Moose Hunt Area 11, North Fork: harvest, draw results and public land
Moose Hunt Area 11 (North Fork) covers 2,682 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 83.4% public land, most of it national forest (1,269,999 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 5 active hunters took 5 moose here, 100% success. The 2026 season table lists 1 license row 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 landBureau of ReclamationNational park (no general hunting)Other public (state parks, military)Area 11Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Absaroka (201) |
| Size | 2,682 square miles (1,716,617 acres) |
| Public land | 83.4% (1,431,343 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 761,688 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 5 (100% of 5 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Cody, Meeteetse, Dubois and Powell |
How much public land is in Moose Area 11?
83.4% of moose Area 11 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 1,431,343 of 1,716,617 acres. The largest share is national forest, 1,269,999 acres or 74% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 11 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 1,269,999 | 74% |
| BLM | 107,018 | 6.2% |
| State trust land | 36,582 | 2.1% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 17,744 | 1% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 576 | under 0.1% |
| Other public (state parks, military) | 112 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 36,935 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 20,018 acres road access or reached from other state land, 9,098 acres next to other public land, 7,777 acres no known public access and 42 acres possible access by water. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Washakie Wilderness (392,145 acres), North Absaroka Wilderness (345,831 acres), Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (23,649 acres) and Teton Wilderness (63 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).
576 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Moose Area 11
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Sunlight Basin (1,410 acres here). Public Access Areas: Clarks Fork River-Clark Canyon (2,883 acres here), Newton Lakes (471 acres here), North Fork Shoshone River-Big Creek (318 acres here), Clarks Fork River-Hatchery (281 acres here), Shoshone River-Sulphur Creek (193 acres here) and South Fork Shoshone River-Twin Creek Trailhead (123 acres here) and 6 more. Hunter Management Areas: Carter Mountain (80,997 acres here) and Bear Creek (1,225 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 2 areas covering 3,017 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 11?
WGFD estimates 5 moose were taken in moose Area 11 in 2025: 5 bulls, 0 cows and 0 calves. 5 hunters hunted, and 100% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 40 | 8.0 |
| 2024 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 73 | 14.6 |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 175 | 35.0 |
| 2022 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 28 | 5.6 |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 13 | 2.6 |
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 11 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 11:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 9 | Sep 10 to Nov 10 | 5 | Antlered moose |
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 11?
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 | 13 | not published | |
| Residents, random | 1 | 407 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 14 | 1 | 25 |
| Residents, preference points | 3 | 410 | 3 | 26 |
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 11?
Highways through the area: US 14 (about 53 miles inside it), US 16 (about 53 miles inside it), US 20 (about 53 miles inside it), WY 296 (about 46 miles inside it) and WY 120 (about 36 miles inside it). Towns inside: Cody. Nearby: Meeteetse (8 miles), Dubois (19 miles) and Powell (20 miles).
Which moose hunt areas border Area 11?
Moose Area 11 touches 4 other moose hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 6 | Wind River | 1,246 | 84.8% | 5 (2025) |
| Area 7 | Buffalo River | 216 | 100% | not reported |
| Area 8 | Thorofare - Yellowstone | 331 | 99.9% | not reported |
| Area 9 | Greybull - Owl Creek | 2,029 | 53.4% | 3 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Moose Area 11?
83.4% of moose Area 11 is public land: 1,431,343 of its 1,716,617 acres, the largest share national forest (1,269,999 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 11?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 100%: 5 active hunters took 5 moose. In 2024 it was 100% (5 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does moose season open in Moose Area 11 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 10 and the latest closes November 10, 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 11?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for moose Area 11. Type 1 had 5 licenses and 844 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Moose Area 11?
Cody is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Meeteetse (8 miles), Dubois (19 miles) and Powell (20 miles).
Is there wilderness in Moose Area 11?
Yes. Washakie Wilderness (392,145 acres), North Absaroka Wilderness (345,831 acres) and Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (23,649 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 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.