Antelope Hunt Area 72, West Poison Spider: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 72 (West Poison Spider) covers 624 square miles in WGFD's Casper Region and is 46.9% public land, most of it BLM (151,408 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 925 active hunters took 823 antelope here, 89% 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.
BLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationArea 72Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Casper Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Rattlesnake (745) |
| Size | 624 square miles (399,101 acres) |
| Public land | 46.9% (187,075 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 823 (89% of 925 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Mills, Casper and Bar Nunn |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 72?
46.9% of antelope Area 72 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 187,075 of 399,101 acres. The largest share is BLM, 151,408 acres or 37.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 72 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 151,408 | 37.9% |
| State trust land | 35,576 | 8.9% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 91 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 35,598 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 16,227 acres next to other public land, 12,793 acres road access or reached from other state land and 6,578 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.
WGFD access areas in Antelope Area 72
Hunter Management Area: Rattlesnake Mountain (2,322 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 8 areas covering 29,384 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 72?
WGFD estimates 823 antelope were taken in antelope Area 72 in 2025: 602 bucks, 198 does and 23 fawns. 925 hunters hunted, and 89% of them took an animal. Residents: 709 hunters, 86% success; nonresidents: 216 hunters, 98.6% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 925 | 823 | 602 | 198 | 23 | 89% | 3,231 | 3.9 |
| 2024 | 902 | 832 | 608 | 216 | 8 | 92.2% | 3,098 | 3.7 |
| 2023 | 635 | 553 | 543 | 10 | 0 | 87.1% | 1,812 | 3.3 |
| 2022 | 864 | 789 | 511 | 253 | 25 | 91.3% | 2,346 | 3.0 |
| 2021 | 812 | 714 | 413 | 301 | 0 | 87.9% | 2,226 | 3.1 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 800 | 747 | 609 | 81.5% | 2,525 |
| Type 6 | 301 | 261 | 214 | 82% | 706 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 14 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 72 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 72:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Oct 31 | 800 | Any antelope |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Oct 31 | 300 | Doe or fawn |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), page 5. 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 72?
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 | 24 | 489 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 16 | 90 | not published | |
| Residents | 616 | 955 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 72 | 563 | 74 | 8 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 48 | 138 | 48 | 5 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 60 | 566 | not published | |
| Residents | 240 | 574 | 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 72?
Highways through the area: US 20 (about 7 miles inside it) and US 26 (about 7 miles inside it). Nearby: Mills (12 miles), Casper (15 miles), Bar Nunn (16 miles) and Evansville (18 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 72?
Antelope Area 72 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 69 | South Rattlesnake | 339 | 77.2% | 60 (2025) |
| Area 70 | Kendrick | 128 | 40.9% | 99 (2025) |
| Area 71 | East Poison Spider | 175 | 35.8% | 53 (2025) |
| Area 73 | North Natrona | 1,451 | 65.9% | 307 (2025) |
| Area 74 | Deer Creek | 464 | 57.4% | 138 (2025) |
| Area 75 | Badwater | 917 | 67.2% | 203 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 72?
46.9% of antelope Area 72 is public land: 187,075 of its 399,101 acres, the largest share BLM (151,408 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 72?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 89%: 925 active hunters took 823 antelope. In 2024 it was 92.2% (832 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 72 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 15 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 72?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 72. The largest, Type 1, had 776 licenses and 2,235 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 72?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Mills (12 miles), Casper (15 miles) and Bar Nunn (16 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 5.
- 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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