Elk · Hunt Area 97: seasons & hunts (2026)

Every 2026 hunt type valid in Area 97, from the WGFD Commission regulation. “Draw odds” links go to the hunt’s draw-odds page (your saved residency and pool are applied there). General (“Gen”) licenses are not area-specific draws — see WGFD.

How archery works (WGFD): there is no separate archery draw. To hunt the special archery dates you need a limited quota license, or a General license in areas with a General season for the hunt, plus an archery license. The archery license is bought, not drawn (online, at WGFD offices or license agents); one per year covers all big and trophy game special archery seasons, and it does not add an animal. During archery dates you follow the limitations listed for those dates. Type 9 licenses are “archery only” limited quota licenses: they go through the draw like other limited quota licenses (they appear in WGFD’s draw reports) and do not need a separate archery license; you hunt only the Type 9 dates. Archery equipment can also be used in the regular season (hunter orange required then).
Sources: WGFD Ch. 7 Section 3, PDF p. 23 · WGFD Ch. 2 General Regulations, Section 11, PDF p. 8 · WGFD: What do I need to hunt? · WGFD Archery FAQ. Last checked 2026-11-03.

Area 97 · Type Gen

Special archery dates	Regular season dates	Limitations
Sep. 1 – Sep. 19	Oct. 1 – Oct. 15	Any elk
—	Oct. 16 – Nov. 20	Antlerless elk

Commission quota: not listed (total licenses for this hunt set in regulation; WGFD’s draw reports split licenses across resident / nonresident / special pools, so per-pool draw numbers on this site will not add up to this total in a simple way). Source: WGFD Commission Regulation Ch. 7, Elk Hunting Seasons (2026), PDF p. 17. Last checked 2026-11-03.

Area 97 · Type 1 — draw odds

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Special archery dates	Regular season dates	Limitations
Sep. 1 – Sep. 19	Sep. 20 – Oct. 31	Any elk
—	Nov. 1 – Nov. 30	Antlerless elk

Commission quota: 250 (total licenses for this hunt set in regulation; WGFD’s draw reports split licenses across resident / nonresident / special pools, so per-pool draw numbers on this site will not add up to this total in a simple way). Source: WGFD Commission Regulation Ch. 7, Elk Hunting Seasons (2026), PDF p. 17. Last checked 2026-11-03.

Area 97 · Type 6 — draw odds

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Special archery dates	Regular season dates	Limitations
Sep. 1 – Sep. 19	Sep. 20 – Nov. 30	Cow or calf

Commission quota: 200 (total licenses for this hunt set in regulation; WGFD’s draw reports split licenses across resident / nonresident / special pools, so per-pool draw numbers on this site will not add up to this total in a simple way). Source: WGFD Commission Regulation Ch. 7, Elk Hunting Seasons (2026), PDF p. 17. Last checked 2026-11-03.