Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 7, Jackson: harvest, seasons and public land
Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 7 (Jackson) covers 1,662 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 95.7% public land, most of it national forest (1,014,270 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 58 active hunters took 51 bighorn sheep here, 87.9% 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 landNational wildlife refugeNational park (no general hunting)Area 7Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region (also Pinedale) |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Jackson (107) |
| Size | 1,662 square miles (1,063,782 acres) |
| Public land | 95.7% (1,018,161 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 285,280 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 51 (87.9% of 58 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 6, Type 7 |
| Special archery opens | August 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Jackson, Bondurant, Hoback, Alpine, Dubois and Star Valley Ranch |
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 7?
95.7% of bighorn sheep Area 7 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 1,018,161 of 1,063,782 acres. The largest share is national forest, 1,014,270 acres or 95.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 7 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 1,014,270 | 95.3% |
| State trust land | 1,973 | 0.2% |
| BLM | 1,918 | 0.2% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 62 | under 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 9 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 1,980 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 1,935 acres next to other public land and 45 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.
Designated wilderness: Gros Ventre Wilderness (285,280 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).
62 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Bighorn Sheep Area 7
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Teton (973 acres here), South Park (968 acres here), Woods Canyon (624 acres here), Horse Creek (332 acres here), Patrol Cabin (160 acres here) and Camp Creek (149 acres here). Public Access Area: Von Gontard Landing (28 acres here). Hunter Management Area: National Elk Refuge (86 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 7?
WGFD estimates 51 bighorn sheep were taken in bighorn sheep Area 7 in 2025: 9 rams, 41 ewes and 1 lamb. 58 hunters hunted, and 87.9% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Rams | Ewes | Lambs | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | 58 | 51 | 9 | 41 | 1 | 87.9% | 267 | 5.2 |
| 2024 | 22 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 63.6% | 214 | 15.3 |
| 2023 | 41 | 35 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 60% | 295 | 14.0 |
| 2022 | 32 | 29 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 65.5% | 247 | 13.0 |
| 2021 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 76.9% | 141 | 14.1 |
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 7 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 7:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 1 to Aug 14 | Aug 15 to Oct 31 | 12 | Any bighorn sheep |
| Type 6 | Oct 15 to Nov 15 | 20 | Ewe or lamb valid within the Gros Ventre River drainage | |
| Type 7 | Oct 15 to Nov 15 | 20 | Ewe or lamb valid within the Flat Creek drainage east of Highway 89/191/26 |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 9 (final, April 2026), pages 1 to 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 7?
Highways through the area: US 191 (about 44 miles inside it), US 189 (about 44 miles inside it), US 26 (about 25 miles inside it), US 287 (about 15 miles inside it) and US 89 (about 10 miles inside it). Towns inside: Jackson, Bondurant, Hoback, South Park and Rafter J Ranch. Nearby: Alpine (12 miles), Dubois (15 miles), Star Valley Ranch (15 miles) and Thayne (18 miles).
Which bighorn sheep hunt areas border Area 7?
Bighorn sheep Area 7 touches 4 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 4 | Yount's Peak | 1,327 | 99.3% | 17 (2025) |
| Area 8 | Sheep Mountain | 758 | 82.4% | 0 (2025) |
| Area 10 | Jakey's Fork | 395 | 90.1% | 5 (2025) |
| Area 24 | Big Piney | 495 | 99.7% | 1 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 7?
95.7% of bighorn sheep Area 7 is public land: 1,018,161 of its 1,063,782 acres, the largest share national forest (1,014,270 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 7?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 87.9%: 58 active hunters took 51 bighorn sheep. In 2024 it was 63.6% (14 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does bighorn sheep season open in Bighorn Sheep Area 7 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 1. The earliest regular season row opens August 15 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 7?
Jackson, Bondurant and Hoback are inside the hunt area. Just outside: Alpine (12 miles), Dubois (15 miles) and Star Valley Ranch (15 miles).
Is there wilderness in Bighorn Sheep Area 7?
Yes. Gros Ventre Wilderness (285,280 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), pages 1 to 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 Jackson Region Area 4 Area 8 Area 10 Area 24