Moose Hunt Area 3, Pinedale: harvest, draw results and public land
Moose Hunt Area 3 (Pinedale) covers 1,247 square miles in WGFD's Pinedale Region and is 74.9% public land, most of it national forest (299,046 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 15 active hunters took 15 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 landWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 3Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Pinedale Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Sublette (105) |
| Size | 1,247 square miles (797,844 acres) |
| Public land | 74.9% (597,967 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 225,361 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 15 (100% of 15 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Pinedale, Cora, Boulder, Marbleton and Big Piney |
How much public land is in Moose Area 3?
74.9% of moose Area 3 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 597,967 of 797,844 acres. The largest share is national forest, 299,046 acres or 37.5% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 3 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 299,046 | 37.5% |
| BLM | 264,730 | 33.2% |
| State trust land | 34,191 | 4.3% |
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 24 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 34,215 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 17,003 acres road access or reached from other state land, 14,958 acres next to other public land and 2,254 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.
Designated wilderness: Bridger Wilderness (225,137 acres), Fitzpatrick Wilderness (119 acres) and Popo Agie Wilderness (105 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).
PAD-US maps 24 acres here inside the Wind River Reservation. Tribal land there is not open to hunting on Wyoming licenses; some ground inside the reservation line is private or managed by WGFD and follows its own rules.
WGFD access areas in Moose Area 3
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Soda Lake (4,009 acres here), Half Moon (3,761 acres here), Fall Creek (633 acres here), Black Butte (520 acres here) and Luke Lynch (350 acres here). Public Access Area: Boulder Rearing Station (449 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Chimney Butte (10,690 acres here) and Chimey Butte (1,569 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 3?
WGFD estimates 15 moose were taken in moose Area 3 in 2025: 15 bulls, 0 cows and 0 calves. 15 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 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 193 | 12.9 |
| 2024 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 88 | 5.9 |
| 2023 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 92.9% | 163 | 12.5 |
| 2022 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 86.7% | 97 | 7.5 |
| 2021 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 89.5% | 186 | 10.9 |
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 3 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 3:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 19 | Sep 20 to Oct 31 | 15 | 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 3?
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 | 19 | not published | |
| Residents, random | 3 | 346 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 20 | 1 | 28 |
| Residents, preference points | 11 | 357 | 11 | 19 |
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 3?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 44 miles inside it), WY 352 (about 22 miles inside it), WY 353 (about 16 miles inside it), WY 351 (about 10 miles inside it) and US 189 (about 6 miles inside it). Towns inside: Pinedale, Cora and Boulder. Nearby: Marbleton (9 miles) and Big Piney (10 miles).
Which moose hunt areas border Area 3?
Moose Area 3 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 2 | Lander Area | 1,810 | 83.1% | 4 (2025) |
| Area 5 | Upper Green River | 658 | 92.9% | 18 (2025) |
| Area 6 | Wind River | 1,246 | 84.8% | 5 (2025) |
| Area 25 | Big Piney - Off National Forest | 1,492 | 63.8% | 48 (2025) |
| Area 30 | Sweetwater | 805 | 91.8% | 1 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Moose Area 3?
74.9% of moose Area 3 is public land: 597,967 of its 797,844 acres, the largest share national forest (299,046 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 3?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 100%: 15 active hunters took 15 moose. In 2024 it was 100% (15 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does moose season open in Moose Area 3 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 20 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 3?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for moose Area 3. Type 1 had 15 licenses and 742 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Moose Area 3?
Pinedale, Cora and Boulder are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Marbleton (9 miles) and Big Piney (10 miles).
Is there wilderness in Moose Area 3?
Yes. Bridger Wilderness (225,137 acres), Fitzpatrick Wilderness (119 acres) and Popo Agie Wilderness (105 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).
Get notified about FilledTag in Wyoming
Leave your email and we will let you know when FilledTag adds something new for Wyoming hunters.
The free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wyoming included.
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 Pinedale Region Area 2 Area 5 Area 6 Area 25 Area 30