Antelope Hunt Area 102, Buffalo: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 102 (Buffalo) covers 463 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 71.5% public land, most of it national forest (173,310 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 338 active hunters took 251 antelope here, 74.3% success. The 2026 season table lists 3 license rows here.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WGFD reports for 2021 to 2025. Seasons: WGFD Commission Chapter 5, 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 landArea 102Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Hazelton (320) |
| Size | 463 square miles (296,276 acres) |
| Public land | 71.5% (211,709 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 41,736 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 251 (74.3% of 338 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Buffalo, Sheridan and Ten Sleep |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 102?
71.5% of antelope Area 102 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 211,709 of 296,276 acres. The largest share is national forest, 173,310 acres or 58.5% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 102 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 173,310 | 58.5% |
| State trust land | 37,060 | 12.5% |
| BLM | 1,339 | 0.5% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 37,074 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 35,876 acres road access or reached from other state land and 1,198 acres no known public access. 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 (41,736 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).
WGFD access areas in Antelope Area 102
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Bud Love (7,888 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Fort Phil Kearny (715 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 4 areas covering 2,249 acres of private land enrolled in WGFD's Access Yes program.
Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's hunt area boundary (WGFD antelope hunt areas) 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 antelope are harvested in Antelope Area 102?
WGFD estimates 251 antelope were taken in antelope Area 102 in 2025: 136 bucks, 91 does and 24 fawns. 338 hunters hunted, and 74.3% of them took an animal. Residents: 185 hunters, 64.9% success; nonresidents: 153 hunters, 85.6% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 338 | 251 | 136 | 91 | 24 | 74.3% | 1,789 | 7.1 |
| 2024 | 488 | 292 | 158 | 131 | 3 | 59.8% | 2,188 | 7.5 |
| 2023 | 446 | 349 | 203 | 122 | 24 | 78.3% | 2,448 | 7.0 |
| 2022 | 594 | 406 | 198 | 175 | 33 | 68.4% | 2,510 | 6.2 |
| 2021 | 589 | 469 | 216 | 225 | 28 | 79.6% | 2,417 | 5.2 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 304 | 262 | 161 | 61.5% | 1,302 |
| Type 6 | 181 | 127 | 90 | 70.9% | 487 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 17 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 antelope season in Antelope Area 102 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 102:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Oct 14 | Oct 15 to Nov 15 | 300 | Any antelope |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | 175 | Doe or fawn valid on private land | |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Oct 14 | Oct 15 to Nov 15 | Doe or fawn valid in the entire area |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), page 8. WGFD can change a season by emergency rule: check WGFD's regulations page before you go.
What did the 2026 draw look like in Antelope Area 102?
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 | 11 | 162 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 7 | 33 | not published | |
| Residents | 240 | 135 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 34 | 197 | 35 | 4 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 23 | 56 | 23 | 1 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 72 | 189 | not published | |
| Residents | 140 | 83 | not published |
Source: WGFD 2026 antelope 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. On some rows WGFD prints more licenses drawn than the quota; they are shown as printed.
How do you get to Antelope Area 102?
Highways through the area: US 87 (about 32 miles inside it), US 16 (about 30 miles inside it), I-25 (about 18 miles inside it), I-90 (about 13 miles inside it) and WY 196 (about 10 miles inside it). Towns inside: Buffalo. Nearby: Sheridan (16 miles) and Ten Sleep (20 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 102?
Antelope Area 102 touches 5 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 10 | Lake De Smet | 179 | 10.6% | 190 (2025) |
| Area 20 | Upper Powder River | 818 | 39.6% | 172 (2025) |
| Area 22 | Crazy Woman | 862 | 18.8% | 562 (2025) |
| Area 109 | Beckton | 490 | 8.2% | 145 (2025) |
| Area 115 | Upper Nowood | 1,013 | 53.6% | 155 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 102?
71.5% of antelope Area 102 is public land: 211,709 of its 296,276 acres, the largest share national forest (173,310 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 Antelope Area 102?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 74.3%: 338 active hunters took 251 antelope. In 2024 it was 59.8% (292 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 102 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes November 15, by WGFD Commission Chapter 5. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
How many licenses were in the 2026 draw for Antelope Area 102?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 102. The largest, Type 1, had 315 licenses and 583 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 102?
Buffalo is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Sheridan (16 miles) and Ten Sleep (20 miles).
Is there wilderness in Antelope Area 102?
Yes. Cloud Peak Wilderness (41,736 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 antelope harvest reports, 2021 to 2025, listed here.
- Seasons, quotas and limitations: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), page 8.
- Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports; deadlines and fees on the Wyoming draw page.
- Hunt area boundary: WGFD antelope hunt areas. 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.
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