Elk Hunt Area 89, Lower Greys River: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 89 (Lower Greys River) covers 263 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 99.8% public land, most of it national forest (167,665 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 918 active hunters took 253 elk here, 27.6% success. The 2026 season table lists 1 license row 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 89Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Afton (105) |
| Size | 263 square miles (168,047 acres) |
| Public land | 99.8% (167,665 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 253 (27.6% of 918 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 15 to Oct 26 (Any elk) |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Alpine, Star Valley Ranch and Thayne |
How much public land is in Elk Area 89?
99.8% of elk Area 89 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 167,665 of 168,047 acres. The largest share is national forest, 167,665 acres or 99.8% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 89 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 167,665 | 99.8% |
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 89?
WGFD estimates 253 elk were taken in elk Area 89 in 2025: 148 bulls, 24 spikes, 78 cows and 3 calves. 918 hunters hunted, and 27.6% of them took an animal. Residents: 664 hunters, 25.9% success; nonresidents: 254 hunters, 31.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 918 | 253 | 148 | 24 | 78 | 3 | 27.6% | 5,163 | 20.4 |
| 2024 | 879 | 231 | 159 | 7 | 54 | 11 | 26.3% | 5,278 | 22.8 |
| 2023 | 801 | 246 | 161 | 8 | 64 | 13 | 30.7% | 4,458 | 18.1 |
| 2022 | 861 | 271 | 175 | 23 | 52 | 21 | 31.5% | 4,452 | 16.4 |
| 2021 | 900 | 239 | 116 | 43 | 73 | 7 | 26.6% | 4,818 | 20.2 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | not limited | 918 | 253 | 27.6% | 5,163 |
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 89 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 15 to 26 (any elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 89:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 15 to Oct 26 | Any elk |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 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 89?
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 89?
No numbered highway crosses the area. Nearby: Alpine (on the line), Star Valley Ranch (3 miles), Thayne (7 miles) and Afton (14 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 89?
Elk Area 89 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 84 | Lower Hoback | 395 | 91.4% | 499 (2025) |
| Area 85 | Fall Creek | 280 | 92.3% | 258 (2025) |
| Area 86 | Monument Ridge | 116 | 97.1% | 227 (2025) |
| Area 88 | Greys Feedground | 18 | 63.4% | 32 (2025) |
| Area 90 | Upper Greys River | 221 | 100% | 116 (2025) |
| Area 91 | Salt River | 465 | 60.5% | 516 (2025) |
| Area 92 | Piney-Horse Creek | 658 | 54.7% | 497 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 89?
99.8% of elk Area 89 is public land: 167,665 of its 168,047 acres, the largest share national forest (167,665 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 89?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 27.6%: 918 active hunters took 253 elk. In 2024 it was 26.3% (231 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 89 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 15 and the latest closes October 26, 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 89?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Alpine (on the line), Star Valley Ranch (3 miles) and Thayne (7 miles).
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 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.
Wyoming hunting Elk hunt areas Jackson Region Area 84 Area 85 Area 86 Area 88 Area 90 Area 91 Area 92