Antelope Hunt Area 61, Chain Lakes: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 61 (Chain Lakes) covers 1,254 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 70% public land, most of it BLM (535,737 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 108 active hunters took 96 antelope here, 88.9% 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.
BLMState trust landArea 61Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Red Desert (615) |
| Size | 1,254 square miles (802,772 acres) |
| Public land | 70% (561,804 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 96 (88.9% of 108 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Rawlins, Bairoil, Wamsutter and Sinclair |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 61?
70% of antelope Area 61 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 561,804 of 802,772 acres. The largest share is BLM, 535,737 acres or 66.7% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 61 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 535,737 | 66.7% |
| State trust land | 26,067 | 3.2% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 26,105 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 17,025 acres next to other public land, 4,588 acres no known public access and 4,492 acres road access or reached from other state 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 61
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Chain Lakes (62,387 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 3 areas covering 10,812 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 61?
WGFD estimates 96 antelope were taken in antelope Area 61 in 2025: 96 bucks, 0 does and 0 fawns. 108 hunters hunted, and 88.9% of them took an animal. Residents: 85 hunters, 85.9% success; nonresidents: 23 hunters, 100% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 108 | 96 | 96 | 0 | 0 | 88.9% | 369 | 3.8 |
| 2024 | 50 | 40 | 36 | 4 | 0 | 80% | 221 | 5.5 |
| 2023 | 46 | 38 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 82.6% | 120 | 3.2 |
| 2022 | 155 | 125 | 125 | 0 | 0 | 80.6% | 531 | 4.2 |
| 2021 | 117 | 105 | 105 | 0 | 0 | 89.7% | 275 | 2.6 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 125 | 108 | 96 | 88.9% | 369 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 13 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 61 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 61:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 18 | Sep 19 to Oct 31 | 125 | Any antelope |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), page 4. 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 61?
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 | 249 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 41 | not published | |
| Residents | 89 | 594 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 10 | 259 | 10 | 17 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 7 | 48 | 7 | 12 |
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 61?
Highways through the area: WY 789 (about 46 miles inside it), I-80 (about 40 miles inside it), US 30 (about 40 miles inside it), US 287 (about 18 miles inside it) and WY 73 (about 5 miles inside it). Towns inside: Rawlins and Bairoil. Nearby: Wamsutter (on the line) and Sinclair (4 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 61?
Antelope Area 61 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 55 | Red Rim | 382 | 47.8% | 31 (2025) |
| Area 56 | Iron Springs | 268 | 46.8% | 10 (2025) |
| Area 57 | South Wamsutter | 1,775 | 73% | 109 (2025) |
| Area 60 | Table Rock | 1,609 | 74.3% | 52 (2025) |
| Area 62 | South Ferris | 728 | 59.2% | 19 (2025) |
| Area 64 | Bison Basin | 521 | 96.4% | 81 (2025) |
| Area 68 | Split Rock | 807 | 81.3% | 186 (2025) |
| Area 106 | Long Creek | 482 | 89.7% | 102 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 61?
70% of antelope Area 61 is public land: 561,804 of its 802,772 acres, the largest share BLM (535,737 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 61?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 88.9%: 108 active hunters took 96 antelope. In 2024 it was 80% (40 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 61 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 19 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 61?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for antelope Area 61. Type 1 had 111 licenses and 1,191 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 61?
Rawlins and Bairoil are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Wamsutter (on the line) and Sinclair (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), page 4.
- 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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