Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 5, Franc's Peak: harvest, seasons and public land
Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 5 (Franc's Peak) covers 2,649 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 57% public land, most of it national forest (543,657 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 36 active hunters took 28 bighorn sheep here, 77.8% 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 landBureau of ReclamationWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 5Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region (also Lander) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Absaroka (200) |
| Size | 2,649 square miles (1,695,332 acres) |
| Public land | 57% (965,502 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 282,625 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 28 (77.8% of 36 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Cody, Meeteetse, Owl Creek, Thermopolis, East Thermopolis and Dubois |
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 5?
57% of bighorn sheep Area 5 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 965,502 of 1,695,332 acres. The largest share is national forest, 543,657 acres or 32.1% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 5 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 543,657 | 32.1% |
| BLM | 301,428 | 17.8% |
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 269,794 | 15.9% |
| State trust land | 119,809 | 7.1% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 608 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 120,426 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 69,738 acres road access or reached from other state land, 34,364 acres next to other public land and 16,324 acres no known public access. State trust land is open to hunting where it can be reached legally, but not to camping or open fires.
Designated wilderness: Washakie Wilderness (282,625 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).
PAD-US maps 269,794 acres here inside the Wind River Reservation. Tribal land there is not open to hunting on Wyoming licenses; some ground inside the reservation line is private or managed by WGFD and follows its own rules.
WGFD access areas in Bighorn Sheep Area 5
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Sunshine (4,615 acres here). Public Access Areas: South Fork Shoshone River-Twin Creek Trailhead (76 acres here) and South Fork Shoshone River-Cody Canal (48 acres here). Hunter Management Areas: Carter Mountain (81,067 acres here), Pitchfork (54,284 acres here), Absaroka Front (28,079 acres here), Newell Springs (3,347 acres here) and Rawhide (967 acres here). Walk-In Hunting: 2 areas covering 3,567 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 5?
WGFD estimates 28 bighorn sheep were taken in bighorn sheep Area 5 in 2025: 28 rams, 0 ewes and 0 lambs. 36 hunters hunted, and 77.8% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Rams | Ewes | Lambs | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | 36 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 77.8% | 269 | 9.6 |
| 2024 | 39 | 39 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 84.6% | 312 | 9.5 |
| 2023 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 96.9% | 238 | 7.7 |
| 2022 | 38 | 38 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 89.5% | 255 | 7.5 |
| 2021 | 43 | 41 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 82.9% | 289 | 8.5 |
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 5 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 15. Every row WGFD prints for Area 5:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 1 to Aug 31 | 40 | Any bighorn sheep valid within the Owl Creek drainage | |
| Type 1 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 1 to Oct 31 | Any ram valid in the entire area |
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 5?
Highways through the area: WY 120 (about 49 miles inside it), US 20 (about 18 miles inside it), WY 789 (about 14 miles inside it), WY 170 (about 12 miles inside it) and WY 290 (about 11 miles inside it). Towns inside: Cody, Meeteetse and Owl Creek. Nearby: Thermopolis (on the line), East Thermopolis (on the line), Dubois (7 miles) and Kirby (10 miles).
Which bighorn sheep hunt areas border Area 5?
Bighorn sheep Area 5 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 3 | Wapiti Ridge | 712 | 90.9% | 18 (2025) |
| Area 4 | Yount's Peak | 1,327 | 99.3% | 17 (2025) |
| Area 22 | Dubois Badlands | 135 | 34.5% | 3 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 5?
57% of bighorn sheep Area 5 is public land: 965,502 of its 1,695,332 acres, the largest share national forest (543,657 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 5?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 77.8%: 36 active hunters took 28 bighorn sheep. In 2024 it was 84.6% (33 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does bighorn sheep season open in Bighorn Sheep Area 5 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 15. The earliest regular season row opens August 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 5?
Cody, Meeteetse and Owl Creek are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Thermopolis (on the line), East Thermopolis (on the line) and Dubois (7 miles).
Is there wilderness in Bighorn Sheep Area 5?
Yes. Washakie Wilderness (282,625 acres) lies 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.
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