Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 21, Encampment River: harvest, seasons and public land
Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 21 (Encampment River) covers 1,073 square miles in WGFD's Laramie Region and is 71.3% public land, most of it national forest (304,857 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 2 active hunters took 2 bighorn sheep here, 100% 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 9, final April 2026. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and the Office of State Lands, read 2026-10-18.
National forestBLMState trust landArea 21Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Laramie Region (also Green River) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Encampment River (519) |
| Size | 1,073 square miles (686,821 acres) |
| Public land | 71.3% (489,887 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 41,198 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 2 (100% of 2 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2, Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Saratoga, Encampment, Riverside, Dixon, Sinclair and Rawlins |
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 21?
71.3% of bighorn sheep Area 21 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 489,887 of 686,821 acres. The largest share is national forest, 304,857 acres or 44.4% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 21 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 304,857 | 44.4% |
| BLM | 146,250 | 21.3% |
| State trust land | 38,780 | 5.6% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 38,901 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 22,593 acres next to other public land, 14,139 acres road access or reached from other state land, 2,157 acres no known public access and 12 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.
Designated wilderness: Huston Park Wilderness (30,997 acres) and Encampment River Wilderness (10,201 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 Bighorn Sheep Area 21
Public Access Areas: North Platte River-Sanger (134 acres here) and North Platte River-Pick Bridge (42 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 2,252 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 21?
WGFD estimates 2 bighorn sheep were taken in bighorn sheep Area 21 in 2025: 2 rams, 0 ewes and 0 lambs. 2 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 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 84 | 42.0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 66 | 33.0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 24 | 12.0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 2 | 2.0 |
Source: WGFD 2025 bighorn sheep harvest report, page 8 of the PDF; earlier years from 2024, 2023 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 21 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 21:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 1 to Oct 31 | 2 | Any ram |
| Type 2 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 1 to Oct 31 | 1 | Any ram less than three- quarter (3/4) curl |
| Type 6 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 1 to Oct 31 | 2 | Ewe or lamb |
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 21?
Highways through the area: WY 70 (about 34 miles inside it), WY 230 (about 12 miles inside it) and WY 130 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Saratoga, Encampment and Riverside. Nearby: Dixon (12 miles), Sinclair (14 miles), Rawlins (17 miles) and Baggs (18 miles).
Which bighorn sheep hunt areas border Area 21?
Bighorn sheep Area 21 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 18 | Douglas Creek | 2,300 | 50.1% | 3 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 21?
71.3% of bighorn sheep Area 21 is public land: 489,887 of its 686,821 acres, the largest share national forest (304,857 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 21?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 100%: 2 active hunters took 2 bighorn sheep. In 2024 it was 100% (2 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does bighorn sheep season open in Bighorn Sheep Area 21 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 21?
Saratoga, Encampment and Riverside are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Dixon (12 miles), Sinclair (14 miles) and Rawlins (17 miles).
Is there wilderness in Bighorn Sheep Area 21?
Yes. Huston Park Wilderness (30,997 acres) and Encampment River Wilderness (10,201 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 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 Laramie Region Area 18