Elk Hunt Area 97, Pinedale: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 97 (Pinedale) covers 473 square miles in WGFD's Pinedale Region and is 83.5% public land, most of it national forest (168,132 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 497 active hunters took 140 elk here, 28.2% 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 forestBLMState trust landWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 97Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Pinedale Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Pinedale (108) |
| Size | 473 square miles (302,729 acres) |
| Public land | 83.5% (252,895 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 129,802 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 140 (28.2% of 497 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Oct 1 to Oct 15 (Any elk); Oct 16 to Nov 20 (Antlerless elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Pinedale, Marbleton and Big Piney |
How much public land is in Elk Area 97?
83.5% of elk Area 97 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 252,895 of 302,729 acres. The largest share is national forest, 168,132 acres or 55.5% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 97 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 168,132 | 55.5% |
| BLM | 79,383 | 26.2% |
| State trust land | 5,380 | 1.8% |
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 6 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 5,382 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 2,775 acres road access or reached from other state land, 1,327 acres no known public access and 1,280 acres next to other public land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Bridger Wilderness (129,690 acres) and Fitzpatrick Wilderness (112 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).
PAD-US maps 6 acres here inside the Wind River Reservation. Tribal land there is not open to hunting on Wyoming licenses; some ground inside the reservation line is private or managed by WGFD and follows its own rules.
WGFD access areas in Elk Area 97
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Half Moon (3,761 acres here) and Fall Creek (633 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 97?
WGFD estimates 140 elk were taken in elk Area 97 in 2025: 86 bulls, 3 spikes, 44 cows and 7 calves. 497 hunters hunted, and 28.2% of them took an animal. Residents: 373 hunters, 24.1% success; nonresidents: 124 hunters, 40.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 497 | 140 | 86 | 3 | 44 | 7 | 28.2% | 4,239 | 30.3 |
| 2024 | 485 | 214 | 58 | 6 | 121 | 29 | 44.1% | 3,640 | 17.0 |
| 2023 | 388 | 153 | 56 | 0 | 82 | 15 | 39.4% | 3,154 | 20.6 |
| 2022 | 455 | 233 | 79 | 4 | 129 | 21 | 51.2% | 3,575 | 15.3 |
| 2021 | 427 | 129 | 70 | 3 | 40 | 16 | 30.2% | 2,799 | 21.7 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 251 | 213 | 89 | 41.8% | 1,831 |
| Type 6 | 200 | 154 | 34 | 22.1% | 1,215 |
| General | not limited | 186 | 17 | 9.1% | 1,193 |
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 97 in 2026?
General license seasons: October 1 to 15 (any elk); October 16 to November 20 (antlerless elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 97:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 19 | Oct 1 to Oct 15 | Any elk | |
| General | Oct 16 to Nov 20 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 19 | Sep 20 to Oct 31 | 250 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 19 | Sep 20 to Nov 30 | 200 | Cow or calf |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 17. 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 97?
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 | 6 | 37 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 4 | 7 | not published | |
| Residents | 210 | 72 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 18 | 55 | 18 | 5 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 12 | 19 | 12 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 32 | 51 | not published | |
| Residents | 168 | 103 | 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 97?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 12 miles inside it) and WY 351 (about 2 miles inside it). Nearby: Pinedale (on the line), Marbleton (9 miles) and Big Piney (10 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 97?
Elk Area 97 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 69 | Whiskey Mountain | 332 | 93.4% | 115 (2025) |
| Area 92 | Piney-Horse Creek | 658 | 54.7% | 497 (2025) |
| Area 93 | Waterdog Lakes | 260 | 65.1% | 162 (2025) |
| Area 95 | Green River | 322 | 99.5% | 169 (2025) |
| Area 96 | New Fork | 250 | 66.2% | 155 (2025) |
| Area 98 | Boulder | 1,931 | 92.2% | 392 (2025) |
| Area 127 | Crowheart Butte | 3,080 | 0% | 54 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 97?
83.5% of elk Area 97 is public land: 252,895 of its 302,729 acres, the largest share national forest (168,132 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 97?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 28.2%: 497 active hunters took 140 elk. In 2024 it was 44.1% (214 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 97 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 20 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 97?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 97. The largest, Type 1, had 250 licenses and 190 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 97?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Pinedale (on the line), Marbleton (9 miles) and Big Piney (10 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 97?
Yes. Bridger Wilderness (129,690 acres) and Fitzpatrick Wilderness (112 acres) lie 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 17.
- 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 69 Area 92 Area 93 Area 95 Area 96 Area 98 Area 127