Antelope Hunt Area 21, Middle Fork: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 21 (Middle Fork) covers 625 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 51.9% public land, most of it BLM (159,693 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 363 active hunters took 213 antelope here, 58.7% success. The 2026 season table lists 2 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.
BLMState trust landArea 21Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Middle Fork (352) |
| Size | 625 square miles (399,968 acres) |
| Public land | 51.9% (207,485 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 213 (58.7% of 363 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Kaycee, Midwest and Edgerton |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 21?
51.9% of antelope Area 21 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 207,485 of 399,968 acres. The largest share is BLM, 159,693 acres or 39.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 21 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 159,693 | 39.9% |
| State trust land | 47,792 | 11.9% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 47,858 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 23,554 acres next to other public land, 18,788 acres road access or reached from other state land and 5,516 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.
WGFD access areas in Antelope Area 21
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Ed O. Taylor (10,211 acres here) and Ellis (3,954 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 2 areas covering 5,559 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 21?
WGFD estimates 213 antelope were taken in antelope Area 21 in 2025: 176 bucks, 29 does and 8 fawns. 363 hunters hunted, and 58.7% of them took an animal. Residents: 276 hunters, 52.2% success; nonresidents: 87 hunters, 79.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 363 | 213 | 176 | 29 | 8 | 58.7% | 1,217 | 5.7 |
| 2024 | 395 | 270 | 197 | 63 | 10 | 68.4% | 1,268 | 4.7 |
| 2023 | 311 | 282 | 209 | 57 | 16 | 90.7% | 1,431 | 5.1 |
| 2022 | 405 | 294 | 205 | 85 | 4 | 72.6% | 1,359 | 4.6 |
| 2021 | 617 | 380 | 221 | 130 | 29 | 61.6% | 2,807 | 7.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 406 | 346 | 191 | 55.2% | 1,110 |
| Type 6 | 51 | 41 | 22 | 53.7% | 107 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 9 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 21 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 21:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Oct 14 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 | 400 | Any antelope |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Oct 14 | Oct 15 to Oct 31 | 50 | Doe or fawn |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), page 2. 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 21?
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 | 195 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 8 | 28 | not published | |
| Residents | 318 | 137 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 35 | 230 | 35 | 6 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 24 | 52 | 24 | 2 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 10 | 134 | not published | |
| Residents | 40 | 84 | 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.
How do you get to Antelope Area 21?
Highways through the area: I-25 (about 10 miles inside it), US 87 (about 10 miles inside it), WY 190 (about 8 miles inside it) and WY 196 (about 5 miles inside it). Nearby: Kaycee (on the line), Midwest (5 miles) and Edgerton (7 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 21?
Antelope Area 21 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 20 | Upper Powder River | 818 | 39.6% | 172 (2025) |
| Area 22 | Crazy Woman | 862 | 18.8% | 562 (2025) |
| Area 73 | North Natrona | 1,451 | 65.9% | 307 (2025) |
| Area 113 | Salt Creek | 309 | 43.4% | 81 (2025) |
| Area 115 | Upper Nowood | 1,013 | 53.6% | 155 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 21?
51.9% of antelope Area 21 is public land: 207,485 of its 399,968 acres, the largest share BLM (159,693 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 21?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 58.7%: 363 active hunters took 213 antelope. In 2024 it was 68.4% (270 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 21 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens October 15 and the latest closes October 31, 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 21?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 21. The largest, Type 1, had 396 licenses and 642 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 21?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Kaycee (on the line), Midwest (5 miles) and Edgerton (7 miles).
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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 2.
- 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.
Wyoming hunting Antelope hunt areas Sheridan Region Area 20 Area 22 Area 73 Area 113 Area 115