Moose Hunt Area 42, West Bighorn: harvest, draw results and public land
Moose Hunt Area 42 (West Bighorn) covers 1,963 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 82.4% public land, most of it BLM (584,010 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 12 active hunters took 11 moose here, 91.7% 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.
National forestBLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationNational park (no general hunting)Area 42Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region (also Sheridan) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Bighorn (313) |
| Size | 1,963 square miles (1,256,012 acres) |
| Public land | 82.4% (1,034,455 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 92,550 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 11 (91.7% of 12 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 4 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Ten Sleep, Hyattville, Shell, Manderson, Greybull and Basin |
How much public land is in Moose Area 42?
82.4% of moose Area 42 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 1,034,455 of 1,256,012 acres. The largest share is BLM, 584,010 acres or 46.5% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 42 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 584,010 | 46.5% |
| National forest | 407,309 | 32.4% |
| State trust land | 43,107 | 3.4% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 6,666 | 0.5% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 29 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 43,568 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 22,576 acres road access or reached from other state land, 20,903 acres next to other public land, 49 acres no known public access and 40 acres access not yet researched. 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 (92,550 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).
6,666 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Moose Area 42
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Renner (15,509 acres here), Medicine Lodge (12,516 acres here) and Yellowtail (2,929 acres here). Public Access Areas: Carter/Billy Miles (4,909 acres here) and Wigwam Rearing Station (481 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Spanish Point (5,989 acres here), Yellowtail (2,929 acres here) and Lower Nowood (230 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 8 areas covering 3,733 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 42?
WGFD estimates 11 moose were taken in moose Area 42 in 2025: 9 bulls, 2 cows and 0 calves. 12 hunters hunted, and 91.7% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 91.7% | 67 | 6.1 |
| 2024 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 75% | 78 | 13.0 |
| 2023 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 91.7% | 57 | 5.2 |
| 2022 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 84.6% | 76 | 6.9 |
| 2021 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 93.3% | 140 | 10.0 |
Source: WGFD 2025 moose harvest report, page 9 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 42 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 42:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 8 | Any moose, except cow moose with calf at side |
| Type 4 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 2 | Antlerless moose, except cow moose with calf at side |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 8 (final, April 2026), page 3. 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 42?
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 | 38 | not published | |
| Residents, random | 1 | 695 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1 | 39 | 1 | 26 |
| Residents, preference points | 6 | 701 | 6 | 28 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents, random | 0 | 22 | not published | |
| Residents, preference points | 2 | 24 | 2 | 13 |
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 42?
Highways through the area: US 14 (about 37 miles inside it), US 16 (about 25 miles inside it) and WY 31 (about 13 miles inside it). Towns inside: Ten Sleep, Hyattville and Shell. Nearby: Manderson (on the line), Greybull (on the line), Basin (on the line) and Lovell (10 miles).
Which moose hunt areas border Area 42?
Moose Area 42 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 1 | Goose Creek | 1,246 | 63.5% | 15 (2025) |
| Area 34 | Hunter Mesa | 945 | 54.2% | 4 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Moose Area 42?
82.4% of moose Area 42 is public land: 1,034,455 of its 1,256,012 acres, the largest share BLM (584,010 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 42?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 91.7%: 12 active hunters took 11 moose. In 2024 it was 75% (6 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does moose season open in Moose Area 42 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 42?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for moose Area 42. The largest, Type 1, had 8 licenses and 1,473 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Moose Area 42?
Ten Sleep, Hyattville and Shell are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Manderson (on the line), Greybull (on the line) and Basin (on the line).
Is there wilderness in Moose Area 42?
Yes. Cloud Peak Wilderness (92,550 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 3.
- 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.