Unit 47

Key landmarks include Devils Leap cliff system for orientation, Chimney Rock pillar in the central country, and the distinctive Medicine Lodge Big Game Winter Range to the east. Blue Ridge and Bald Ridge provide navigational anchors and glassing opportunities. Alkali Flats and Basin Flats mark open expanses where visibility is excellent but cover is scarce.

The Arch and Long Point offer locational reference points. Snowshoe Pass provides a known geographic marker. Multiple canyons (Dry Medicine Lodge Canyon, Bear Gulch, Corral Gulch) funnel through the terrain and serve as travel corridors for both hunters and deer.

Terrain spans from lower-elevation desert basins around 3,800 feet up to ridges above 9,500 feet, though the majority sits in the 4,500-to-7,500-foot band where high-desert conditions dominate. The landscape is characterized by open sagebrush flats interspersed with juniper and scattered ponderosa pine on ridges and north-facing slopes. Badlands formations and exposed red rock (Red Basin) create natural features breaking up the open country.

Vegetation transitions from sparse desert grassland in the flats to denser timber on higher ridges and near the forest boundary. Much of the unit is essentially open country with timber concentrated on specific ridges and in canyon bottoms.

Access is limited by design and terrain. Roughly 239 miles of roads penetrate the unit, but most are rough forest service or county roads—not highway-connected. The Paint Rock Lakes Road and Alkali Road provide primary routes into the country, but they're slow going and seasonal conditions can impact drivability.

Distances are vast; most areas require significant travel from the boundary roads. Low road density combined with the unit's size and terrain complexity means very few hunters penetrate the interior. Pressure concentrates near accessible water and canyon mouths; the high terrain complexity allows skilled hunters to find remote country.

Unit 47 encompasses the western slopes of the Bighorn foothills, bounded by U.S. Highway 16-20 to the west and north, U.S. Highway 14 near Greybull to the north, and the Bighorn National Forest boundary to the southeast. Wyoming Highway 31 closes the southern boundary. The unit is massive in scope, with significant elevation variation from high-desert basins to mountain ridges.

This is remote, sparsely populated country with limited development—Manderson is the nearest settlement. The terrain runs from wide-open flats and badlands to steeper canyon systems and forest edges.

Water is limited and requires careful planning. Scattered springs—Alkali Spring, White Sulphur Spring, Barrel Spring, Myers Spring—are critical water sources but unreliable seasonally. Small reservoirs (Carey, Thomas Coulee, Perkins, Blue Ridge) offer more stable water but are few and far between.

Perennial creeks are sparse; most drainages (Cry Creek, Springs Creek, Captain Jack Creek, Dry Fork White Creek) are seasonal or intermittent. Understanding which water sources are reliable in your hunting season is essential to targeting deer movement. The limited water makes the country challenging but also concentrates wildlife during dry periods.

Unit 47 holds mule deer and white-tailed deer across its diverse terrain. Mule deer inhabit the open sagebrush basins and ridges, particularly near the forest edge where timber provides escape cover. Early season finds deer scattered across high ridges and open parks; as pressure increases, they migrate downslope toward canyon breaks and timber.

White-tailed deer concentrate in canyon bottoms, brush-choked draws, and riparian areas near water sources. Key strategy involves identifying reliable water sources and glassing open country from distance. The badlands and cliff terrain provide natural funnels where deer predictably travel.

Late season, focus on water availability as the primary deer magnet. The unit's immense size and terrain complexity reward thorough scouting and patience.