Antelope Hunt Area 86, Hoback: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 86 (Hoback) covers 566 square miles in WGFD's Pinedale Region and is 94.3% public land, most of it national forest (340,015 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2023 harvest report estimates 2 active hunters took 0 antelope here, 0% 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 forestBLMArea 86Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Pinedale Region (also Jackson) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Sublette (401) |
| Size | 566 square miles (362,517 acres) |
| Public land | 94.3% (341,747 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 64,884 acres |
| Harvest, 2023 | 0 (0% of 2 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Bondurant, Jackson, Alpine and Star Valley Ranch |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 86?
94.3% of antelope Area 86 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 341,747 of 362,517 acres. The largest share is national forest, 340,015 acres or 93.8% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 86 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 340,015 | 93.8% |
| BLM | 1,732 | 0.5% |
Designated wilderness: Gros Ventre Wilderness (64,884 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 86
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Camp Creek (149 acres here).
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 86?
WGFD estimates 0 antelope were taken in antelope Area 86 in 2023: 0 bucks, 0 does and 0 fawns. 2 hunters hunted, and 0% of them took an animal.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | |
| 2022 | 53 | 53 | 36 | 13 | 4 | 100% | 252 | 4.8 |
| 2021 | 57 | 55 | 36 | 16 | 3 | 96.5% | 161 | 2.9 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0% | 2 |
Source: WGFD 2023 antelope harvest report, page 9 of the PDF; earlier years from 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 86 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 86:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Sep 9 | Sep 10 to Oct 31 | 10 | Any antelope |
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 86?
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 | 0 | 1 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 8 | 33 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 1 | 0 | 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.
How do you get to Antelope Area 86?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 34 miles inside it) and US 189 (about 34 miles inside it). Towns inside: Bondurant. Nearby: Jackson (9 miles), Alpine (15 miles), Star Valley Ranch (15 miles) and Thayne (18 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 86?
Antelope Area 86 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 85 | Gros Ventre | 873 | 94.7% | 20 (2022) |
| Area 87 | Pinedale | 1,309 | 80.5% | 27 (2025) |
| Area 88 | Beaver | 597 | 52.6% | 17 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 86?
94.3% of antelope Area 86 is public land: 341,747 of its 362,517 acres, the largest share national forest (340,015 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 86?
WGFD's 2023 harvest report puts hunter success at 0%: 2 active hunters took 0 antelope. In 2022 it was 100% (53 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 86 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 10 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 86?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for antelope Area 86. Type 1 had 11 licenses and 37 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 86?
Bondurant is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Jackson (9 miles), Alpine (15 miles) and Star Valley Ranch (15 miles).
Is there wilderness in Antelope Area 86?
Yes. Gros Ventre Wilderness (64,884 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 Pinedale Region Area 87 Area 88