Moose Hunt Area 1, Goose Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Moose Hunt Area 1 (Goose Creek) covers 1,246 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 63.5% public land, most of it national forest (479,965 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 18 active hunters took 15 moose here, 83.3% success. The 2026 season table lists 2 license rows here.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WGFD reports for 2021 to 2025. Seasons: WGFD Commission Chapter 8, 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 1Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region (also Cody) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Bighorn (313) |
| Size | 1,246 square miles (797,673 acres) |
| Public land | 63.5% (506,776 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 57,488 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 15 (83.3% of 18 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Sheridan, Ranchester, Dayton and Buffalo |
How much public land is in Moose Area 1?
63.5% of moose Area 1 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 506,776 of 797,673 acres. The largest share is national forest, 479,965 acres or 60.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 1 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 479,965 | 60.2% |
| State trust land | 23,867 | 3% |
| BLM | 2,944 | 0.4% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 23,876 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 17,112 acres road access or reached from other state land, 3,953 acres no known public access, 2,719 acres next to other public land and 92 acres access not yet researched. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Cloud Peak Wilderness (57,488 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 Moose Area 1
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Kerns (4,943 acres here) and Amsden Creek (3,773 acres here). Public Access Area: Tongue River Canyon (135 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Soldier Creek (3,992 acres here), PK Lane (208 acres here) and Big Goose (78 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 7 areas covering 6,445 acres of private land enrolled in WGFD's Access Yes program.
Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's hunt area boundary (WGFD moose hunt areas (2026)) 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 moose are harvested in Moose Area 1?
WGFD estimates 15 moose were taken in moose Area 1 in 2025: 7 bulls, 8 cows and 0 calves. 18 hunters hunted, and 83.3% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 83.3% | 82 | 5.5 |
| 2024 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 100% | 30 | 3.0 |
| 2023 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 100% | 122 | 7.6 |
| 2022 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 100% | 38 | 4.8 |
| 2021 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 92.9% | 153 | 11.8 |
Source: WGFD 2025 moose harvest report, page 7 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.
When is moose season in Moose Area 1 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 1:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 9 | Any moose, except cow moose with calf at side |
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 17 | Antlerless moose, except cow moose with calf at side |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 8 (final, April 2026), page 1. WGFD can change a season by emergency rule: check WGFD's regulations page before you go.
What did the 2026 draw look like in Moose Area 1?
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 | 40 | not published | |
| Residents, random | 2 | 1,388 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 41 | 1 | 28 |
| Residents, preference points | 6 | 1,394 | 6 | 30 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 0 | 4 | not published | |
| Residents, random | 4 | 114 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 5 | 1 | 23 |
| Residents, preference points | 12 | 126 | 12 | 12 |
Source: WGFD 2026 moose 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 Moose Area 1?
Highways through the area: US 14 (about 47 miles inside it), US 87 (about 27 miles inside it), WY 345 (about 19 miles inside it), WY 331 (about 10 miles inside it) and WY 335 (about 9 miles inside it). Towns inside: Sheridan, Ranchester, Dayton, Parkman, Story and Powder Horn. Nearby: Buffalo (13 miles).
Which moose hunt areas border Area 1?
Moose Area 1 touches 2 other moose hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 34 | Hunter Mesa | 945 | 54.2% | 4 (2025) |
| Area 42 | West Bighorn | 1,963 | 82.4% | 11 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Moose Area 1?
63.5% of moose Area 1 is public land: 506,776 of its 797,673 acres, the largest share national forest (479,965 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 Moose Area 1?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 83.3%: 18 active hunters took 15 moose. In 2024 it was 100% (10 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does moose season open in Moose Area 1 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 and the latest closes October 31, by WGFD Commission Chapter 8. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
How many licenses were in the 2026 draw for Moose Area 1?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for moose Area 1. The largest, Type 4, had 17 licenses and 249 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Moose Area 1?
Sheridan, Ranchester and Dayton are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Buffalo (13 miles).
Is there wilderness in Moose Area 1?
Yes. Cloud Peak Wilderness (57,488 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 moose harvest reports, 2021 to 2025, listed here.
- Seasons, quotas and limitations: WGFD Commission Chapter 8 (final, April 2026), page 1.
- Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports; deadlines and fees on the Wyoming draw page.
- Hunt area boundary: WGFD moose hunt areas (2026). 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 Moose hunt areas Sheridan Region Area 34 Area 42