Antelope Hunt Area 27, Bill: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 27 (Bill) covers 564 square miles in WGFD's Sheridan Region and is 57.7% public land, most of it national forest (185,133 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 118 active hunters took 105 antelope here, 89% success. The 2026 season table lists 1 license row 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 forestState trust landArea 27Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Sheridan Region (also Casper) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Black Thunder (750) |
| Size | 564 square miles (361,221 acres) |
| Public land | 57.7% (208,262 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 105 (89% of 118 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Wright |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 27?
57.7% of antelope Area 27 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 208,262 of 361,221 acres. The largest share is national forest, 185,133 acres or 51.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 27 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 185,133 | 51.3% |
| State trust land | 23,129 | 6.4% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 23,189 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 13,559 acres road access or reached from other state land, 8,487 acres next to other public land and 1,143 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 27
Hunter Management Area: Cheyenne River (1,709 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 2,022 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 27?
WGFD estimates 105 antelope were taken in antelope Area 27 in 2025: 102 bucks, 3 does and 0 fawns. 118 hunters hunted, and 89% of them took an animal. Residents: 88 hunters, 85.2% success; nonresidents: 30 hunters, 100% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 118 | 105 | 102 | 3 | 0 | 89% | 287 | 2.7 |
| 2024 | 116 | 109 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 94% | 326 | 3.0 |
| 2023 | 111 | 94 | 94 | 0 | 0 | 84.7% | 313 | 3.3 |
| 2022 | 165 | 126 | 126 | 0 | 0 | 76.4% | 486 | 3.9 |
| 2021 | 255 | 215 | 194 | 15 | 6 | 84.3% | 730 | 3.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 128 | 118 | 105 | 89% | 287 |
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.
When is antelope season in Antelope Area 27 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 27:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 15 | 150 | Any antelope |
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 27?
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 | 4 | 203 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 8 | not published | |
| Residents | 111 | 472 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 215 | 12 | 10 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 9 | 19 | 11 | 3 |
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 27?
Highways through the area: WY 450 (about 21 miles inside it) and WY 59 (about 18 miles inside it). Nearby: Wright (2 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 27?
Antelope Area 27 touches 6 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 6 | South Newcastle | 626 | 22.2% | 114 (2025) |
| Area 7 | South Upton | 988 | 28.3% | 285 (2025) |
| Area 8 | Niobrara | 1,116 | 19.3% | 188 (2025) |
| Area 24 | Thunder Basin | 851 | 18.1% | 490 (2025) |
| Area 26 | Bear Creek | 1,817 | 14.9% | 790 (2025) |
| Area 29 | Shawneee | 1,263 | 22.8% | 331 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 27?
57.7% of antelope Area 27 is public land: 208,262 of its 361,221 acres, the largest share national forest (185,133 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 27?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 89%: 118 active hunters took 105 antelope. In 2024 it was 94% (109 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 27 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 and the latest closes October 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 27?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for antelope Area 27. Type 1 had 139 licenses and 917 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 27?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Wright (2 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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