Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 9, Dinwoody: harvest, seasons and public land
Bighorn Sheep Hunt Area 9 (Dinwoody) covers 252 square miles in WGFD's Lander Region and is 94.5% public land, most of it national forest (145,828 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 5 active hunters took 1 bighorn sheep here, 20% 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 landWind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it)Area 9Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Lander Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Whiskey Mountain (609) |
| Size | 252 square miles (161,411 acres) |
| Public land | 94.5% (152,474 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 145,434 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 1 (20% of 5 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1 |
| Special archery opens | August 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Dubois and Pinedale |
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 9?
94.5% of bighorn sheep Area 9 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 152,474 of 161,411 acres. The largest share is national forest, 145,828 acres or 90.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 9 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 145,828 | 90.3% |
| BLM | 5,534 | 3.4% |
| State trust land | 1,112 | 0.7% |
| Wind River Reservation (as PAD-US maps it) | 544 | 0.3% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 1,120 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 701 acres no known public access, 418 acres next to other public land and 1 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: Fitzpatrick Wilderness (145,250 acres) and Bridger Wilderness (184 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 544 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 9
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Whiskey Basin (5,141 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 9?
WGFD estimates 1 bighorn sheep were taken in bighorn sheep Area 9 in 2025: 1 ram, 0 ewes and 0 lambs. 5 hunters hunted, and 20% of them took one.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Rams | Ewes | Lambs | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20% | 43 | 43.0 |
| 2024 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 40% | 59 | 29.5 |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 60% | 46 | 15.3 |
| 2022 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 66.7% | 18 | 9.0 |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 60% | 36 | 12.0 |
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 9 in 2026?
No general license season; every license here is limited quota. Special archery seasons open August 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 9:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 | Aug 1 to Aug 14 | Aug 15 to Oct 15 | 5 | Any ram |
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 9?
Highways through the area: US 287 (about 6 miles inside it) and US 26 (about 6 miles inside it). Nearby: Dubois (5 miles) and Pinedale (19 miles).
Which bighorn sheep hunt areas border Area 9?
Bighorn sheep Area 9 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 8 | Sheep Mountain | 758 | 82.4% | 0 (2025) |
| Area 10 | Jakey's Fork | 395 | 90.1% | 5 (2025) |
| Area 22 | Dubois Badlands | 135 | 34.5% | 3 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Bighorn Sheep Area 9?
94.5% of bighorn sheep Area 9 is public land: 152,474 of its 161,411 acres, the largest share national forest (145,828 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 9?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 20%: 5 active hunters took 1 bighorn sheep. In 2024 it was 40% (2 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does bighorn sheep season open in Bighorn Sheep Area 9 in 2026?
The special archery season opens August 1. The earliest regular season row opens August 15 and the latest closes October 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 9?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Dubois (5 miles) and Pinedale (19 miles).
Is there wilderness in Bighorn Sheep Area 9?
Yes. Fitzpatrick Wilderness (145,250 acres) and Bridger Wilderness (184 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).
Get notified about FilledTag in Wyoming
Leave your email and we will let you know when FilledTag adds something new for Wyoming hunters.
The free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wyoming included.
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 8 Area 10 Area 22