Elk Hunt Area 93, Waterdog Lakes: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 93 (Waterdog Lakes) covers 260 square miles in WGFD's Pinedale Region and is 65.1% public land, most of it national forest (80,497 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 394 active hunters took 162 elk here, 41.1% success. The 2026 season table lists 4 license rows here.
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 93Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Pinedale Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Upper Green River (107) |
| Size | 260 square miles (166,370 acres) |
| Public land | 65.1% (108,281 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 24,647 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 162 (41.1% of 394 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6, Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Cora and Pinedale |
How much public land is in Elk Area 93?
65.1% of elk Area 93 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 108,281 of 166,370 acres. The largest share is national forest, 80,497 acres or 48.4% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 93 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 80,497 | 48.4% |
| BLM | 23,512 | 14.1% |
| State trust land | 4,272 | 2.6% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 4,278 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 2,540 acres next to other public land, 935 acres road access or reached from other state land and 803 acres no known public access. 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 (24,647 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 93
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Black Butte (520 acres here). Public Access Area: Green River-Warren Bridge Parking Area # 8,9 (95 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 93?
WGFD estimates 162 elk were taken in elk Area 93 in 2025: 58 bulls, 2 spikes, 92 cows and 10 calves. 394 hunters hunted, and 41.1% of them took an animal. Residents: 240 hunters, 41.2% success; nonresidents: 154 hunters, 40.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 394 | 162 | 58 | 2 | 92 | 10 | 41.1% | 3,430 | 21.2 |
| 2024 | 420 | 155 | 37 | 9 | 94 | 15 | 36.9% | 4,415 | 28.5 |
| 2023 | 357 | 143 | 55 | 0 | 83 | 5 | 40.1% | 3,836 | 26.8 |
| 2022 | 314 | 133 | 29 | 9 | 87 | 8 | 42.4% | 2,944 | 22.1 |
| 2021 | 348 | 136 | 24 | 4 | 93 | 15 | 39.1% | 3,429 | 25.2 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 200 | 183 | 84 | 45.9% | 1,720 |
| Type 6 | 274 | 234 | 78 | 33.3% | 1,656 |
| Type 8 | 38 | 18 | 0 | 0% | 54 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 17 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 93 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 93:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 200 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Nov 30 | 275 | Cow or calf |
| Type 8 | Oct 1 to Nov 30 | Unlimited | Cow or calf valid on private land |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 16. 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 93?
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 | 4 | 72 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 18 | not published | |
| Residents | 164 | 165 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 14 | 86 | 14 | 7 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 27 | 9 | 2 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 44 | 89 | not published | |
| Residents | 230 | 87 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | no limit | 2 | not published | |
| Residents | no limit | 1 | not published |
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 93?
Highways through the area: WY 352 (about 24 miles inside it), US 191 (about 12 miles inside it) and US 189 (about 11 miles inside it). Towns inside: Cora. Nearby: Pinedale (5 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 93?
Elk Area 93 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 82 | Crystal Peak | 234 | 99% | 147 (2025) |
| Area 83 | Fish Creek | 161 | 99.9% | 116 (2025) |
| Area 87 | Raspberry Ridge | 115 | 91.3% | 132 (2025) |
| Area 92 | Piney-Horse Creek | 658 | 54.7% | 497 (2025) |
| Area 95 | Green River | 322 | 99.5% | 169 (2025) |
| Area 96 | New Fork | 250 | 66.2% | 155 (2025) |
| Area 97 | Pinedale | 473 | 83.5% | 140 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 93?
65.1% of elk Area 93 is public land: 108,281 of its 166,370 acres, the largest share national forest (80,497 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 93?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 41.1%: 394 active hunters took 162 elk. In 2024 it was 36.9% (155 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 93 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 and the latest closes November 30, 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 93?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for elk Area 93. The largest, Type 6, had 274 licenses and 176 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 93?
Cora is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Pinedale (5 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 93?
Yes. Gros Ventre Wilderness (24,647 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 16.
- 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 Pinedale Region Area 82 Area 83 Area 87 Area 92 Area 95 Area 96 Area 97