Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 12, Porcupine: harvest, seasons and public land
Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 12 (Porcupine) covers 230 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 87.5% public land, most of it BLM (71,727 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 8 active hunters took 8 bighorn sheep here, 100% 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 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 12Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region (also Sheridan) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Devil's Canyon (212) |
| Size | 230 square miles (147,374 acres) |
| Public land | 87.5% (128,999 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 8 (100% of 8 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2 |
| Special archery opens | August 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Lovell, Cowley and Byron |
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 12?
87.5% of bighorn sheep Area 12 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 128,999 of 147,374 acres. The largest share is BLM, 71,727 acres or 48.7% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 12 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 71,727 | 48.7% |
| National forest | 51,773 | 35.1% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 5,888 | 4% |
| State trust land | 5,499 | 3.7% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 5,596 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 5,596 acres road access or reached from other state land. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
5,888 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Bighorn Sheep Area 12
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Yellowtail (106 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Yellowtail (106 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 12?
WGFD estimates 8 bighorn sheep were taken in bighorn sheep Area 12 in 2025: 8 rams, 0 ewes and 0 lambs. 8 hunters hunted, and 100% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Rams | Ewes | Lambs | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 34 | 4.3 |
| 2024 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 112.5% | 26 | 2.9 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 7 | 3.5 |
| 2022 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 91.7% | 42 | 3.8 |
| 2021 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 25 | 4.2 |
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. Success above 100% is as WGFD prints it: some hunters hold more than one license.
When is bighorn sheep season in Bighorn Sheep Area 12 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 12:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 1 to Aug 14 | Aug 15 to Oct 15 | 5 | Any ram |
| Type 2 | Aug 1 to Aug 14 | Aug 15 to Oct 31 | 3 | Any ram less than three- quarter (3/4) curl |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 9 (final, April 2026), page 2. WGFD can change a season by emergency rule: check WGFD's regulations page before you go.
How do you get to Bighorn Sheep Area 12?
No numbered highway crosses the area. Nearby: Lovell (10 miles), Cowley (11 miles), Byron (16 miles) and Deaver (17 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 12?
87.5% of bighorn sheep Area 12 is public land: 128,999 of its 147,374 acres, the largest share BLM (71,727 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 12?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 100%: 8 active hunters took 8 bighorn sheep. In 2024 it was 112.5% (9 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does bighorn sheep season open in Bighorn Sheep Area 12 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 1. The earliest regular season row opens August 15 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 12?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Lovell (10 miles), Cowley (11 miles) and Byron (16 miles).
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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 2.
- 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.