Antelope Hunt Area 51, Big Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 51 (Big Creek) covers 318 square miles in WGFD's Laramie Region and is 58.9% public land, most of it national forest (79,599 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 107 active hunters took 89 antelope here, 83.2% 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.
National forestBLMState trust landArea 51Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Laramie Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Big Creek (529) |
| Size | 318 square miles (203,341 acres) |
| Public land | 58.9% (119,826 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 9,525 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 89 (83.2% of 107 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Riverside, Encampment and Saratoga |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 51?
58.9% of antelope Area 51 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 119,826 of 203,341 acres. The largest share is national forest, 79,599 acres or 39.1% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 51 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 79,599 | 39.1% |
| BLM | 31,155 | 15.3% |
| State trust land | 9,072 | 4.5% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 9,072 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 5,527 acres next to other public land, 2,657 acres road access or reached from other state land, 865 acres no known public access and 23 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: Encampment River Wilderness (5,569 acres) and Platte River Wilderness (3,956 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).
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 51?
WGFD estimates 89 antelope were taken in antelope Area 51 in 2025: 66 bucks, 17 does and 6 fawns. 107 hunters hunted, and 83.2% of them took an animal. Residents: 83 hunters, 79.5% success; nonresidents: 24 hunters, 95.8% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 107 | 89 | 66 | 17 | 6 | 83.2% | 564 | 6.3 |
| 2024 | 114 | 96 | 80 | 14 | 2 | 84.2% | 414 | 4.3 |
| 2023 | 106 | 88 | 77 | 11 | 0 | 83% | 345 | 3.9 |
| 2022 | 128 | 122 | 78 | 28 | 16 | 95.3% | 500 | 4.1 |
| 2021 | 181 | 150 | 67 | 71 | 12 | 82.9% | 661 | 4.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 102 | 91 | 72 | 79.1% | 393 |
| Type 6 | 26 | 24 | 17 | 70.8% | 171 |
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 51 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 51:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 15 | Sep 16 to Nov 14 | 125 | Any antelope |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Sep 15 | Sep 16 to Nov 14 | 50 | Doe or fawn |
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 51?
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 | 3 | 85 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 12 | not published | |
| Residents | 90 | 198 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 12 | 97 | 12 | 7 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 8 | 20 | 8 | 3 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 10 | 98 | not published | |
| Residents | 40 | 90 | 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 51?
Highways through the area: WY 230 (about 27 miles inside it). Nearby: Riverside (on the line), Encampment (on the line) and Saratoga (11 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 51?
Antelope Area 51 touches 2 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 50 | Elk Mountain | 1,186 | 61.7% | 349 (2025) |
| Area 52 | Spring Creek | 616 | 64% | 122 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 51?
58.9% of antelope Area 51 is public land: 119,826 of its 203,341 acres, the largest share national forest (79,599 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 51?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 83.2%: 107 active hunters took 89 antelope. In 2024 it was 84.2% (96 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 51 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 16 and the latest closes November 14, 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 51?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 51. The largest, Type 1, had 115 licenses and 412 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 51?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Riverside (on the line), Encampment (on the line) and Saratoga (11 miles).
Is there wilderness in Antelope Area 51?
Yes. Encampment River Wilderness (5,569 acres) and Platte River Wilderness (3,956 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).
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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 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 50 Area 52