Unit 111

The Haystack Mountains and Seminoe Mountains provide visual anchors along the unit's northern reaches, while the North Platte River itself serves as the major natural boundary. Pathfinder Reservoir, Kortes Reservoir, and smaller lakes (Rinshaw, Steamboat, Separation) mark water sources and potential camping areas. Key ridges include Cheyenne Ridge, Windy Ridge, and Granite Ridge—good vantage points for glassing the surrounding basins.

Named draws and canyons (Brown Canyon, Coal Creek Canyon, Blind Canyon) follow drainages that concentrate water and wildlife movement. Alcova Hot Springs and the cluster of named springs scattered throughout provide navigation references and water reliability markers for hunters working the country.

The unit spans medium elevations from about 5,300 feet in the southern basins to roughly 8,900 feet on higher ridges, with most terrain clustering between 6,000 and 8,000 feet. Lower elevations feature sagebrush-dominated plains with scattered juniper and low-growing conifers; as you move north and upslope, ponderosa pine and Douglas fir become more prevalent on north-facing slopes and ridges. The habitat is sparse rather than dense—open basins allow glassing across significant distances, while scattered timber patches provide cover corridors.

Vegetation transitions are gradual, creating a mosaic of open ridges, timbered draws, and sage flats rather than distinct elevation zones.

Despite 356 miles of total roads, most access is limited and often blocked by private gates or ranch infrastructure. Major highways (I-80, US-287, WY-220) provide boundaries and staging towns, but penetrating the interior requires vehicle access to county roads and ranch roads—many unavailable to public hunters. Road density concentrates around populated areas (Sinclair, Alcova, Fort Steele) and reservoir access points rather than distributing throughout the unit.

This creates a pattern where most hunting pressure clusters at easy-access zones near roads and water, leaving the rougher interior country between drainages less hunted. Navigating from valley bottoms into the basin-and-ridge terrain requires foot travel or access negotiations.

Unit 111 occupies the transitional country between the Wyoming Range and the North Platte River basin, bounded by Interstate 80 on the south (connecting Rawlins), Highway 287 on the southwest, Highway 220 on the northeast, and the North Platte River on the north. The unit encompasses roughly 800 square miles of mixed-ownership terrain, with public land forming the majority. Ferris, Sinclair, Alcova, and Fort Steele provide reference points along the unit's edges.

The landscape transitions from semi-arid sagebrush flats around Rawlins northward into more timbered, broken country as elevation increases toward the North Platte drainage.

The North Platte River anchors the unit's northern boundary and provides year-round water flow. Four major reservoirs—Pathfinder, Kortes, Annis, and Spurlock—store water and create reliable sources, though access varies by ownership. Smaller lakes (Boggy Meadows Lake, Dry Lake, Mahoney Lake) and springs (Sand Springs, Swede Spring, Alcova Hot Springs, Brown Canyon Springs) dot the unit, providing drinking sources across the basins.

Perennial creeks include Hurt Creek, Indian Creek, and Spring Creek, though most drainages run seasonally. Water scarcity in mid-summer can push elk toward reliable sources, making reservoirs and springs strategic hunt locations. The Parco Ditch represents irrigation infrastructure that affects water distribution.

Unit 111 holds elk historically, with animals moving seasonally between high country and lower drainage systems as snow and forage dictate. Early season finds elk in higher, timbered ridges and draws; rut activity concentrates around scattered timber patches and canyon bottoms where cover allows. Late season pushes elk downslope toward lower elevations, sagebrush basins, and areas near reliable water.

The sparse forest cover makes glassing essential—set up on open ridges and scan basin systems for movement. Water sources (springs, creeks, reservoir shorelines) become hunting magnets during dry periods. Work the breaks between open basins and timbered slopes; elk often transit these corridors during low-light hours.

The limited road access means most competition clusters near developed areas; hiking into rougher basin systems and canyon drainages offers solitude and less-pressured animals.