Antelope Hunt Area 8, Niobrara: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 8 (Niobrara) covers 1,116 square miles in WGFD's Casper Region and is 19.3% public land, most of it BLM (76,819 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 213 active hunters took 188 antelope here, 88.3% 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 8Neighboring areasLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Casper Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Black Thunder (750) |
| Size | 1,116 square miles (714,443 acres) |
| Public land | 19.3% (137,993 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 188 (88.3% of 213 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Newcastle, Manville and Lusk |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 8?
19.3% of antelope Area 8 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 137,993 of 714,443 acres. The largest share is BLM, 76,819 acres or 10.8% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 8 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 76,819 | 10.8% |
| State trust land | 47,722 | 6.7% |
| National forest | 13,452 | 1.9% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 47,723 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 24,269 acres no known public access, 17,133 acres road access or reached from other state land and 6,321 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 8
Walk-In Hunting: 2 areas covering 7,370 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 8?
WGFD estimates 188 antelope were taken in antelope Area 8 in 2025: 188 bucks, 0 does and 0 fawns. 213 hunters hunted, and 88.3% of them took an animal. Residents: 59 hunters, 57.6% success; nonresidents: 154 hunters, 100% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 213 | 188 | 188 | 0 | 0 | 88.3% | 538 | 2.9 |
| 2024 | 215 | 201 | 196 | 5 | 0 | 93.5% | 602 | 3.0 |
| 2023 | 160 | 149 | 146 | 0 | 3 | 93.1% | 575 | 3.9 |
| 2022 | 160 | 132 | 129 | 3 | 0 | 82.5% | 439 | 3.3 |
| 2021 | 233 | 178 | 165 | 10 | 3 | 76.4% | 781 | 4.4 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 379 | 213 | 188 | 88.3% | 538 |
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 8 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 8:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 30 | Oct 1 to Oct 15 | 225 | 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 8?
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 | 19 | 293 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 13 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 178 | 69 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 60 | 355 | 62 | 4 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 41 | 41 | 41 | 0 |
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 8?
Highways through the area: US 85 (about 41 miles inside it), US 18 (about 35 miles inside it) and WY 270 (about 3 miles inside it). Nearby: Newcastle (17 miles), Manville (19 miles) and Lusk (20 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 8?
Antelope Area 8 touches 4 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 6 | South Newcastle | 626 | 22.2% | 114 (2025) |
| Area 9 | Lance Creek | 1,022 | 15.1% | 234 (2025) |
| Area 27 | Bill | 564 | 57.7% | 105 (2025) |
| Area 29 | Shawneee | 1,263 | 22.8% | 331 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 8?
19.3% of antelope Area 8 is public land: 137,993 of its 714,443 acres, the largest share BLM (76,819 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 8?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 88.3%: 213 active hunters took 188 antelope. In 2024 it was 93.5% (201 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 8 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 8?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for antelope Area 8. Type 1 had 311 licenses and 758 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 8?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Newcastle (17 miles), Manville (19 miles) and Lusk (20 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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