Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 3, Wapiti Ridge: harvest, seasons and public land
Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 3 (Wapiti Ridge) covers 712 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 90.9% public land, most of it national forest (377,515 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 22 active hunters took 18 bighorn sheep here, 81.8% 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 landBureau of ReclamationNational park (no general hunting)Other public (state parks, military)Area 3Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Absaroka (200) |
| Size | 712 square miles (455,576 acres) |
| Public land | 90.9% (414,295 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 294,532 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 18 (81.8% of 22 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Cody |
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 3?
90.9% of bighorn sheep Area 3 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 414,295 of 455,576 acres. The largest share is national forest, 377,515 acres or 82.9% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 3 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 377,515 | 82.9% |
| BLM | 21,848 | 4.8% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 9,603 | 2.1% |
| State trust land | 5,329 | 1.2% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 136 | under 0.1% |
| Other public (state parks, military) | 112 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 5,467 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 4,022 acres next to other public land, 759 acres road access or reached from other state land, 644 acres no known public access and 42 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: Washakie Wilderness (218,089 acres) and Teton Wilderness (76,443 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).
136 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Bighorn Sheep Area 3
Public Access Areas: Shoshone River-Sulphur Creek (78 acres here), South Fork Shoshone River-Houlihan/Bobcat (56 acres here), South Fork Shoshone River-Twin Creek Trailhead (47 acres here), North Fork Shoshone River-Wapiti (38 acres here), South Fork Shoshone River-Cody Canal (23 acres here) and North Fork Shoshone River-Trout Creek (22 acres here). Hunter Management Area: Bear Creek (1,225 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 1 area covering 79 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 3?
WGFD estimates 18 bighorn sheep were taken in bighorn sheep Area 3 in 2025: 18 rams, 0 ewes and 0 lambs. 22 hunters hunted, and 81.8% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Rams | Ewes | Lambs | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 81.8% | 284 | 15.8 |
| 2024 | 20 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 70% | 116 | 8.3 |
| 2023 | 26 | 24 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 75% | 267 | 14.8 |
| 2022 | 28 | 27 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 70.4% | 247 | 13.0 |
| 2021 | 32 | 30 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 80% | 352 | 14.7 |
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 3 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 3:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 1 to Oct 31 | 20 | 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 3?
Highways through the area: US 14 (about 18 miles inside it), US 16 (about 18 miles inside it), US 20 (about 18 miles inside it) and WY 291 (about 5 miles inside it). Nearby: Cody (on the line).
Which bighorn sheep hunt areas border Area 3?
Bighorn sheep Area 3 touches 3 other bighorn sheep hunt areas. Their 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) |
| Area 4 | Yount's Peak | 1,327 | 99.3% | 17 (2025) |
| Area 5 | Franc's Peak | 2,649 | 57% | 28 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 3?
90.9% of bighorn sheep Area 3 is public land: 414,295 of its 455,576 acres, the largest share national forest (377,515 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 3?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 81.8%: 22 active hunters took 18 bighorn sheep. In 2024 it was 70% (14 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does bighorn sheep season open in Bighorn Sheep Area 3 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 3?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Cody (on the line).
Is there wilderness in Bighorn Sheep Area 3?
Yes. Washakie Wilderness (218,089 acres) and Teton Wilderness (76,443 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.
Wyoming hunting Bighorn sheep hunt areas Cody Region Area 2 Area 4 Area 5