Mountain Goat Hunt Area 3, North Absaroka: harvest, seasons and public land
Mountain Goat Hunt Area 3 (North Absaroka) covers 1,045 square miles in WGFD's Cody Region and is 90.9% public land, most of it national forest (563,547 acres), measured from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Office of State Lands data. WGFD's 2025 harvest report estimates 17 active hunters took 16 mountain goats here, 94.1% 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 ReclamationNational park (no general hunting)Area 3Neighboring areasWGFD access areaLakeHighway
| WGFD region | Cody Region |
|---|---|
| Herd unit | Beartooth (201) |
| Size | 1,045 square miles (668,770 acres) |
| Public land | 90.9% (608,126 acres) |
| Designated wilderness | 345,829 acres |
| Harvest, 2025 | 16 (94.1% of 17 active hunters) |
| Limited quota license types, 2026 | Type 1, Type 2 |
| Special archery opens | August 15 |
| Towns in and near it | Cody |
How much public land is in Mountain Goat Area 3?
90.9% of mountain goat Area 3 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 608,126 of 668,770 acres. The largest share is national forest, 563,547 acres or 84.3% of the area.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Area 3 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 563,547 | 84.3% |
| BLM | 27,842 | 4.2% |
| State trust land | 11,728 | 1.8% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 5,009 | 0.7% |
| National park (no general hunting) | 494 | 0.1% |
State trust land by access: the Office of State Lands and Investments' own parcel layer has 11,774 acres here (a few parcels overlap federal land in the source maps, so this can differ a little from the table). 9,116 acres road access or reached from other state land, 2,355 acres next to other public land and 303 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: North Absaroka Wilderness (345,829 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).
494 acres are National Park Service land, where general hunting licenses are not valid.
WGFD access areas in Mountain Goat Area 3
Wildlife Habitat Management Area: Sunlight Basin (1,410 acres here). Public Access Areas: Newton Lakes (471 acres here), North Fork Shoshone River-Big Creek (318 acres here), Shoshone River-Sulphur Creek (193 acres here) and North Fork Shoshone River-Rivers Rest (60 acres here).
Measured by FilledTag inside WGFD's hunt area boundary (WGFD mountain goat 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 mountain goats are harvested in Mountain goat Area 3?
WGFD estimates 16 mountain goats were taken in mountain goat Area 3 in 2025: 14 billies, 2 nannies and 0 kids. 17 hunters hunted, and 94.1% of them took an animal.
| Year | Licenses | Active hunters | Harvest | Billies | Nannies | Kids | Hunter success | Hunter days | Days per animal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 94.1% | 77 | 4.8 |
| 2024 | 26 | 26 | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 80.8% | 191 | 9.1 |
| 2023 | 31 | 31 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 74.2% | 288 | 12.5 | |
| 2022 | 39 | 39 | 30 | 22 | 8 | 76.9% | 287 | 9.6 | |
| 2021 | 39 | 39 | 24 | 18 | 6 | 61.5% | 233 | 9.7 |
Source: WGFD 2025 mountain goat 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 mountain goat season in Mountain Goat 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 | 9 | Any mountain goat |
| Type 2 | Aug 15 to Aug 31 | Sep 1 to Oct 31 | 9 | Any mountain goat valid in the North Fork Shoshone River drainage; also valid in Area 5 |
Source: WGFD Commission Chapter 9 (final, April 2026), page 7. WGFD can change a season by emergency rule: check WGFD's regulations page before you go.
How do you get to Mountain Goat Area 3?
Highways through the area: WY 296 (about 29 miles inside it), US 14 (about 17 miles inside it), US 16 (about 17 miles inside it), US 20 (about 17 miles inside it) and WY 120 (about 9 miles inside it). Nearby: Cody (on the line).
Which mountain goat hunt areas border Area 3?
Mountain goat Area 3 touches 2 other mountain goat hunt areas. Their size, public land and latest WGFD harvest, for comparison:
| Hunt area | Name | Square miles | Public land | Harvest (year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 1 | Beartooth | 449 | 79% | 10 (2025) |
| Area 5 | South Absaroka | 4,825 | 73.1% | 0 (2022) |
Questions hunters ask
How much public land is in Mountain Goat Area 3?
90.9% of mountain goat Area 3 is public land: 608,126 of its 668,770 acres, the largest share national forest (563,547 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 Mountain Goat Area 3?
WGFD's 2025 harvest report puts hunter success at 94.1%: 17 active hunters took 16 mountain goats. In 2024 it was 80.8% (21 taken). WGFD estimates these numbers from its hunter survey.
When does mountain goat season open in Mountain Goat 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 Mountain Goat Area 3?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Cody (on the line).
Is there wilderness in Mountain Goat Area 3?
Yes. North Absaroka Wilderness (345,829 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 mountain goat harvest reports, 2021 to 2025, listed here.
- Seasons, quotas and limitations: WGFD Commission Chapter 9 (final, April 2026), page 7.
- Licenses: WGFD issues mountain goat licenses by drawing; its demand reports are on WGFD's draw results page.
- Hunt area boundary: WGFD mountain goat 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.