Elk Hunt Area 99, Big Sandy: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 99 (Big Sandy) covers 688 square miles in WGFD's Pinedale Region and is 91.5% public land, most of it BLM (302,132 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 307 active hunters took 153 elk here, 49.8% success. The 2026 season table lists 3 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 landBureau of ReclamationArea 99Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Pinedale Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | South Wind River (637) |
| Size | 688 square miles (440,095 acres) |
| Public land | 91.5% (402,607 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 37,466 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 153 (49.8% of 307 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Farson |
How much public land is in Elk Area 99?
91.5% of elk Area 99 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 402,607 of 440,095 acres. The largest share is BLM, 302,132 acres or 68.7% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 99 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 302,132 | 68.7% |
| National forest | 62,824 | 14.3% |
| State trust land | 25,462 | 5.8% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 12,189 | 2.8% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 25,812 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 18,248 acres next to other public land and 7,564 acres road access or reached from other state 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 (37,391 acres) and Popo Agie Wilderness (75 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 99?
WGFD estimates 153 elk were taken in elk Area 99 in 2025: 87 bulls, 4 spikes, 55 cows and 7 calves. 307 hunters hunted, and 49.8% of them took an animal. Residents: 255 hunters, 47.1% success; nonresidents: 52 hunters, 63.5% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 307 | 153 | 87 | 4 | 55 | 7 | 49.8% | 2,399 | 15.7 |
| 2024 | 304 | 133 | 57 | 7 | 58 | 11 | 43.8% | 2,891 | 21.7 |
| 2023 | 274 | 127 | 67 | 0 | 51 | 9 | 46.4% | 2,250 | 17.7 |
| 2022 | 294 | 161 | 53 | 11 | 76 | 21 | 54.8% | 2,364 | 14.7 |
| 2021 | 306 | 139 | 63 | 7 | 69 | 0 | 45.4% | 2,464 | 17.7 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 150 | 148 | 99 | 66.9% | 1,241 |
| Type 4 | 176 | 160 | 54 | 33.8% | 1,158 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 18 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 99 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 99:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 150 | Any elk |
| Type 1 | Nov 1 to Nov 20 | Antlerless elk | ||
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Nov 20 | 175 | Antlerless elk |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 18. 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 99?
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 | 3 | 71 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 24 | not published | |
| Residents | 124 | 560 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 11 | 82 | 11 | 11 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 8 | 32 | 8 | 11 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 6 | 3 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 147 | 48 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 19 | 22 | 19 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 0 | 0 |
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 99?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 5 miles inside it) and WY 28 (about 5 miles inside it). Towns inside: Farson.
Which elk hunt areas border Area 99?
Elk Area 99 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 25 | South Pass | 1,213 | 83.6% | 250 (2025) |
| Area 27 | Upper Sweetwater | 118 | 93.8% | 47 (2025) |
| Area 28 | Cony Mountain | 542 | 82% | 398 (2025) |
| Area 98 | Boulder | 1,931 | 92.2% | 392 (2025) |
| Area 100 | Steamboat | 3,735 | 72.6% | 425 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 99?
91.5% of elk Area 99 is public land: 402,607 of its 440,095 acres, the largest share BLM (302,132 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 99?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 49.8%: 307 active hunters took 153 elk. In 2024 it was 43.8% (133 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 99 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 and the latest closes November 20, 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 99?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for elk Area 99. The largest, Type 4, had 184 licenses and 73 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 99?
Farson is inside the hunt area.
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 99?
Yes. Bridger Wilderness (37,391 acres) and Popo Agie Wilderness (75 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 18.
- 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 25 Area 27 Area 28 Area 98 Area 100