Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 1, Clark's Fork: harvest, seasons and public land
Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 1 (Clark's Fork) covers 694 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 91.7% public land, most of it national forest (384,609 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 14 active hunters took 12 bighorn sheep here, 85.7% 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 9, final April 2026. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and the Office of State Lands, read 2026-10-18.
National forestBLMState trust landNational park (no general hunting)Area 1Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Absaroka (200) |
| Size | 694 square miles (444,354 acres) |
| Public land | 91.7% (407,276 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 158,355 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 12 (85.7% of 14 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Powell |
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 1?
91.7% of bighorn sheep Area 1 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 407,276 of 444,354 acres. The largest share is national forest, 384,609 acres or 86.6% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 1 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 384,609 | 86.6% |
| BLM | 19,888 | 4.5% |
| State trust land | 2,779 | 0.6% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 182 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 2,808 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 2,571 acres road access or reached from other state land, 203 acres no known public access and 34 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.
Designated wilderness: North Absaroka Wilderness (134,706 acres) and Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (23,649 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).
182 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Bighorn Sheep Area 1
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Sunlight Basin (1,097 acres here). Public Access Areas: Clarks Fork River-Clark Canyon (2,012 acres here) and Clarks Fork River-Hatchery (280 acres here).
Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's hunt area boundary (WGFD bighorn sheep 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 bighorn sheep are harvested in Bighorn sheep Area 1?
WGFD estimates 12 bighorn sheep were taken in bighorn sheep Area 1 in 2025: 12 rams, 0 ewes and 0 lambs. 14 hunters hunted, and 85.7% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Rams | Ewes | Lambs | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 85.7% | 87 | 7.3 |
| 2024 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 87.5% | 131 | 9.4 |
| 2023 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 73.3% | 135 | 12.3 |
| 2022 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 90.9% | 177 | 17.7 |
| 2021 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 81.8% | 75 | 8.3 |
Source: WGFD 2025 bighorn sheep harvest report, page 7 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 bighorn sheep season in Bighorn Sheep Area 1 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 1:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 1 to Oct 31 | 15 | Any ram |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 9 (final, April 2026), page 1. WGFD can change a season by emergency rule: check WGFD's regulations page before you go.
How do you get to Bighorn Sheep Area 1?
Highways through the area: US 212 (about 35 miles inside it) and WY 296 (about 23 miles inside it). Nearby: Powell (19 miles).
Which bighorn sheep hunt areas border Area 1?
Bighorn sheep Area 1 touches 1 other bighorn sheep hunt area. Its size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 2 | Trout Peak | 786 | 85.2% | 25 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 1?
91.7% of bighorn sheep Area 1 is public land: 407,276 of its 444,354 acres, the largest share national forest (384,609 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 Bighorn Sheep Area 1?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 85.7%: 14 active hunters took 12 bighorn sheep. In 2024 it was 87.5% (14 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does bighorn sheep season open in Bighorn Sheep Area 1 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes October 31, by WGFD Commission Chapter 9. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
What is the closest town to Bighorn Sheep Area 1?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Powell (19 miles).
Is there wilderness in Bighorn Sheep Area 1?
Yes. North Absaroka Wilderness (134,706 acres) and Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (23,649 acres) lie 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 bighorn sheep harvest reports, 2021 to 2025, listed here.
- Seasons, quotas and limitations: WGFD Commission Chapter 9 (final, April 2026), page 1.
- Licenses: WGFD issues bighorn sheep licenses by drawing; its demand reports are on WGFD's draw results page.
- Hunt area boundary: WGFD bighorn sheep 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.