Soda Lake Wildlife Habitat Management Area: hunting, access and rules
Soda Lake Wildlife Habitat Management Area is 4,115 acres in WGFD's Pinedale Region, Sublette County. Wildlife Habitat Management Areas are lands WGFD manages for wildlife habitat and public hunting and fishing access. WGFD lists elk (hunt area 96), deer (hunt area 140), antelope (hunt area 87) and moose (hunt area 3) 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.
National forestBLMState trust landSoda Lake WHMAElk hunt area lineLakeHighway
| Size | 4,115 acres (WGFD) |
|---|---|
| WGFD region | Pinedale Region |
| County | Sublette |
| Access dates | This area opens to all human presence at 6:00 am May 1. |
| Seasonal closure | Dec. 1- May 1 at 6am |
| Big game listed | Elk, Deer, Antelope and Moose |
| Facilities | Parking, Comfort Stations, Camping, Boat Ramps |
| Nearest towns | Pinedale (5 mi), Cora (5 mi) and Daniel (12 mi) |
What are the rules on Soda Lake WHMA?
Access: This area opens to all human presence at 6:00 am May 1.
Seasonal closure: Dec. 1- May 1 at 6am.
Area regulations: No human presence Dec. 1 - May 1 at 6 am. 14 day camping limit. No fireworks. Motor vehicles restricted to roads marked with white arrows. Certified weed free hay required. Soda Lake wetlands closed May 1 - July 1 for nesting/brooding waterfowl. Cutting of firewood prohibited.
Shed antlers: No Collection of shed antlers or horns January 1- May 1 at 6:00 AM.
WGFD lists these uses: Fishing, Hunting, Trapping, Camping, Hiking, Wildlife Viewing.
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 Soda Lake WHMA?
WGFD lists the hunt area each big game species is hunted under here: elk in area 96; deer in area 140; antelope in area 87; moose in area 3. Also listed: waterfowl, sage grouse, rabbit, mountain lion, black bear and mountain grouse.
What did hunters take in the hunt areas around Soda Lake WHMA?
WGFD reports harvest by hunt area, not by access area. The hunt areas that overlap Soda Lake 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 96 | 4,115 | 155 (2025) | 24% |
| Deer Area 140 | 4,115 | 20 (2025) | |
| Antelope Area 87 | 4,115 | 27 (2025) | 87.1% |
| Moose Area 3 | 4,009 | 15 (2025) | 100% |
| Moose Area 5 | 106 | 18 (2025) | 100% |
| Bighorn sheep Area 8 | 4,115 | 0 (2025) | 0% |
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 Soda Lake 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 |
|---|---|
| National forest | 38 |
| Other land (WGFD-held, leased or private) | 4,077 |
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 (4,115 acres as drawn).
How do you get to Soda Lake WHMA?
Highways within 8 miles: WY 352 and US 191. Nearest towns: Pinedale (5 miles), Cora (5 miles), Daniel (12 miles) and Boulder (15 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is Soda Lake WHMA open?
This area opens to all human presence at 6:00 am May 1. Seasonal closure, in WGFD's words: Dec. 1- May 1 at 6am.
What can you hunt on Soda Lake WHMA?
WGFD lists elk, deer, antelope and moose for big game, and waterfowl, sage grouse, rabbit, mountain lion, black bear and mountain grouse. Each species follows the season of the hunt area the ground is in.
What are the rules on Soda Lake WHMA?
No human presence Dec. 1 - May 1 at 6 am. 14 day camping limit. No fireworks. Motor vehicles restricted to roads marked with white arrows. Certified weed free hay required. Soda Lake wetlands closed May 1 - July 1 for nesting/brooding waterfowl. Cutting of firewood prohibited.
Where is Soda Lake WHMA?
About 5 miles from Pinedale, and 5 miles from Cora, measured from the area's boundary.
Which hunt areas is Soda Lake WHMA in?
By WGFD's boundaries it lies in elk Area 96, deer Area 140 and antelope Area 87. 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 Pinedale Region Elk Area 96 Deer Area 140 Antelope Area 87 Moose Area 3 Moose Area 5 Bighorn sheep Area 8