Antelope Hunt Area 65, South Pass: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 65 (South Pass) covers 865 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 79.5% public land, most of it national forest (221,463 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 126 active hunters took 100 antelope here, 79.4% 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 landWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 65Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Beaver Rim (632) |
| Size | 865 square miles (553,626 acres) |
| Public land | 79.5% (440,338 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 102,351 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 100 (79.4% of 126 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Lander, Atlantic City and Hudson |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 65?
79.5% of antelope Area 65 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 440,338 of 553,626 acres. The largest share is national forest, 221,463 acres or 40% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 65 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 221,463 | 40% |
| BLM | 180,486 | 32.6% |
| State trust land | 38,389 | 6.9% |
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 142 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 38,412 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 23,223 acres next to other public land, 14,348 acres road access or reached from other state land and 841 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.
Designated wilderness: Popo Agie Wilderness (102,104 acres) and Bridger Wilderness (247 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).
PAD-US maps 142 acres here inside the Wind River Reservation. Tribal land there is not open to hunting on Wyoming licenses; some ground inside the reservation line is private or managed by WGFD and follows its own rules.
WGFD access areas in Antelope Area 65
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Red Canyon (1,987 acres here) and Sinks Canyon (514 acres here). Public Access Areas: Mexican Creek (2,326 acres here) and Mud Springs (1,837 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Spriggs (180 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 4 areas covering 4,844 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 65?
WGFD estimates 100 antelope were taken in antelope Area 65 in 2025: 85 bucks, 15 does and 0 fawns. 126 hunters hunted, and 79.4% of them took an animal. Residents: 90 hunters, 74.4% success; nonresidents: 36 hunters, 91.7% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 126 | 100 | 85 | 15 | 0 | 79.4% | 468 | 4.7 |
| 2024 | 137 | 113 | 80 | 33 | 0 | 82.5% | 429 | 3.8 |
| 2023 | 102 | 99 | 85 | 14 | 0 | 97.1% | 389 | 3.9 |
| 2022 | 173 | 142 | 102 | 34 | 6 | 82.1% | 663 | 4.7 |
| 2021 | 171 | 140 | 96 | 40 | 4 | 81.9% | 581 | 4.2 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 112 | 103 | 85 | 82.5% | 263 |
| Type 7 | 51 | 32 | 15 | 46.9% | 205 |
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 65 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 65:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 18 | Sep 19 to Oct 31 | 100 | Any antelope |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Sep 18 | Sep 19 to Oct 31 | 25 | Doe or fawn |
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 1 to Nov 7 | 50 | Doe or fawn valid north of the Little Popo Agie River; also valid in Area 66 west of the Little Popo Agie River |
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 65?
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 | 98 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 5 | not published | |
| Residents | 47 | 299 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 8 | 106 | 8 | 10 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 11 | 6 | 7 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 5 | 38 | not published | |
| Residents | 19 | 134 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 9 | 55 | not published | |
| Residents | 38 | 127 | 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 65?
Highways through the area: US 287 (about 22 miles inside it), WY 28 (about 21 miles inside it) and WY 789 (about 20 miles inside it). Towns inside: Lander and Atlantic City. Nearby: Hudson (9 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 65?
Antelope Area 65 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 64 | Bison Basin | 521 | 96.4% | 81 (2025) |
| Area 66 | Lander | 403 | 77.7% | 96 (2025) |
| Area 90 | Square Top | 567 | 82.9% | 33 (2025) |
| Area 91 | Dry Sandy | 688 | 91.5% | 127 (2025) |
| Area 106 | Long Creek | 482 | 89.7% | 102 (2025) |
| Area 107 | Upper Sweetwater | 306 | 90% | 82 (2025) |
| Area 117 | Crowheart Butte | 2,626 | 0% | 3 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 65?
79.5% of antelope Area 65 is public land: 440,338 of its 553,626 acres, the largest share national forest (221,463 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 65?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 79.4%: 126 active hunters took 100 antelope. In 2024 it was 82.5% (113 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 65 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes November 7, 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 65?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 65. The largest, Type 1, had 64 licenses and 519 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 65?
Lander and Atlantic City are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Hudson (9 miles).
Is there wilderness in Antelope Area 65?
Yes. Popo Agie Wilderness (102,104 acres) and Bridger Wilderness (247 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 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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