Unit 160

Key navigation features include Devils Gap on the eastern boundary, useful for orientation, and several named ridges including Cedar Ridge and Blue Ridge that provide glassing vantage points across the open country. The Popo Agie River system—both North and Middle forks—runs through the unit as a major drainage and deer corridor. Monument Butte, Dishpan Butte, and Ninemile Hill serve as distinctive high points for spotting game and maintaining bearings.

These features are relatively modest in elevation but stand out in the flat-to-rolling terrain, making them reliable landmarks for navigating the sagebrush benchland.

The unit occupies a narrow elevation band between roughly 5,100 and 7,200 feet, sitting on the lower slopes where semi-arid sagebrush transitions into scattered ponderosa and juniper. Most terrain is open rangeland with rolling benches and gentle slopes rather than steep mountains—sparse forest cover means visibility across the landscape is generally good. Vegetation is dominated by sagebrush, bunch grasses, and scattered conifers on north-facing slopes and drainages.

This mid-elevation zone supports both mule deer and white-tailed deer, though the open character makes deer more visible and vulnerable to pressure during daylight hours.

The unit has fair road access with roughly 315 miles of roads providing entry points and routes throughout. The highways bounding the unit (US 287 and Wyoming 135) offer easy access from nearby towns. Most hunters likely concentrate near the highways and major drainages, particularly the Popo Agie system and accessible reservoirs.

The relatively open terrain and straightforward access suggest moderate hunting pressure, especially early season. Success favors hunters willing to glass the open country from ridges and move toward scattered water sources rather than expecting to find deer in thick cover.

Unit 160 sits in central Wyoming's transitional zone, bounded on the north by the Wind River Reservation, on the west by US Highway 287, and on the east by Wyoming Highway 135. The unit captures roughly 50 square miles of foothill country between Lander and the Popo Agie drainage system. The southern and western boundaries follow these major highways, creating a clear, manageable perimeter. Adjacent terrain includes higher mountain country to the north and more open prairie to the south.

Access into the unit is straightforward from either highway.

Water is the limiting factor in Unit 160. Reliable sources include the North and Middle Popo Agie Rivers running through the center, plus scattered springs and reservoirs—notably Cottontail Reservoir, Chugwater Reservoir, and several others—though many are seasonal or livestock-focused. Wagon Bed Spring, Devils Gap Spring, and Big Spring provide additional water points. Hall Creek, Antelope Creek, and Twin Creek offer seasonal flow.

During early season, deer concentrate near these water sources; by mid-season, springs and streams may dry up, concentrating animals further. Understanding which reservoirs and springs hold reliable water is critical to hunt planning.

Unit 160 supports mule deer and white-tailed deer across the sagebrush-to-scattered-timber transition. Early season hunting focuses on water sources—both rivers and isolated springs and reservoirs attract deer in the semi-arid landscape. Mule deer favor the open benchland and ridges where visibility is good for predator detection; hunting involves glassing from high points and using terrain to stalk toward water or bedding areas on north-facing slopes.

White-tailed deer prefer riparian corridors and juniper draws. As the season progresses and water becomes more scattered, concentrate efforts on reliable springs and creek bottoms. The open character means daylight movement is limited; focus on early morning and evening transition periods near water.