Antelope Hunt Area 78, Mccullough Peaks: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 78 (Mccullough Peaks) covers 939 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 76.2% public land, most of it BLM (409,939 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 170 active hunters took 157 antelope here, 92.4% 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 landBureau of ReclamationNational park (no general hunting)Area 78Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Carter Mountain (205) |
| Size | 939 square miles (601,144 acres) |
| Public land | 76.2% (458,058 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 157 (92.4% of 170 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 7, Type 8 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Greybull, Lovell, Burlington, Cody and Byron |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 78?
76.2% of antelope Area 78 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 458,058 of 601,144 acres. The largest share is BLM, 409,939 acres or 68.2% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 78 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 409,939 | 68.2% |
| State trust land | 25,097 | 4.2% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 23,019 | 3.8% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 887 | 0.1% |
| National forest | 3 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 25,425 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 17,837 acres next to other public land, 5,907 acres road access or reached from other state land and 1,681 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.
887 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Antelope Area 78
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Yellowtail (5,219 acres here). Public Access Areas: Shoshone River-Dillmon (391 acres here) and Shoshone River-Willwood Dam (70 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Yellowtail (5,219 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 21 areas covering 10,244 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 78?
WGFD estimates 157 antelope were taken in antelope Area 78 in 2025: 90 bucks, 63 does and 4 fawns. 170 hunters hunted, and 92.4% of them took an animal. Residents: 133 hunters, 88.7% success; nonresidents: 37 hunters, 105.4% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 170 | 157 | 90 | 63 | 4 | 92.4% | 712 | 4.5 |
| 2024 | 153 | 170 | 89 | 76 | 5 | 111.1% | 566 | 3.3 |
| 2023 | 227 | 204 | 92 | 101 | 11 | 89.9% | 1,037 | 5.1 |
| 2022 | 301 | 237 | 124 | 106 | 7 | 78.7% | 1,202 | 5.1 |
| 2021 | 200 | 176 | 128 | 38 | 10 | 88% | 873 | 5.0 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 102 | 95 | 90 | 94.7% | 363 |
| Type 6 | 100 | 60 | 46 | 76.7% | 217 |
| Type 7 | 50 | 29 | 21 | 72.4% | 132 |
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. Success above 100% is as WGFD prints it: some hunters hold more than one license.
When is antelope season in Antelope Area 78 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 78:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 19 | Sep 20 to Oct 31 | 100 | Any antelope |
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Nov 30 | 100 | Doe or fawn valid on irrigated land | |
| Type 8 | Oct 15 to Nov 30 | 50 | Doe or fawn valid on irrigated land in Big Horn County |
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 78?
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 | 119 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 2 | 11 | not published | |
| Residents | 70 | 763 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 8 | 130 | 11 | 11 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 6 | 17 | 6 | 9 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 19 | 69 | not published | |
| Residents | 76 | 154 | not published |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 10 | 36 | not published | |
| Residents | 40 | 53 | 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 78?
Highways through the area: WY 789 (about 36 miles inside it), WY 32 (about 31 miles inside it), US 14 (about 30 miles inside it), US 16 (about 30 miles inside it) and US 20 (about 30 miles inside it). Towns inside: Greybull and Lovell. Nearby: Burlington (on the line), Cody (on the line), Byron (on the line) and Cowley (4 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 78?
Antelope Area 78 touches 5 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 77 | Fifteen Mile Creek | 1,127 | 81.2% | 155 (2025) |
| Area 79 | Big Horn | 1,249 | 77.3% | 119 (2025) |
| Area 80 | Badger Basin | 1,384 | 52.8% | 188 (2025) |
| Area 81 | South Fork | 619 | 57.9% | 262 (2025) |
| Area 82 | North Greybull River | 544 | 68.7% | 373 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 78?
76.2% of antelope Area 78 is public land: 458,058 of its 601,144 acres, the largest share BLM (409,939 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 78?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 92.4%: 170 active hunters took 157 antelope. In 2024 it was 111.1% (170 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 78 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens August 15 and the latest closes November 30, 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 78?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 78. The largest, Type 7, had 95 licenses and 223 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 78?
Greybull and Lovell are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Burlington (on the line), Cody (on the line) and Byron (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.
Wyoming hunting Antelope hunt areas Cody Region Area 77 Area 79 Area 80 Area 81 Area 82