Elk Hunt Area 80, Sheep Creek: harvest, draw results and public land
Elk Hunt Area 80 (Sheep Creek) covers 89 square miles in WGFD's Jackson Region and is 98.6% public land, most of it national forest (54,771 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 87 active hunters took 7 elk here, 8% success. The 2026 season table lists 2 license rows here, including general license seasons.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WGFD reports for 2021 to 2025. Seasons: WGFD Commission Chapter 7, final April 2026. Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and the Office of State Lands, read 2026-10-18.
National forestState trust landNational wildlife refugeArea 80Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Jackson Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Jackson (102) |
| Size | 89 square miles (56,863 acres) |
| Public land | 98.6% (56,040 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 39,712 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 7 (8% of 87 active hunters) |
| General license seasons, 2026 | Sep 26 to Oct 31 (Any elk) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 6 |
| Special archery opens | September 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Jackson |
How much public land is in Elk Area 80?
98.6% of elk Area 80 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 56,040 of 56,863 acres. The largest share is national forest, 54,771 acres or 96.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 80 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 54,771 | 96.3% |
| State trust land | 1,269 | 2.2% |
| National wildlife refuge | 8 | under 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 1,271 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 1,271 acres next to other public 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 (39,712 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 Elk Area 80
Wildlife Habitat Management Areas: Teton (973 acres here) and Woods Canyon (624 acres here). Hunter Management Area: National Elk Refuge (85 acres here).
Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's hunt area boundary (WGFD elk 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 elk are harvested in Elk Area 80?
WGFD estimates 7 elk were taken in elk Area 80 in 2025: 7 bulls, 0 spikes, 0 cows and 0 calves. 87 hunters hunted, and 8% of them took an animal. Residents: 80 hunters, 8.8% success; nonresidents: 7 hunters, 0% success.
| Year | Active hunters | Harvest | Bulls | Spikes | Cows | Calves | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 87 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8% | 496 | 70.9 |
| 2024 | 329 | 44 | 8 | 0 | 30 | 6 | 13.4% | 2,109 | 47.9 |
| 2023 | 264 | 27 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 10.2% | 1,378 | 51.0 |
| 2022 | 273 | 133 | 10 | 3 | 107 | 13 | 48.7% | 1,335 | 10.0 |
| 2021 | 332 | 84 | 15 | 3 | 48 | 18 | 25.3% | 1,571 | 18.7 |
| License type | Licenses sold | Active licenses | Harvest | Success | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 6 | 25 | 20 | 0 | 0% | 107 |
| General | not limited | 67 | 7 | 10.4% | 389 |
Source: WGFD 2025 elk harvest report, page 15 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. A bull, in WGFD's tables, is a branch-antlered bull; spikes are counted apart.
When is elk season in Elk Area 80 in 2026?
General license seasons: September 26 to October 31 (any elk). Special archery seasons open September 1. Every row WGFD prints for Area 80:
| License type | Special archery season | Regular season | Quota | WGFD's limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Sep 26 to Oct 31 | Any elk | |
| Type 6 | Sep 1 to Sep 25 | Oct 15 to Nov 30 | 25 | Cow or calf |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 13. WGFD can change a season by emergency rule: check WGFD's regulations page before you go.
What did the 2026 draw look like in Elk Area 80?
From WGFD's 2026 initial drawing demand reports: each limited quota hunt's licenses, its first-choice applicants in each drawing, how many were drawn in the preference point drawings, and the fewest points that drew. WGFD does not publish how many drew in the random drawings. The rules for points and the deadlines are on the Wyoming draw page.
| Drawing | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn | Fewest points that drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidents, reduced price, random | 4 | 13 | not published | |
| Residents | 21 | 42 | not published |
Nonresidents hunt the general license here on WGFD's Region W general license. In the 2026 draw it had 2,683 licenses; 5,652 nonresidents put it first in the regular preference point drawing and 1,208 were drawn.
Source: WGFD 2026 elk demand report, nonresident reduced price drawing and the other 2026 demand reports on WGFD's draw results page. Applicants who miss in a nonresident preference point drawing go on to the random drawing, so one person can be counted in both.
How do you get to Elk Area 80?
No numbered highway crosses the area. Nearby: Jackson (2 miles).
Which elk hunt areas border Area 80?
Elk Area 80 touches 3 other elk hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 77 | National Elk Refuge | 39 | 0% | 36 (2025) |
| Area 82 | Crystal Peak | 234 | 99% | 147 (2025) |
| Area 84 | Lower Hoback | 395 | 91.4% | 499 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Elk Area 80?
98.6% of elk Area 80 is public land: 56,040 of its 56,863 acres, the largest share national forest (54,771 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 Elk Area 80?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 8%: 87 active hunters took 7 elk. In 2024 it was 13.4% (44 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does elk season open in Elk Area 80 in 2026?
The special archery season opens September 1. The earliest regular season row opens September 26 and the latest closes November 30, by WGFD Commission Chapter 7. Each license type has its own dates and limitations, listed on this page.
How many licenses were in the 2026 draw for Elk Area 80?
WGFD's 2026 demand reports list 1 limited quota hunt for elk Area 80. Type 6 had 25 licenses and 55 first-choice applicants across its drawings.
What is the closest town to Elk Area 80?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Jackson (2 miles).
Is there wilderness in Elk Area 80?
Yes. Gros Ventre Wilderness (39,712 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 elk harvest reports, 2021 to 2025, listed here.
- Seasons, quotas and limitations: WGFD Commission Chapter 7 (final, April 2026), page 13.
- Draw: WGFD 2026 demand reports; deadlines and fees on the Wyoming draw page.
- Hunt area boundary: WGFD elk 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 Elk hunt areas Jackson Region Area 77 Area 82 Area 84