Moose Hunt Area 16, Alta: harvest, draw results and public land
Moose Hunt Area 16 (Alta) covers 195 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 93.4% public land, most of it national forest (115,310 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 5 active hunters took 2 moose here, 40% 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 forestBLMNational park (no general hunting)Area 16Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Targhee (101) |
| Size | 195 square miles (125,071 acres) |
| Public land | 93.4% (116,792 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 70,405 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 2 (40% of 5 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Alta and Jackson |
How much public land is in Moose Area 16?
93.4% of moose Area 16 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 116,792 of 125,071 acres. The largest share is national forest, 115,310 acres or 92.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 16 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 115,310 | 92.2% |
| BLM | 1,482 | 1.2% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 240 | 0.2% |
Designated wilderness: Jedediah Smith Wilderness (70,405 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).
240 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Moose Area 16
Public Access Area: Coco Belle Van Meerendonk (43 acres here).
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 16?
WGFD estimates 2 moose were taken in moose Area 16 in 2025: 2 bulls, 0 cows and 0 calves. 5 hunters hunted, and 40% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 40% | 43 | 21.5 |
| 2024 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 70 | 14.0 |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 80 | 16.0 |
| 2022 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 70 | 23.3 |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 52 | 10.4 |
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 16 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 16:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 also Area 37 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Nov 15 | 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 16?
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 | 8 | not published | |
| Residents, random | 1 | 78 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 9 | 1 | 25 |
| Residents, preference points | 3 | 81 | 3 | 20 |
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 16?
Highways through the area: WY 22 (about 5 miles inside it). Towns inside: Alta. Nearby: Jackson (9 miles).
Which moose hunt areas border Area 16?
Moose Area 16 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 20 | Fall Creek - Targee | 315 | 89.7% | 14 (2025) |
| Area 37 | Grassy Lake | 187 | 99.2% | 0 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Moose Area 16?
93.4% of moose Area 16 is public land: 116,792 of its 125,071 acres, the largest share national forest (115,310 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 16?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 40%: 5 active hunters took 2 moose. In 2024 it was 100% (5 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does moose season open in Moose Area 16 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 15 and the latest closes November 15, 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 16?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for moose Area 16. Type 1 had 5 licenses and 176 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Moose Area 16?
Alta is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Jackson (9 miles).
Is there wilderness in Moose Area 16?
Yes. Jedediah Smith Wilderness (70,405 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.