FilledTag Free map app

Moose Hunt Area 34, Hunter Mesa: harvest, draw results and public land

Moose Hunt Area 34 (Hunter Mesa) covers 945 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 54.2% public land, most of it national forest (216,977 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 4 active hunters took 4 moose here, 100% success. The 2026 season table lists 2 license rows 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.

Map of Wyoming Moose Hunt Area 34 (Hunter Mesa): public land by manager, WGFD access areas, neighboring moose hunt areas 1 and 42, highways US 87, I-25 and WY 196 and Buffalo, Kaycee and Sheridan

National forestBLMState trust landArea 34Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway

Moose Area 34 at a glance
WGFD regionSheridan Region
Herd unitBighorn (313)
Size945 square miles (604,795 acres)
Public land54.2% (328,059 acres)
Designated wilderness41,746 acres
Harvest, 20254 (100% of 4 active hunters)
Limited quota license types, 2026Type 1, Type 4
Special archery opensSeptember 1
Towns in and near itBuffalo, Kaycee, Sheridan and Ten Sleep

How much public land is in Moose Area 34?

54.2% of moose Area 34 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 328,059 of 604,795 acres. The largest share is national forest, 216,977 acres or 35.9% of the area.

ManagerAcresShare of Area 34
National forest216,97735.9%
State trust land74,15712.3%
BLM36,9256.1%

State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 74,182 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 57,605 acres road access or reached from other state land, 10,655 acres no known public access and 5,922 acres next to other public land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.

Designated wilderness: Cloud Peak Wilderness (41,746 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 34

Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Bud Love (7,888 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Fort Phil Kearny (715 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 4 areas covering 2,249 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 34?

WGFD estimates 4 moose were taken in moose Area 34 in 2025: 3 bulls, 1 cow and 0 calves. 4 hunters hunted, and 100% of them took an animal.

YearLicensesActive huntersHarvestBullsCowsCalvesHunter successHunter daysDays per animal
2025644310100%307.5
202477541071.4%5310.6
20231310963090%12313.7

Source: WGFD 2025 moose harvest report, page 9 of the PDF; earlier years from 2024 and 2023. 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 34 in 2026?

No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 34:

License typeSpecial archery seasonRegular seasonQuotaWGFD's limitations
Type 1Sep 1 to Sep 30Oct 1 to Oct 313Any moose, except cow moose with calf at side
Type 4Sep 1 to Sep 30Oct 1 to Oct 311Antlerless moose, except cow moose with calf at side

Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 8 (final, April 2026), page 2. 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 34?

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.

Type 1: Any Moose, Except Co (WGFD's description, cut short in its report), 3 licenses in the draw
DrawingLicensesFirst-choice applicantsDrawnFewest points that drew
Residents, random0432not published
Residents, preference points3435328
Type 4: Antlerless Moose, Ex (WGFD's description, cut short in its report), 1 licenses in the draw
DrawingLicensesFirst-choice applicantsDrawnFewest points that drew
Residents, random028not published
Residents, preference points129114

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 34?

Highways through the area: US 87 (about 78 miles inside it), I-25 (about 66 miles inside it), WY 196 (about 40 miles inside it), US 16 (about 38 miles inside it) and I-90 (about 13 miles inside it). Towns inside: Buffalo. Nearby: Kaycee (4 miles), Sheridan (16 miles) and Ten Sleep (16 miles).

Which moose hunt areas border Area 34?

Moose Area 34 touches 2 other moose hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:

Hunt areaNameSquare milesPublic landHarvest (year)
Area 1Goose Creek1,24663.5%15 (2025)
Area 42West Bighorn1,96382.4%11 (2025)

Questions hunters ask

How much public land is in Moose Area 34?

54.2% of moose Area 34 is public land: 328,059 of its 604,795 acres, the largest share national forest (216,977 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 34?

WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 100%: 4 active hunters took 4 moose. In 2024 it was 71.4% (5 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.

When does moose season open in Moose Area 34 in 2026?

The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 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 34?

WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for moose Area 34. The largest, Type 1, had 3 licenses and 867 first-choice applicants across its drawings.

What is the closest town to Moose Area 34?

Buffalo is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Kaycee (4 miles), Sheridan (16 miles) and Ten Sleep (16 miles).

Is there wilderness in Moose Area 34?

Yes. Cloud Peak Wilderness (41,746 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).

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

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 Sheridan Region Area 1 Area 42