Unit 6

Como Ridge and Slate Ridge provide navigation anchors across the sagebrush basins, while Chimney Ridge and Sawtooth Ridge offer glassing vantage points. Ayres Natural Bridge serves as a distinctive landmark in the lower North Platte region, aiding orientation on the unit's eastern flank. Devils Pass and Jenkins Pass mark major saddles crossing ridgelines.

Key drainages include Curry Creek, Sevenmile Creek, and House Creek—reliable navigation corridors and potential water sources. Ninemile Hill and Roaring Mountain function as prominent summits for long-distance glassing and route-finding across open country.

Terrain ranges from river-bottom grasslands around 4,500 feet to high plateau country exceeding 10,000 feet, though most hunting occurs between 6,500 and 8,500 feet across rolling sagebrush basins and juniper-dotted ridges. Lower elevations feature sparse grassland and shrubland typical of High Plains transition zones, while upper slopes support scattered ponderosa and Douglas fir stands mixed with aspen. The sparse forest cover means much of the unit remains open country—sagebrush flats and grass parks broken by occasional timbered draws and ridges.

Habitat transitions are gradual rather than dramatic, creating layered terrain that hunters must navigate methodically.

Limited road density means access is concentrated on BLM and county road systems, creating predictable patterns where most pressure clusters near road corridors and easy parking areas. Primary access points follow Wyoming Highway 487 from the north and various BLM routes branching into the interior. The sparse road network is actually an asset for hunters willing to walk—most people stay mobile via vehicle, meaning quiet backcountry exists within a few miles of maintained roads.

High terrain complexity keeps some hunters out; routes between drainages require map and compass work rather than following obvious game trails.

Unit 6 encompasses roughly 1,840 miles of road across a vast semi-arid landscape in central Wyoming, bounded by Interstate 25 on the east (Douglas area) and reaching west through Medicine Bow country toward the Shirley Mountains. The North Platte River forms the primary eastern boundary, with Highway 34 and US 30 marking the southern and western perimeters respectively. The unit captures a mix of basin-and-range topography: relatively flat sagebrush valleys interrupted by north-south trending ridges and isolated summits.

Adjacent country includes higher mountain terrain to the west and more open prairie to the east.

Water availability is the controlling factor for hunting strategy. The North Platte River anchors the eastern boundary with reliable flow, but interior drainages are intermittent or seasonal. Named springs including Bear Spring, Fortymile Spring, Antelope Springs, and Mud Springs represent critical knowledge points, though summer reliability varies.

Creeks like Sevenmile, Curry, and House Creek hold water seasonally through lower elevations. Small reservoirs and stock ponds dot the unit, particularly around flat park areas, but shouldn't be relied upon without scouting. Spring-fed areas in timbered draws often hold water longer than exposed country—these become critical waypoints during dry periods.

Unit 6 hosts mountain lion habitat throughout its timbered draws, ridge systems, and scattered forest patches. Lions follow mule deer into juniper breaks and aspen-covered slopes, making ridge systems and drainage bottoms prime areas. Early season focuses on higher, cooler terrain where lions retreat from heat; late season pushes them toward lower sagebrush and riparian areas.

Success depends on reading sign methodically—fresh tracks in dust or snow, kills, and territorial marks along drainages. The unit's size and low human pressure favor patient stalking and glassing approaches rather than road-cruising. Water sources concentrate lions during dry periods, making spring and seep areas priority locations to monitor for tracks and sign.