Antelope Hunt Area 97, Boysen: harvest, draw results and public land
Antelope Hunt Area 97 (Boysen) covers 416 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 0% public land, measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 127 active hunters took 124 antelope here, 97.6% 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.
Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 97Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Project (635) |
| Size | 416 square miles (266,280 acres) |
| Public land | 0% (0 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 124 (97.6% of 127 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Pavillion, Riverton, Shoshoni and Hudson |
How much public land is in Antelope Area 97?
0% of antelope Area 97 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 0 of 266,280 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 266,280 | 100% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 2,445 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 2,435 acres road access or reached from other state land and 10 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.
PAD-US maps 266,280 acres here inside the Wind River Reservation. Tribal land there is not open to hunting on Wyoming licenses; some ground inside the reservation line is private or managed by WGFD and follows its own rules.
WGFD access areas in Antelope Area 97
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Sand Mesa (19,357 acres here) and Ocean Lake (11,252 acres here). Public Access Areas: Killebrew (239 acres here), Mile High Ranch (114 acres here) and Kinnear Pond (55 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 6 areas covering 2,919 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 97?
WGFD estimates 124 antelope were taken in antelope Area 97 in 2025: 89 bucks, 35 does and 0 fawns. 127 hunters hunted, and 97.6% of them took an animal. Residents: 93 hunters, 94.6% success; nonresidents: 34 hunters, 105.9% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bucks | Does | Fawns | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 127 | 124 | 89 | 35 | 0 | 97.6% | 366 | 3.0 |
| 2024 | 111 | 93 | 78 | 14 | 1 | 83.8% | 351 | 3.8 |
| 2023 | 122 | 134 | 85 | 44 | 5 | 109.8% | 319 | 2.4 |
| 2022 | 218 | 215 | 134 | 69 | 12 | 98.6% | 763 | 3.5 |
| 2021 | 314 | 306 | 174 | 126 | 6 | 97.5% | 1,380 | 4.5 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | 80 | 70 | 63 | 90% | 221 |
| Type 2 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 96.3% | 47 |
| Type 7 | 51 | 45 | 35 | 77.8% | 98 |
Source: WGFD 2025 antelope harvest report, page 16 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 97 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 97:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 also Area 117 | Aug 15 to Sep 18 | Sep 19 to Oct 31 | 75 | Any antelope |
| Type 2 also Area 117 | Aug 15 to Oct 31 | 25 | Any antelope valid in Area 97 south of U.S. Highway 26 or Wyoming Highway 134 and east of Eight Mile Road, and in all of Area 117 | |
| Type 7 also Area 117 | Aug 15 to Oct 31 | 50 | Doe or fawn valid in Area 97 south of U.S. Highway 26 or Wyoming Highway 134 and east of Eight Mile Road, and in all of Area 117 |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 5 (final, April 2026), page 7. 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 97?
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 | 1 | 73 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 1 | 2 | not published | |
| Residents | 24 | 202 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 6 | 81 | 8 | 8 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 5 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, regular, random | 1 | 22 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, special, random | 0 | 0 | not published | |
| Residents | 18 | 33 | not published | |
| Nonresidents, regular, preference points | 4 | 26 | 4 | 4 |
| Nonresidents, special, preference points | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 10 | 67 | not published | |
| Residents | 37 | 170 | 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 97?
Highways through the area: US 26 (about 28 miles inside it), WY 134 (about 24 miles inside it), WY 789 (about 6 miles inside it) and WY 133 (about 6 miles inside it). Towns inside: Pavillion. Nearby: Riverton (4 miles), Shoshoni (4 miles), Hudson (11 miles) and Lander (20 miles).
Which antelope hunt areas border Area 97?
Antelope Area 97 touches 1 other antelope hunt area. Its size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 117 | Crowheart Butte | 2,626 | 0% | 3 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Antelope Area 97?
0% of antelope Area 97 is public land: 0 of its 266,280 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 97?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 97.6%: 127 active hunters took 124 antelope. In 2024 it was 83.8% (93 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does antelope season open in Antelope Area 97 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 97?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 3 limited quota hunts for antelope Area 97. The largest, Type 7, had 47 licenses and 237 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Antelope Area 97?
Pavillion is inside the hunt area. Just outside: Riverton (4 miles), Shoshoni (4 miles) and Hudson (11 miles).
Get notified about FilledTag in Wyoming
Leave your email and we will let you know when FilledTag adds something new for Wyoming hunters.
The free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wyoming included.
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 7.
- 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.