Unit 113

Several named features help orient hunters in this complex terrain. Cedar Mountain and Boulder Ridge frame the eastern side and provide glassing vantage points. Needle Mountain marks the northern boundary area.

Hidden Lake and Eagle Lake offer water reference points and potential camping locations. The Shoshone Hot Springs identify a specific area within the drainage system. Indian Pass breaks the ridge system and serves as a natural travel corridor.

Multiple reservoirs (Markham, Beck, Sylvan) dot the landscape, particularly in lower basins. These landmarks are essential for navigation in terrain that demands careful map reading and topographic understanding.

The unit spans from low sagebrush basins near 4,800 feet through increasingly timbered slopes to high ridges and peaks above 12,000 feet. Mid-elevation terrain dominates—the bulk of the unit sits between 6,000 and 9,500 feet where sagebrush transitions to ponderosa and lodgepole forest. Higher ridges support alpine and subalpine terrain with scattered timber and rockfields.

Canyon bottoms along the major drainages hold riparian vegetation and aspen. This vertical relief creates distinct zones: sagebrush and grassland country in basins, forested slopes in the mid-elevations, and exposed ridgetop terrain above treeline. Vegetation density increases with elevation.

The unit contains roughly 250 miles of roads, but access is genuinely challenging. Most roads are rough forest service or ranch roads, not highways. Highway 120 provides the main corridor near Cody but doesn't penetrate deeply into the unit.

Many areas require foot travel or extended hikes from road ends. This combination—moderate road mileage with poor quality access—limits easy hunting and keeps pressure from being overwhelming in most drainages. However, accessible pockets near the western boundary (closer to Cody) do see hunting pressure.

The high terrain complexity and steep terrain discourage casual hunters. Plan on significant foot mileage; this isn't drive-and-hunt country.

Unit 113 lies on the east side of the Absaroka Range southeast of Cody, Wyoming. The unit is defined by the South Fork Shoshone River drainage and its tributaries—Sage Creek, Dry Creek, and Sulphur Creek form the core drainages. Highway 120 marks the western boundary near Cody.

The unit encompasses rolling high country with numerous basins (Boulder Basin, Aldrich Basin) and ridges (Boulder Ridge, Cedar Mountain) that funnel drainage patterns. Needle Mountain and surrounding peaks provide the highest terrain. This is moderately sized country that requires understanding multiple drainage systems for effective hunting.

Water is reliable throughout Unit 113 via multiple creek systems. The South Fork Shoshone River anchors the unit's eastern and southern portions. Sage Creek, Dry Creek, and Sulphur Creek provide major north-south drainages.

Belknap Creek, Willow Creek, Rock Creek, and Buttonhole Creek offer additional perennial water. Several reservoirs (Eagle Lake, Markham Reservoir, Swan Creek Number 7) supplement natural sources. Springs, including the named Shoshone Hot Springs, provide water at various elevations.

During summer, water accessibility is strong throughout the drainages. Early season and late season hunters should focus on confirmed springs and creek systems rather than relying on seasonal water sources.

Unit 113 supports both mule deer and white-tailed deer across its elevation gradient. Mule deer inhabit sagebrush basins and lower slopes, with migration patterns following seasonal snow and green-up. Early season hunting targets deer on open ridges and basin flats where summer range concentrates them.

Mid-elevation timber holds deer during the rut, especially around aspen and ponderosa stands. White-tailed deer favor creek bottoms and riparian timber, particularly in canyons along the major drainages. Later-season hunters should anticipate downhill migration as snow accumulates on high ridges.

Success requires understanding specific drainages and basin-to-ridge movement corridors. This terrain demands strong navigation skills and willingness to explore multiple drainage systems.