Unit 7

Ayres Natural Bridge anchors the southern portion of the unit as a distinctive landmark easily spotted for orientation. Como Ridge, Carcass Ridge, and the surrounding ridge system to the north provide natural travel corridors and glassing vantage points. The North Platte River forms the eastern boundary and serves as a reliable navigation reference.

Major creeks including Deer Creek, Curry Creek, and the South Fork Little Medicine Bow River carve through the terrain and offer water sources plus drainage-following travel routes. Wagon Hound Falls, Little Medicine Falls, and other creek features mark canyon bottoms. Tony Ridge and Pine Ridge offer elevation-gaining routes into higher country.

The unit spans from roughly 4,500 feet along the North Platte River bottom up to over 10,000 feet in the high Bighorn ridges—a vertical mile of terrain and habitat transitions. Lower elevations feature sagebrush flats and open grasslands with scattered juniper and limber pine. Mid-elevation slopes support ponderosa pine and Douglas fir with increasing density as you climb.

Upper reaches above 8,500 feet transition to subalpine forest with spruce, lodgepole, and alpine meadows. This vertical stacking creates distinct seasonal patterns for wildlife movement, with animals using lower elevations in winter and migrating upward through spring and summer.

Unit 7 presents a true backcountry challenge with 1,884 miles of road but sparse density across vast terrain—most are rough ranch and forest roads requiring high-clearance vehicles or foot access. The Lone Tree Road, Spring Creek Road, and USFS Road 660 provide main entry corridors, but much of the unit remains roadless. Pressure concentrates near accessible lower elevations and creek bottoms; the high ridges and complex terrain see minimal foot traffic.

The road density indicates most hunters never venture far from vehicles, meaning early scouting and willingness to hike creates solitude opportunities. Road condition varies—some ranch roads close seasonally or require permission.

Unit 7 encompasses rugged country bracketed by Interstate 25 and the North Platte River on the east, Wyoming Highway 34 and US 30 on the south, and the Bighorn National Forest boundary near Deer Creek and the Bighorn foothills on the north and west. The unit sprawls across Natrona County and parts of the Bighorn front, encompassing everything from river bottom to high ridge country. Douglas serves as the primary reference point for orientation, sitting at the unit's southeastern corner where I-25 crosses the North Platte.

The boundary description traces a complex perimeter through forest roads, creeks, and ranch roads, indicating a checkerboard of public and private land throughout.

Water in Unit 7 is scattered and seasonal, making water strategy critical for extended trips. The North Platte River provides reliable water along the eastern boundary and lower drainages. Major creeks—Deer Creek, Curry Creek, Mule Creek, and the South Fork Little Medicine Bow—hold perennial or near-perennial flows but require navigation into canyon systems.

Numerous springs are named on the map (Antelope Springs, Buffalo Springs, Howard Spring, Douglas Hot Springs) but reliability varies seasonally. Small reservoirs dot the unit (Moss Agate, Lost, Three Mile, Point of Rock) but access varies. Plan water carefully; don't rely on small drainages during dry periods.

Unit 7 is black bear country, with animals present across the forested and semi-forested terrain from river bottoms to high ridges. Black bears in this region use lower elevations for spring green-up and early summer, moving to mid and high elevations through summer and fall. Creek bottoms and riparian zones offer concentrated bear activity, especially where vegetation is lush.

Higher ridges and subalpine meadows provide late-season opportunities. The unit's complexity and limited roads mean successful hunting requires understanding topography, locating reliable water and food sources, and being willing to glass and stalk across open country. Early season (spring) focuses on lower elevations; later seasons shift higher as berries and seed crops develop at elevation.