Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 17, Ferris-Seminoe: harvest, seasons and public land
Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 17 (Ferris-Seminoe) covers 1,244 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 65.5% public land, most of it BLM (449,650 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 56 active hunters took 52 bighorn sheep here, 92.9% success. The 2026 season table lists 6 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.
BLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationNational wildlife refugeOther public (state parks, military)Area 17Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region (also Casper and Laramie) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Ferris-Seminoe (615) |
| Size | 1,244 square miles (796,242 acres) |
| Public land | 65.5% (521,559 acres) |
| Harvest, 2025 | 52 (92.9% of 56 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2, Type 6, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Sinclair, Alcova, Rawlins, Bairoil and Hanna |
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 17?
65.5% of bighorn sheep Area 17 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 521,559 of 796,242 acres. The largest share is BLM, 449,650 acres or 56.5% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 17 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 449,650 | 56.5% |
| State trust land | 54,596 | 6.9% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 17,313 | 2.2% |
| Other public (state parks, military) | 13,683 | 1.7% |
| National wildlife refuge | 2,855 | 0.4% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 54,669 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 30,008 acres next to other public land, 19,134 acres road access or reached from other state land, 5,522 acres no known public access and 5 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.
WGFD access areas in Bighorn Sheep Area 17
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Morgan Creek (4,738 acres here). Public Access Area: North Platte River-Pathfinder Ranches (29 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Stone Creek (14,843 acres here) and Pathfinder (5,592 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 3 areas covering 10,493 acres of private land enrolled in WGFD's Access Yes program.
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 17?
WGFD estimates 52 bighorn sheep were taken in bighorn sheep Area 17 in 2025: 19 rams, 33 ewes and 0 lambs. 56 hunters hunted, and 92.9% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Rams | Ewes | Lambs | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 57 | 56 | 52 | 19 | 33 | 0 | 92.9% | 255 | 4.9 |
| 2024 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 9 | 27 | 0 | 100% | 167 | 4.6 |
| 2023 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 10 | 16 | 0 | 96.3% | 150 | 5.8 |
| 2022 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 38 | 4.2 |
| 2021 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 49 | 12.3 |
Source: WGFD 2025 bighorn sheep harvest report, page 8 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 17 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 17:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | 8 | Any ram valid within the Sand Creek Drainage | |
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 15 to Nov 15 | Any ram valid in the entire area | |
| Type 2 | Sep 1 to Sep 14 | 12 | Any ram less than three- quarter (3/4) curl within the Sand Creek Drainage | |
| Type 2 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 15 to Nov 15 | Any ram less than three- quarter (3/4) curl valid in the entire area | |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Oct 1 to Nov 15 | 35 | Ewe or lamb |
| Type 7 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Oct 1 to Nov 15 | 15 | Ewe or lamb valid within the Sand Creek drainage |
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 17?
Highways through the area: US 287 (about 40 miles inside it), WY 789 (about 21 miles inside it), I-80 (about 19 miles inside it), US 30 (about 19 miles inside it) and WY 220 (about 11 miles inside it). Towns inside: Sinclair and Alcova. Nearby: Rawlins (on the line), Bairoil (5 miles) and Hanna (15 miles).
Which bighorn sheep hunt areas border Area 17?
Bighorn sheep Area 17 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 26 | Bennett Mountain | 252 | 54.1% | 5 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 17?
65.5% of bighorn sheep Area 17 is public land: 521,559 of its 796,242 acres, the largest share BLM (449,650 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 17?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 92.9%: 56 active hunters took 52 bighorn sheep. In 2024 it was 100% (36 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does bighorn sheep season open in Bighorn Sheep Area 17 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens September 1 and the latest closes November 15, 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 17?
Sinclair and Alcova are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Rawlins (on the line), Bairoil (5 miles) and Hanna (15 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.
Wyoming hunting Bighorn sheep hunt areas Lander Region Area 26