Antelope Hunt Area 23, Pumpkin Buttes: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 23 (Pumpkin Buttes) covers 1,542 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 14% public land, most of it BLM (89,860 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 2,286 active hunters took 1,992 antelope here, 87.1% success. The 2026 season table lists 4 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 23Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Pumpkin Buttes (309) |
| Size | 1,542 square miles (986,922 acres) |
| Public land | 14% (137,914 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 1,992 (87.1% of 2,286 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2, Type 6, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Gillette, Wright, Edgerton and Midwest |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 23?
14% of antelope Area 23 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 137,914 of 986,922 acres. The largest share is BLM, 89,860 acres or 9.1% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 23 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 89,860 | 9.1% |
| State trust land | 48,054 | 4.9% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 48,062 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 25,646 acres no known public access, 12,769 acres road access or reached from other state land and 9,647 acres next to other public land. 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 23
Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 5,141 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 23?
WGFD estimates 1,992 antelope were taken in antelope Area 23 in 2025: 1,218 bucks, 667 does and 107 fawns. 2,286 hunters hunted, and 87.1% of them took an animal. Residents: 568 hunters, 76.1% success; nonresidents: 1,718 hunters, 90.8% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,286 | 1,992 | 1,218 | 667 | 107 | 87.1% | 7,820 | 3.9 |
| 2024 | 2,157 | 1,997 | 1,283 | 597 | 117 | 92.6% | 7,319 | 3.7 |
| 2023 | 1,505 | 1,906 | 1,314 | 476 | 116 | 126.6% | 5,776 | 3.0 |
| 2022 | 1,990 | 1,671 | 1,148 | 453 | 70 | 84% | 7,340 | 4.4 |
| 2021 | 2,381 | 2,106 | 1,182 | 818 | 106 | 88.5% | 6,811 | 3.2 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 552 | 471 | 343 | 72.8% | 1,995 |
| Type 2 | 1,402 | 1,190 | 1,036 | 87.1% | 3,456 |
| Type 6 | 300 | 250 | 166 | 66.4% | 877 |
| Type 7 | 698 | 531 | 447 | 84.2% | 1,492 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 10 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. Success above 100% is as WGFD prints it: some hunters hold more than one license.
When is antelope season in Antelope Area 23 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 23:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 550 | Any antelope |
| Type 2 | Aug 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 1500 | Any antelope valid on private land |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 300 | Doe or fawn |
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 31 | 700 | Doe or fawn valid on private land |
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 23?
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 | 41 | 278 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 21 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 439 | 232 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 124 | 402 | 124 | 2 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 66 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 362 | 0 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 145 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 1,200 | 37 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 1,087 | 425 | 425 | 0 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 436 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 141 | 432 | not published | |
| Residents | 240 | 134 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 673 | 255 | not published | |
| Residents | 560 | 24 | 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 23?
Highways through the area: WY 50 (about 51 miles inside it), I-90 (about 49 miles inside it), WY 387 (about 32 miles inside it), WY 59 (about 25 miles inside it) and WY 192 (about 9 miles inside it). Towns inside: Gillette. Nearby: Wright (on the line), Edgerton (11 miles), Midwest (12 miles) and Kaycee (17 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 23?
Antelope Area 23 touches 8 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 16 | Ucross | 663 | 29.3% | 163 (2025) |
| Area 17 | Gillette | 1,774 | 20.8% | 357 (2025) |
| Area 19 | Rozet | 418 | 15.1% | 231 (2025) |
| Area 22 | Crazy Woman | 862 | 18.8% | 562 (2025) |
| Area 24 | Thunder Basin | 851 | 18.1% | 490 (2025) |
| Area 25 | Ormsby | 721 | 32% | 403 (2025) |
| Area 26 | Bear Creek | 1,817 | 14.9% | 790 (2025) |
| Area 113 | Salt Creek | 309 | 43.4% | 81 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 23?
14% of antelope Area 23 is public land: 137,914 of its 986,922 acres, the largest share BLM (89,860 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 23?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 87.1%: 2,286 active hunters took 1,992 antelope. In 2024 it was 92.6% (1,997 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 23 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 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 23?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 4 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 23. The largest, Type 2, had 3,230 licenses and 464 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 23?
Gillette is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Wright (on the line), Edgerton (11 miles) and Midwest (12 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.
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