Moose Hunt Area 21, North Hoback: harvest, draw results and public land
Moose Hunt Area 21 (North Hoback) covers 303 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 89.6% public land, most of it national forest (172,534 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 2 active hunters took 2 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 landNational wildlife refugeArea 21Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region (also Pinedale) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Sublette (105) |
| Size | 303 square miles (194,189 acres) |
| Public land | 89.6% (174,023 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 99,549 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 2 (100% of 2 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Jackson, South Park, Rafter J Ranch and Alpine |
How much public land is in Moose Area 21?
89.6% of moose Area 21 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 174,023 of 194,189 acres. The largest share is national forest, 172,534 acres or 88.8% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 21 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 172,534 | 88.8% |
| State trust land | 1,326 | 0.7% |
| BLM | 163 | 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 32 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 1,330 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 1,291 acres next to other public land and 39 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: Gros Ventre Wilderness (99,549 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 21
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: South Park (968 acres here), Woods Canyon (624 acres here), Horse Creek (332 acres here) and Camp Creek (149 acres here). Public Access Area: Von Gontard Landing (28 acres here). Hunter Management Area: National Elk Refuge (72 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 21?
WGFD estimates 2 moose were taken in moose Area 21 in 2025: 2 bulls, 0 cows and 0 calves. 2 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 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 15 | 7.5 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50% | 24 | 24.0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 36 | |
| 2022 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50% | 29 | 29.0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 9 | 9.0 |
Source: WGFD 2025 moose harvest report, page 8 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 21 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 21:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Oct 31 | 2 | 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 21?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents, random | 0 | 27 | not published | |
| Residents, preference points | 2 | 29 | 2 | 12 |
Source: WGFD 2026 moose demand report, resident 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 21?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 23 miles inside it), US 189 (about 23 miles inside it), US 26 (about 10 miles inside it) and US 89 (about 10 miles inside it). Towns inside: Jackson, South Park and Rafter J Ranch. Nearby: Alpine (18 miles).
Which moose hunt areas border Area 21?
Moose Area 21 touches 5 other moose hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 10 | South Hoback | 321 | 93.4% | 6 (2025) |
| Area 19 | Wilson | 37 | 3.9% | not reported |
| Area 20 | Fall Creek - Targee | 315 | 89.7% | 14 (2025) |
| Area 22 | Raspberry Ridge | 115 | 91.3% | 5 (2025) |
| Area 28 | Crystal Creek - Flat Creek | 270 | 98.9% | 0 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Moose Area 21?
89.6% of moose Area 21 is public land: 174,023 of its 194,189 acres, the largest share national forest (172,534 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 21?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 100%: 2 active hunters took 2 moose. In 2024 it was 50% (1 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does moose season open in Moose Area 21 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 15 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 21?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for moose Area 21. Type 1 had 2 licenses and 56 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Moose Area 21?
Jackson, South Park and Rafter J Ranch are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Alpine (18 miles).
Is there wilderness in Moose Area 21?
Yes. Gros Ventre Wilderness (99,549 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 Jackson Region Area 10 Area 20 Area 22