Antelope Hunt Area 7, South Upton: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 7 (South Upton) covers 988 square miles in WGFD's Casper Region and is 28.3% public land, most of it national forest (109,883 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 314 active hunters took 285 antelope here, 90.8% 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.
National forestBLMState trust landArea 7Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Casper Region (also Sheridan) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Black Thunder (750) |
| Size | 988 square miles (632,611 acres) |
| Public land | 28.3% (178,822 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 285 (90.8% of 314 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Upton, Moorcroft and Newcastle |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 7?
28.3% of antelope Area 7 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 178,822 of 632,611 acres. The largest share is national forest, 109,883 acres or 17.4% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 7 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 109,883 | 17.4% |
| State trust land | 42,829 | 6.8% |
| BLM | 26,110 | 4.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 42,828 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 17,246 acres no known public access, 14,267 acres road access or reached from other state land and 11,315 acres next to other public 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 7
Walk-In Hunting: 7 areas covering 26,820 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 7?
WGFD estimates 285 antelope were taken in antelope Area 7 in 2025: 270 bucks, 15 does and 0 fawns. 314 hunters hunted, and 90.8% of them took an animal. Residents: 243 hunters, 88.1% success; nonresidents: 71 hunters, 100% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 314 | 285 | 270 | 15 | 0 | 90.8% | 681 | 2.4 |
| 2024 | 314 | 287 | 273 | 14 | 0 | 91.4% | 867 | 3.0 |
| 2023 | 232 | 190 | 190 | 0 | 0 | 81.9% | 580 | 3.1 |
| 2022 | 244 | 200 | 183 | 17 | 0 | 82% | 664 | 3.3 |
| 2021 | 365 | 285 | 203 | 80 | 2 | 78.1% | 1,297 | 4.6 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 351 | 314 | 285 | 90.8% | 681 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 8 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 7 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 7:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 15 | 400 | Any antelope |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), page 1. 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 7?
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 | 12 | 326 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 8 | 18 | not published | |
| Residents | 307 | 418 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 36 | 363 | 37 | 7 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 24 | 42 | 24 | 3 |
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 7?
Highways through the area: WY 116 (about 32 miles inside it), US 16 (about 22 miles inside it), WY 451 (about 5 miles inside it) and WY 450 (about 3 miles inside it). Nearby: Upton (on the line), Moorcroft (on the line), Newcastle (3 miles) and Pine Haven (9 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 7?
Antelope Area 7 touches 6 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 3 | Keyhole | 331 | 9.9% | 193 (2025) |
| Area 4 | Arch Creek | 233 | 14.5% | 81 (2025) |
| Area 5 | Inyan Kara | 859 | 30.2% | 87 (2025) |
| Area 6 | South Newcastle | 626 | 22.2% | 114 (2025) |
| Area 24 | Thunder Basin | 851 | 18.1% | 490 (2025) |
| Area 27 | Bill | 564 | 57.7% | 105 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 7?
28.3% of antelope Area 7 is public land: 178,822 of its 632,611 acres, the largest share national forest (109,883 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 7?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 90.8%: 314 active hunters took 285 antelope. In 2024 it was 91.4% (287 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 7 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens October 1 and the latest closes October 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 7?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for antelope Area 7. Type 1 had 387 licenses and 1,167 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 7?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Upton (on the line), Moorcroft (on the line) and Newcastle (3 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 1.
- 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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