Antelope Hunt Area 32, Bates Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 32 (Bates Creek) covers 709 square miles in WGFD's Casper Region and is 56% public land, most of it BLM (181,810 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 1,216 active hunters took 1,065 antelope here, 87.6% 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.
National forestBLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationArea 32Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Casper Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Medicine Bow (525) |
| Size | 709 square miles (454,030 acres) |
| Public land | 56% (254,149 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 1,065 (87.6% of 1,216 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 | Bessemer Bend, Red Butte, Casper, Mills and Evansville |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 32?
56% of antelope Area 32 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 254,149 of 454,030 acres. The largest share is BLM, 181,810 acres or 40% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 32 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 181,810 | 40% |
| State trust land | 63,261 | 13.9% |
| National forest | 6,917 | 1.5% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 2,161 | 0.5% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 63,296 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 30,869 acres road access or reached from other state land, 29,353 acres next to other public land, 2,885 acres no known public access and 189 acres possible access by water. 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 32
Public Access Area: North Platte River-Sechrist (52 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Muddy Mountain (25,420 acres here), Ice Cave Mountain (15,256 acres here), Pathfinder (152 acres here) and Deer Creek (36 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 3 areas covering 4,894 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 32?
WGFD estimates 1,065 antelope were taken in antelope Area 32 in 2025: 492 bucks, 531 does and 42 fawns. 1,216 hunters hunted, and 87.6% of them took an animal. Residents: 922 hunters, 83.9% success; nonresidents: 294 hunters, 99% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,216 | 1,065 | 492 | 531 | 42 | 87.6% | 4,059 | 3.8 |
| 2024 | 1,037 | 1,044 | 566 | 427 | 51 | 100.7% | 3,194 | 3.1 |
| 2023 | 705 | 746 | 407 | 296 | 43 | 105.8% | 2,583 | 3.5 |
| 2022 | 868 | 836 | 476 | 332 | 28 | 96.3% | 2,267 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | 848 | 751 | 397 | 294 | 60 | 88.6% | 2,527 | 3.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 704 | 646 | 528 | 81.7% | 2,301 |
| Type 6 | 599 | 537 | 437 | 81.4% | 1,421 |
| Type 7 | 150 | 128 | 100 | 78.1% | 337 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 11 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 32 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 32:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 24 | Sep 25 to Oct 31 | 550 | Any antelope |
| Type 2 | Aug 15 to Sep 24 | Oct 5 to Oct 31 | 250 | Any antelope |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Sep 24 | Sep 25 to Oct 31 | 600 | Doe or fawn |
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Sep 24 | Sep 25 to Nov 15 | 150 | Doe or fawn valid on or within one-half (1/2) mile of irrigated land |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), pages 2 to 3. 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 32?
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 | 16 | 502 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 11 | 39 | not published | |
| Residents | 420 | 1,075 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 50 | 554 | 52 | 8 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 33 | 72 | 33 | 6 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 7 | 110 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 5 | 22 | not published | |
| Residents | 199 | 157 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 23 | 134 | 24 | 7 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 15 | 37 | 15 | 3 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 120 | 893 | not published | |
| Residents | 480 | 815 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 43 | 143 | not published | |
| Residents | 120 | 66 | 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 32?
Highways through the area: WY 487 (about 33 miles inside it), WY 220 (about 28 miles inside it), WY 77 (about 6 miles inside it), WY 251 (about 6 miles inside it) and WY 252 (about 4 miles inside it). Towns inside: Bessemer Bend and Red Butte. Nearby: Casper (on the line), Mills (on the line), Evansville (4 miles) and Bar Nunn (5 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 32?
Antelope Area 32 touches 7 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 30 | Laprele | 1,052 | 28.8% | 424 (2025) |
| Area 31 | Hat Six | 316 | 32.7% | 72 (2025) |
| Area 47 | Shirley Basin | 1,103 | 48.4% | 1,289 (2025) |
| Area 48 | Leo-Hanna | 856 | 50.6% | 316 (2025) |
| Area 63 | North Ferris | 516 | 74.5% | 71 (2025) |
| Area 70 | Kendrick | 128 | 40.9% | 99 (2025) |
| Area 73 | North Natrona | 1,451 | 65.9% | 307 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 32?
56% of antelope Area 32 is public land: 254,149 of its 454,030 acres, the largest share BLM (181,810 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 32?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 87.6%: 1,216 active hunters took 1,065 antelope. In 2024 it was 100.7% (1,044 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 32 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 25 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 32?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 4 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 32. The largest, Type 6, had 600 licenses and 1,708 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 32?
Bessemer Bend and Red Butte are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Casper (on the line), Mills (on the line) and Evansville (4 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), pages 2 to 3.
- 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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