Antelope Hunt Area 50, Elk Mountain: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 50 (Elk Mountain) covers 1,186 square miles in WGFD's Laramie Region and is 61.7% public land, most of it national forest (333,228 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 395 active hunters took 349 antelope here, 88.4% 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 landNational wildlife refugeArea 50Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Laramie Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Elk Mountain (528) |
| Size | 1,186 square miles (759,038 acres) |
| Public land | 61.7% (468,373 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 33,904 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 349 (88.4% of 395 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6, Type 0 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Elk Mountain, Ryan Park, Saratoga, Riverside and Encampment |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 50?
61.7% of antelope Area 50 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 468,373 of 759,038 acres. The largest share is national forest, 333,228 acres or 43.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 50 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 333,228 | 43.9% |
| BLM | 90,907 | 12% |
| State trust land | 44,238 | 5.8% |
| National wildlife refuge | 117 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 44,249 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 20,892 acres no known public access, 13,469 acres road access or reached from other state land, 8,915 acres next to other public land and 973 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.
Designated wilderness: Platte River Wilderness (18,605 acres) and Savage Run Wilderness (15,299 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 50
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Wick Brothers/Beumee (11,728 acres here) and Pennock Mountain (10,174 acres here). Public Access Areas: Saratoga Lake (852 acres here), North Platte River-Sanger (95 acres here) and North Platte River-Rochelle (55 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Harrison Creek (6,970 acres here) and Elk Mountain (5,469 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 3 areas covering 1,589 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 50?
WGFD estimates 349 antelope were taken in antelope Area 50 in 2025: 265 bucks, 78 does and 6 fawns. 395 hunters hunted, and 88.4% of them took an animal. Residents: 306 hunters, 86.3% success; nonresidents: 89 hunters, 95.5% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 395 | 349 | 265 | 78 | 6 | 88.4% | 1,139 | 3.3 |
| 2024 | 398 | 365 | 294 | 56 | 15 | 91.7% | 1,465 | 4.0 |
| 2023 | 326 | 309 | 244 | 63 | 2 | 94.8% | 1,042 | 3.4 |
| 2022 | 425 | 371 | 241 | 127 | 3 | 87.3% | 1,504 | 4.1 |
| 2021 | 406 | 382 | 269 | 109 | 4 | 94.1% | 1,118 | 2.9 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 303 | 284 | 243 | 85.6% | 769 |
| Type 6 | 100 | 88 | 70 | 79.5% | 241 |
| Type 0 | 51 | 49 | 36 | 73.5% | 129 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 12 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 50 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 50:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 16 to Oct 31 | 375 | Any antelope |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 16 to Oct 31 | 150 | Doe or fawn |
| Type 0 | Sep 1 to Sep 15 | 75 | Any antelope, muzzle- loading firearms only |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), page 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 50?
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 | 2 | 17 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 2 | not published | |
| Residents | 60 | 48 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 7 | 24 | 7 | 5 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 5 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 10 | 158 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 7 | 34 | not published | |
| Residents | 289 | 497 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 31 | 189 | 31 | 7 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 21 | 57 | 23 | 3 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 30 | 241 | not published | |
| Residents | 117 | 318 | 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 50?
Highways through the area: WY 130 (about 48 miles inside it), I-80 (about 44 miles inside it), WY 230 (about 4 miles inside it), WY 72 (about 4 miles inside it) and US 287 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Elk Mountain and Ryan Park. Nearby: Saratoga (on the line), Riverside (7 miles), Encampment (8 miles) and Hanna (8 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 50?
Antelope Area 50 touches 9 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 43 | Cooper Lake | 445 | 19.3% | 195 (2025) |
| Area 44 | South Laramie | 427 | 26.3% | 130 (2025) |
| Area 45 | West Laramie | 654 | 46.6% | 635 (2025) |
| Area 46 | Kyle | 398 | 26.2% | 189 (2025) |
| Area 48 | Leo-Hanna | 856 | 50.6% | 316 (2025) |
| Area 51 | Big Creek | 318 | 58.9% | 89 (2025) |
| Area 52 | Spring Creek | 616 | 64% | 122 (2025) |
| Area 56 | Iron Springs | 268 | 46.8% | 10 (2025) |
| Area 62 | South Ferris | 728 | 59.2% | 19 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 50?
61.7% of antelope Area 50 is public land: 468,373 of its 759,038 acres, the largest share national forest (333,228 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 50?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 88.4%: 395 active hunters took 349 antelope. In 2024 it was 91.7% (365 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 50 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 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 50?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 50. The largest, Type 1, had 358 licenses and 935 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 50?
Elk Mountain and Ryan Park are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Saratoga (on the line), Riverside (7 miles) and Encampment (8 miles).
Is there wilderness in Antelope Area 50?
Yes. Platte River Wilderness (18,605 acres) and Savage Run Wilderness (15,299 acres) lie 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).
Get notified about FilledTag in Wyoming
Leave your email and we will let you know when FilledTag adds something new for Wyoming hunters.
The free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wyoming included.
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 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.
Wyoming hunting Antelope hunt areas Laramie Region Area 43 Area 44 Area 45 Area 46 Area 48 Area 51 Area 52 Area 56 Area 62