Sand Mesa Wildlife Habitat Management Area: hunting, access and rules
Sand Mesa Wildlife Habitat Management Area is 19,357 acres in WGFD's Lander Region, Fremont County. Wildlife Habitat Management Areas are lands WGFD manages for wildlife habitat and public hunting and fishing access. WGFD lists elk (hunt area 127), deer (hunt area 157) and antelope (hunt area 97) for big game hunting here.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: WGFD's WHMA data, updated 10/12/2026. Boundary: WGFD GIS. Harvest: WGFD reports to 2025.
BLMState trust landWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Sand Mesa WHMAElk hunt area lineLakeHighway
| Size | 19,357 acres (WGFD) |
|---|---|
| WGFD region | Lander Region |
| County | Fremont |
| Access dates | Sand Mesa is open year round. |
| Big game listed | Elk, Deer and Antelope |
| Facilities | Comfort Station, Campgrounds, Boat Ramp |
| Nearest towns | Pavillion (3 mi), Shoshoni (7 mi) and Johnstown (11 mi) |
What are the rules on Sand Mesa WHMA?
Access: Sand Mesa is open year round.
WGFD lists these uses: Fishing, Boating, Hunting, Trapping, Camping, Hiking.
In WGFD's words, from its WHMA data. WGFD's posted signs and its Chapter 23 rules for Commission lands are the final word.
What can you hunt on Sand Mesa WHMA?
WGFD lists the hunt area each big game species is hunted under here: elk in area 127; deer in area 157; antelope in area 97. Also listed: waterfowl, pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, sage grouse, sandhill crane, doves, partridge, turkey, rabbit, mountain lion, black bear and mountain grouse.
What did hunters take in the hunt areas around Sand Mesa WHMA?
WGFD reports harvest by hunt area, not by access area. The hunt areas that overlap Sand Mesa WHMA, with the acres of the WHMA in each and WGFD's latest harvest for the whole hunt area:
| Hunt area | WHMA acres in it | Harvest, whole area | Hunter success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Area 127 | 19,357 | 54 (2025) | 44.3% |
| Deer Area 157 | 19,357 | 380 (2025) | |
| Antelope Area 97 | 19,357 | 124 (2025) | 97.6% |
Harvest: WGFD harvest reports, latest year each area was reported (WGFD harvest reports). Acres measured by FilledTag from WGFD's boundaries.
What land is around Sand Mesa WHMA?
Inside the WHMA boundary, by manager (WGFD's own holdings and leases are not in the federal and state layers, so they show as unlisted land):
| Manager | Acres inside |
|---|---|
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 19,357 |
| Other land (WGFD-held, leased or private) | 0 |
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (federal land) and the Office of State Lands and Investments (state trust land) inside WGFD's boundary (19,357 acres as drawn).
How do you get to Sand Mesa WHMA?
Highways within 8 miles: WY 789, US 26, WY 134, US 20 and WY 133. Nearest towns: Pavillion (3 miles), Shoshoni (7 miles), Johnstown (11 miles) and Riverton (11 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is Sand Mesa WHMA open?
Sand Mesa is open year round.
What can you hunt on Sand Mesa WHMA?
WGFD lists elk, deer and antelope for big game, and waterfowl, pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, sage grouse, sandhill crane, doves, partridge, turkey, rabbit, mountain lion, black bear and mountain grouse. Each species follows the season of the hunt area the ground is in.
Where is Sand Mesa WHMA?
About 3 miles from Pavillion, and 7 miles from Shoshoni, measured from the area's boundary.
Which hunt areas is Sand Mesa WHMA in?
By WGFD's boundaries it lies in elk Area 127, deer Area 157 and antelope Area 97. Each hunt area's season applies to the ground inside it.
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Where these numbers come from
- Area facts, access dates, rules and species: WGFD Wildlife Habitat Management Area details.
- Boundary: WGFD Wildlife Habitat Management Area boundaries. Surrounding land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (federal land) and the Office of State Lands and Investments (state trust land).
- Hunt area harvest: WGFD harvest reports, 2021 to 2025.
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 Lander Region Elk Area 127 Deer Area 157 Antelope Area 97