Unit 2

Somerville Flats provides the most obvious reference point for navigation, while Kinney Divide serves as a natural divide between drainage systems. Tincom Butte and Crenshaw Hill stand out as recognizable glassing vantage points. Hay Creek, Little Bull Creek, and Kingsbury Creek form the primary drainages flowing generally northward toward the Powder River, with multiple tributary draws (Soft Water, Scotty, Cow, Taylor) offering secondary corridors.

The Powder River itself is the western boundary and a consistent navigation reference. These creeks and draws are critical during drier periods when water becomes scarce.

Terrain sits entirely below 5,000 feet, ranging from 3,600 to just under 4,900 feet, creating a low-elevation profile dominated by sagebrush grassland with scattered juniper and sparse pine patches. Open prairie characterizes the flats around Somerville and the broader valley floors, while subtle ridges like Kinney Divide and buttes such as Tincom Butte and Crenshaw Hill break the landscape with modest elevation gain. Vegetation is sparse overall—typical high-plains country where grass and sage dominate with minimal timber.

This openness means good visibility for glassing but limited thermal cover, which shapes how and when animals move through the unit.

Wild Horse Road (CR 38), Echeta Road (CR 293), Montgomery Road, and Kingsbury Road provide county-level access throughout the unit. A sparse road network (150 miles total, low density) means relatively limited pressure compared to heavily roaded areas, but also indicates terrain suitable for off-road approach. Interstate 90 creates a southern boundary and access corridor.

The combination of limited roads and low forest cover means hunters can spread out, but also means that finding accessible water and navigable terrain requires local knowledge. Lower pressure potential appeals to self-directed hunters willing to work the country methodically.

Unit 2 encompasses lower-elevation country in Sheridan County, Wyoming, bounded by the Powder River on the west and Interstate 90 on the south. The northern boundary follows Wild Horse Road (CR 38) where it crosses the Powder at Arvada, then traces eastward through Echeta and Montgomery before returning west along Highway 90. The Kinney Divide and Somerville Flats define much of the internal terrain character. This is transitional country between riparian river bottom and rolling high prairie, sitting well below mountain timber.

The unit's position relative to I-90 and proximity to Sheridan provides straightforward access corridors.

Water is the critical consideration in Unit 2. The Powder River flows along the western boundary and provides reliable flow, though access may be limited by private land. Hay Creek, Little Bull Creek, Kingsbury Creek, and South Bar Creek flow intermittently northward. Several reservoirs exist (Laskie, Gates, Lula, Broken Jaw, Fortification, Puff, Kirby, Dogtown, Bombsite) but these appear scattered and their reliability for hunting season is uncertain.

Springs and seepage areas along creek bottoms provide the most dependable non-river water sources. Understanding which drainages maintain water through the season is essential to locating elk.

Unit 2 is elk country, though the lower elevation means populations are more migratory than resident. Early season may find elk in the sparse timber patches and along creek bottoms where they can access water and forage. As conditions change, animals move toward higher elevation refuge outside the unit.

Successful hunting depends on understanding water sources—elk concentrate around reliable creeks and seeps during dry periods. The open terrain demands either early morning glassing from buttes or working drainages quietly. The Powder River bottom and tributary valleys are logical travel corridors.

Limited complexity and straightforward access make this a workable unit for patient hunters willing to glass extensively and key on water availability.