Moose Hunt Area 23, Grey's River - Salt River: harvest, draw results and public land
Moose Hunt Area 23 (Grey's River - Salt River) covers 969 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 80.3% public land, most of it national forest (489,444 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 10 active hunters took 7 moose here, 70% 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 ReclamationArea 23Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region (also Pinedale) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Sublette (105) |
| Size | 969 square miles (620,125 acres) |
| Public land | 80.3% (497,995 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 7 (70% of 10 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Afton, Star Valley Ranch, Thayne and Jackson |
How much public land is in Moose Area 23?
80.3% of moose Area 23 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 497,995 of 620,125 acres. The largest share is national forest, 489,444 acres or 78.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 23 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 489,444 | 78.9% |
| State trust land | 4,847 | 0.8% |
| BLM | 3,497 | 0.6% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 207 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 4,894 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 3,632 acres road access or reached from other state land, 1,059 acres next to other public land and 203 acres no known public access. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
WGFD access areas in Moose Area 23
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Greys River (3,042 acres here). Public Access Areas: Alpine Wetlands (310 acres here), Salt River-A/G Lane (250 acres here), Salt River-Miller's (180 acres here), Salt River-Narrows Bridge (81 acres here), Salt River-Willow Creek (59 acres here) and Salt River-Diversion (45 acres here) and 3 more. Walk-In Hunting: 4 areas covering 1,735 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 23?
WGFD estimates 7 moose were taken in moose Area 23 in 2025: 7 bulls, 0 cows and 0 calves. 10 hunters hunted, and 70% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 70% | 113 | 16.1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 100 | 11.1 |
| 2023 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 80% | 83 | 10.4 |
| 2022 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 112 | 8.0 |
| 2021 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 75% | 167 | 13.9 |
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 23 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 23:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Oct 31 | 10 | 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 23?
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 | 33 | not published | |
| Residents, random | 2 | 279 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 34 | 1 | 25 |
| Residents, preference points | 7 | 286 | 7 | 18 |
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 23?
Highways through the area: US 89 (about 49 miles inside it), WY 238 (about 12 miles inside it), WY 236 (about 5 miles inside it), WY 241 (about 4 miles inside it) and WY 237 (about 4 miles inside it). Towns inside: Afton, Star Valley Ranch, Thayne, Alpine, Nordic and Bedford. Nearby: Jackson (18 miles).
Which moose hunt areas border Area 23?
Moose Area 23 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 10 | South Hoback | 321 | 93.4% | 6 (2025) |
| Area 20 | Fall Creek - Targee | 315 | 89.7% | 14 (2025) |
| Area 24 | Big Piney - On National Forest | 382 | 99.7% | 16 (2025) |
| Area 26 | Lincoln | 1,799 | 78.7% | 42 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Moose Area 23?
80.3% of moose Area 23 is public land: 497,995 of its 620,125 acres, the largest share national forest (489,444 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 23?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 70%: 10 active hunters took 7 moose. In 2024 it was 100% (9 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does moose season open in Moose Area 23 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 23?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for moose Area 23. Type 1 had 10 licenses and 632 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Moose Area 23?
Afton, Star Valley Ranch and Thayne are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Jackson (18 miles).
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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 24 Area 26