Hunt Area 109, Bald Ridge, Wyoming

Elevation roughly 4,000–8,600 ft. The unit runs from the Clark's Fork River valley (sagebrush, river-bottom cottonwoods) south and west through steep canyon drainages — Pat O'Hara Creek, Paint Creek, Trail Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Dry Creek, Newmeyer Creek, Dead Indian Gulch — into conifer and aspen at mid-elevation and subalpine terrain along the North Absaroka Wilderness boundary. Topography is sharply dissected with rugged canyon walls; gentler rolling terrain exists only along the WY-120 corridor at the eastern edge. Winter range sits at lower elevations near Cody; elk and mule deer summer range extends into the high drainages.

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1. IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION ON HUNT AREA NUMBERING: Deer Hunt Area 109 (Bald Ridge) and Elk Hunt Area 54 (also named Bald Ridge) cover the same geographic terrain. These use different numbering systems — a hunter applying for deer draws area 109; a hunter applying for elk draws area 54. Pronghorn antelope do not have a separately numbered area 109 in this rugged mountain terrain; Park County antelope areas are numbered in the 70s–80s range and are not applicable to this unit. 2. CWD: The Clarks Fork herd unit (areas 105, 106, and 109) is designated a priority CWD sampling area by WGFD. CWD has been confirmed in adjacent Area 105 (first detected 2019) and Area 106 (first detected 2025, in a hunter-harvested mule deer buck). As of the most recent available WGFD announcements, CWD has not been announced as confirmed in Area 109 itself, though the area is surrounded by positive areas and active sampling continues. Hunters are encouraged to submit samples at WGFD check stations, the Cody Regional Office, or cooperating processors. Consult current regulations for carcass transportation restrictions. 3. HERD STATUS: The Clarks Fork mule deer herd is currently below population management objectives. Fawn recruitment has been poor in recent years, though the 2025 hunt forecast noted modest improvement in early-season observations. For 2026, WGFD increased the shared Type 1 any-deer quota from 25 to 50 across areas 105, 106, and 109. Separately, some elk quotas in the overlapping Area 54 were reduced (Type 3 from 25 to 15; Type 6 from 100 to 50) while the cow/calf Type 7 quota was increased substantially (from 100 to 200). 4. BOUNDARY CHANGE (2025): The switchbacks on the Chief Joseph Highway (WY-296) east of Dead Indian Creek were moved from Area 106 (general season) into Area 109 (limited quota) effective with the 2025 season, citing safety and fair-chase concerns raised by the public. The boundary was approved at the June 2024 WGFD Commission meeting. 5. SEASON DATES AND QUOTAS: All season dates and quotas in this profile reflect the WGFD Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 Final Adopted regulations (April 2026), available at wgfd.wyo.gov. These supersede all draft versions. 6. PUBLIC LAND ACCESS: Only approximately 10–15% of the unit is accessible public land (BLM and State). The bulk of the unit is private ranch land with locked gates; much of the National Forest and wilderness land requires passage through private holdings. A guided hunt or landowner permission is effectively required for most hunters. 7. DRAW ODDS: With 50 Type 1 deer licenses shared across three areas (105/106/109) and small numbers of elk tags, draw odds are moderate to difficult, especially for nonresidents. Preference points accumulate on failed draws. 8. NO GENERAL DEER SEASON: Area 109 has no general (over-the-counter) mule deer season. All deer opportunity is limited quota Type 1 (any deer including mule deer and whitetail), Type 3 (any whitetail), or Type 8 (doe/fawn whitetail).