Antelope Hunt Area 73, North Natrona: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 73 (North Natrona) covers 1,451 square miles in WGFD's Casper Region and is 65.9% public land, most of it BLM (445,496 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 375 active hunters took 307 antelope here, 81.9% 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 73Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Casper Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | North Natrona (746) |
| Size | 1,451 square miles (928,677 acres) |
| Public land | 65.9% (611,752 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 307 (81.9% of 375 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Bar Nunn, Midwest, Homa Hills, Mills, Casper and Edgerton |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 73?
65.9% of antelope Area 73 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 611,752 of 928,677 acres. The largest share is BLM, 445,496 acres or 48% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 73 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 445,496 | 48% |
| State trust land | 119,810 | 12.9% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 46,446 | 5% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 119,947 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 87,803 acres next to other public land, 25,905 acres road access or reached from other state land and 6,239 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 73
Public Access Areas: Badwater Ranch (3,210 acres here) and Flying A Ranch (2,862 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Casper Creek (644 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 11 areas covering 63,652 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 73?
WGFD estimates 307 antelope were taken in antelope Area 73 in 2025: 281 bucks, 24 does and 2 fawns. 375 hunters hunted, and 81.9% of them took an animal. Residents: 283 hunters, 80.6% success; nonresidents: 92 hunters, 85.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 375 | 307 | 281 | 24 | 2 | 81.9% | 1,012 | 3.3 |
| 2024 | 382 | 327 | 298 | 27 | 2 | 85.6% | 1,004 | 3.1 |
| 2023 | 494 | 358 | 318 | 33 | 7 | 72.5% | 1,367 | 3.8 |
| 2022 | 869 | 675 | 498 | 168 | 9 | 77.7% | 3,035 | 4.5 |
| 2021 | 1,366 | 1,090 | 748 | 283 | 59 | 79.8% | 4,276 | 3.9 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 407 | 356 | 295 | 82.9% | 940 |
| Type 7 | 26 | 24 | 12 | 50% | 72 |
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 73 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 73:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 14 | Sep 15 to Oct 31 | 500 | Any antelope |
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Oct 31 | 25 | Doe or fawn valid east of Bucknum Road (Natrona County Road 125) and south of Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad right-of-way |
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 73?
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 | 14 | 517 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 9 | 80 | not published | |
| Residents | 365 | 1,306 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 42 | 562 | 45 | 10 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 29 | 110 | 30 | 7 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 5 | 99 | not published | |
| Residents | 18 | 175 | 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 73?
Highways through the area: I-25 (about 53 miles inside it), US 87 (about 53 miles inside it), US 26 (about 28 miles inside it), US 20 (about 28 miles inside it) and WY 259 (about 5 miles inside it). Towns inside: Bar Nunn, Midwest, Homa Hills, Powder River, Mountain View and Hartrandt. Nearby: Mills (on the line), Casper (on the line), Edgerton (on the line) and Evansville (3 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 73?
Antelope Area 73 touches 11 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 21 | Middle Fork | 625 | 51.9% | 213 (2025) |
| Area 25 | Ormsby | 721 | 32% | 403 (2025) |
| Area 31 | Hat Six | 316 | 32.7% | 72 (2025) |
| Area 32 | Bates Creek | 709 | 56% | 1,065 (2025) |
| Area 70 | Kendrick | 128 | 40.9% | 99 (2025) |
| Area 71 | East Poison Spider | 175 | 35.8% | 53 (2025) |
| Area 72 | West Poison Spider | 624 | 46.9% | 823 (2025) |
| Area 74 | Deer Creek | 464 | 57.4% | 138 (2025) |
| Area 75 | Badwater | 917 | 67.2% | 203 (2025) |
| Area 113 | Salt Creek | 309 | 43.4% | 81 (2025) |
| Area 115 | Upper Nowood | 1,013 | 53.6% | 155 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 73?
65.9% of antelope Area 73 is public land: 611,752 of its 928,677 acres, the largest share BLM (445,496 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 73?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 81.9%: 375 active hunters took 307 antelope. In 2024 it was 85.6% (327 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 73 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens August 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 73?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 73. The largest, Type 1, had 459 licenses and 2,575 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 73?
Bar Nunn, Midwest and Homa Hills are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Mills (on the line), Casper (on the line) and Edgerton (on the line).
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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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