | 21.1 |
| 2021 | 534 | 175 | 69 | 12 | 67 | 27 | 32.8% | 3,584 | 20.5 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 57.1% | 45 |
| Type 6 | 51 | 26 | 14 | 53.8% | 59 |
| Type 7 | 149 | 106 | 34 | 32.1% | 893 |
| General | not limited | 381 | 80 | 21% | 2,470 |
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 87 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 31 (any elk); November 1 to 20 (antlerless elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 87:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 | Any elk | |
| General | Nov 1 to Nov 20 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 1 | Dec 1 to Jan 31 | 10 | Antlered elk valid within the interior of the Dell Creek Loop Road (Forest Road 30580 and Sublette County Road 23-114) | |
| Type 6 | Dec 1 to Jan 31 | 50 | Cow or calf valid south and east of Dell Creek, and west of North Fork Fisherman Creek | |
| Type 7 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Nov 20 | 150 | Cow or calf; also valid in that portion of Area 84 south and east of Shoal Creek |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), pages 14 to 15. 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 87?
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 | 0 | 19 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 8 | 26 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 20 | 1 | 10 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 8 | 8 | not published | |
| Residents | 40 | 33 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 24 | 33 | not published | |
| Residents | 126 | 29 | 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 87?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 9 miles inside it) and US 189 (about 9 miles inside it).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 87?
Elk Area 87 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 82 | Crystal Peak | 234 | 99% | 147 (2025) |
| Area 84 | Lower Hoback | 395 | 91.4% | 499 (2025) |
| Area 86 | Monument Ridge | 116 | 97.1% | 227 (2025) |
| Area 92 | Piney-Horse Creek | 658 | 54.7% | 497 (2025) |
| Area 93 | Waterdog Lakes | 260 | 65.1% | 162 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 87?
91.3% of elk Area 87 is public land: 67,294 of its 73,674 acres, the largest share national forest (67,294 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 87?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 26.8%: 492 active hunters took 132 elk. In 2024 it was 27% (163 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 87 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 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 87?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for elk Area 87. The largest, Type 7, had 150 licenses and 62 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 87?
No incorporated town lies within 20 miles of it.
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 87?
Yes. Gros Ventre Wilderness (8,754 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), pages 14 to 15.
- 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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