Unit 33

Monument Hill and the Badlands Hills provide natural glassing vantage points across the open terrain. Blue Rim cliffs mark the southern boundary and offer navigation reference. The Big Sandy River is the dominant feature—runners can navigate drainages by following tributary systems like Water Gap Wash, Slate Creek, and the various branches that feed the main stem.

Stevens Flat and Manns Flat represent the open country stretches. Fontenelle Reservoir to the northwest and the Blue Rim Reservoirs to the south provide water reference points visible from distance.

Elevations cluster in the 6,100 to 7,000-foot range with a median around 6,360 feet—solid high-desert terrain without alpine complexity. The landscape is predominantly open sagebrush plains punctuated by scattered low timber and the occasional butte. Vegetation is sparse and stunted, reflecting the arid climate.

The Big Sandy River corridor and associated drainages create riparian zones that stand out sharply against the surrounding desert. These waterside strips concentrate willows, cottonwoods, and denser brush—the only significant timber in the unit and the primary attractors for moose.

Fair road access throughout—around 216 miles of total road network—means hunters can reach most areas without extreme effort, though the network isn't dense enough to create congestion. Lower Farson Cutoff Road and Blue Rim Road provide east-west transit. County roads off Wyoming Highway 372 offer northern access.

The open terrain means hunting pressure is visible from distance; crowds tend to concentrate near water and major access points. Hunters willing to work the smaller drainages away from primary roads find more solitude. Fair accessibility also means easier resupply and staging from nearby communities.

Unit 33 sits in the high desert country of southwestern Wyoming, boxed in by Interstate 80 to the south and west, Wyoming Highway 372 to the west, and Wyoming Highway 28 to the east. Fontenelle serves as the primary reference point on the northwestern boundary. The unit encompasses the Little Colorado Desert and surrounding basin terrain—a moderate-sized country that feels bigger than its actual footprint due to open sightlines.

Access to major towns (Rock Springs, Farson) lies just outside the unit boundaries, making logistics straightforward for hunters planning multi-day efforts.

The Big Sandy River is the lifeblood of Unit 33 and runs north-south through the unit's center, making it the obvious focal point for moose hunting. Multiple tributaries feed the main stem—Water Gap Wash, Slate Creek, Shute Creek, Alkali Creek—creating a network of smaller drainages. Stevens Draw Reservoir, Blue Rim Reservoir, and Fontenelle Reservoir provide water security in otherwise arid country.

Away from the river and reservoirs, water becomes scarce. The Big Sandy corridor is the reliable water source and where moose concentrate. Understanding drainage structure is essential for moving through country without water stress.

Unit 33 is moose country, and the Big Sandy River system is where opportunity concentrates. Early season (fall) means targeting bulls in rut along the river bottom where willows and cottonwoods provide cover and browse. The sparse forest means glassing from the open plains works well—position above drainages and glass down into riparian zones.

Late season pushes moose toward reliable water as other sources freeze. The modest terrain complexity works in your favor: spotting bulls in open country is straightforward, though stalking in the narrow river corridor requires care. Water sources beyond the Big Sandy are limited, so moose distribution follows the river closely.

Plan movement around accessing different drainage sections rather than assuming bulls roam the sagebrush plain.