Antelope Hunt Area 81, South Fork: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 81 (South Fork) covers 619 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 57.9% public land, the largest part BLM (112,583 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 260 active hunters took 262 antelope here, 100.8% 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.
National forestBLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationOther public (state parks, military)Area 81Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Carter Mountain (205) |
| Size | 619 square miles (396,354 acres) |
| Public land | 57.9% (229,413 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 36,434 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 262 (100.8% of 260 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Cody, Burlington, Meeteetse and Powell |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 81?
57.9% of antelope Area 81 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 229,413 of 396,354 acres. The largest share is BLM, 112,583 acres or 28.4% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 81 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 112,583 | 28.4% |
| National forest | 81,725 | 20.6% |
| State trust land | 23,015 | 5.8% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 12,090 | 3.1% |
| Other public (state parks, military) | 112 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 23,522 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 9,761 acres road access or reached from other state land, 7,528 acres next to other public land, 6,191 acres no known public access and 42 acres possible access by water. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Washakie Wilderness (36,434 acres). A nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area must be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
WGFD access areas in Antelope Area 81
Public Access Areas: South Fork Shoshone River-Twin Creek Trailhead (123 acres here), Shoshone River-Sulphur Creek (78 acres here), South Fork Shoshone River-Houlihan/Bobcat (75 acres here), South Fork Shoshone River-Cody Canal (72 acres here), North Fork Shoshone River-Wapiti (38 acres here) and South Fork Shoshone River-Andy Martin Hill (29 acres here) and 1 more. Hunter Management Areas: Carter Mountain (79,265 acres here), Bear Creek (1,225 acres here) and Greybull River (155 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 3 areas covering 5,086 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 81?
WGFD estimates 262 antelope were taken in antelope Area 81 in 2025: 140 bucks, 115 does and 7 fawns. 260 hunters hunted, and 100.8% of them took an animal. Residents: 207 hunters, 98.1% success; nonresidents: 53 hunters, 111.3% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 260 | 262 | 140 | 115 | 7 | 100.8% | 915 | 3.5 |
| 2024 | 282 | 295 | 151 | 132 | 12 | 104.6% | 830 | 2.8 |
| 2023 | 278 | 300 | 181 | 111 | 8 | 107.9% | 1,220 | 4.1 |
| 2022 | 372 | 358 | 198 | 148 | 12 | 96.2% | 918 | 2.6 |
| 2021 | 440 | 458 | 217 | 241 | 0 | 104.1% | 1,425 | 3.1 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 178 | 172 | 149 | 86.6% | 565 |
| Type 6 | 149 | 127 | 113 | 89% | 350 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 15 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 81 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 81:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 19 | Sep 20 to Nov 15 | 175 | Any antelope |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Sep 19 | Sep 20 to Nov 15 | 150 | Doe or fawn |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), page 6. 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 81?
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 | 5 | 152 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 3 | 27 | not published | |
| Residents | 135 | 755 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 15 | 168 | 16 | 9 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 11 | 39 | 12 | 5 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 30 | 274 | not published | |
| Residents | 120 | 637 | 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 81?
Highways through the area: US 14 (about 25 miles inside it), US 16 (about 25 miles inside it), US 20 (about 25 miles inside it), WY 120 (about 17 miles inside it) and WY 291 (about 9 miles inside it). Towns inside: Cody. Nearby: Burlington (10 miles), Meeteetse (11 miles) and Powell (20 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 81?
Antelope Area 81 touches 3 other antelope hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 78 | Mccullough Peaks | 939 | 76.2% | 157 (2025) |
| Area 80 | Badger Basin | 1,384 | 52.8% | 188 (2025) |
| Area 82 | North Greybull River | 544 | 68.7% | 373 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 81?
57.9% of antelope Area 81 is public land: 229,413 of its 396,354 acres, the largest share BLM (112,583 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 81?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 100.8%: 260 active hunters took 262 antelope. In 2024 it was 104.6% (295 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 81 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 20 and the latest closes November 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 81?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 2 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 81. The largest, Type 1, had 169 licenses and 1,141 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 81?
Cody is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Burlington (10 miles), Meeteetse (11 miles) and Powell (20 miles).
Is there wilderness in Antelope Area 81?
Yes. Washakie Wilderness (36,434 acres) lies inside it. Wyoming law requires a nonresident hunting big game in a designated wilderness area to be accompanied by a licensed professional guide or a resident guide (W.S. 23-2-401).
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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 6.
- 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 78 Area 80 Area 82