Unit 64

Key navigational features include Como Ridge, Chimney Ridge, and Pine Ridge running north-south through the unit—excellent for orientation and glassing. McGill Lakes and several reservoirs (Moss Agate, Wheatland Number Two, Gillespie, Mule Creek) provide visual landmarks and potential water sources. Major drainages including the Little Medicine Bow River, LaBonte Creek, Horseshoe Creek, and the North Platte River serve as travel corridors and drainage divides mark logical hunting zones.

Notable summits like Ninemile Hill, Camelback Mountain, and Indian Peak offer vantage points for scanning country. Reed Pass and Mule Creek Pass provide passage through ridge systems.

The unit spans a dramatic elevation range from low-elevation sagebrush basins to alpine terrain above 10,000 feet. Most of the unit clusters around medium elevations with scattered high-country patches. Lower valleys support sparse sagebrush and grassland interspersed with cottonwood draws along creek bottoms.

Mid-elevation slopes transition to ponderosa pine and juniper woodlands, becoming increasingly dense and continuous as elevation rises. High ridges support mixed conifer forest with scattered meadows and parks. The sparse overall forest coverage indicates open country dominates—mule deer move through sagebrush and semi-open terrain more than dense timber, though higher ridges provide escape habitat and cooler summer range.

The unit contains over 1,300 miles of road, but these are mostly county and Forest Service routes, many rough or primitive. Major highways (I-25, US 26, US 30, WY 34, WY 487) provide easy regional access, but getting into the unit's interior requires four-wheel-drive or high-clearance vehicles on Forest Service roads. Road density suggests limited concentrated development and pressure—hunters can scatter widely, but navigation without GPS and maps is challenging.

The complexity score of 9.2 reflects both terrain difficulty and access logistics. Most pressure likely concentrates along major drainages and near reservoirs where roads penetrate deeper. Significant foot travel or stock is required to reach many areas.

Unit 64 encompasses a vast area of south-central Wyoming bounded by Interstate 25 on the east, Highway 34 and US 30 on the south, and a complex network of ridges and drainages running northwest through the Medicine Bow region. The unit stretches from the North Platte River near Glendo on the southeast to the Laramie River drainage on the west, encompassing multiple mountain ranges and intervening basins. The landscape transitions from semi-arid desert valleys at lower elevations to sparse conifer forests on ridges and higher peaks.

Several small communities—Rock River, Esterbrook, Wendover, and Point of Rocks—sit on or near the unit's perimeter, offering potential staging points for hunters.

Water is limited and scattered. Perennial streams include the North Platte River forming the southeast boundary, the Little Medicine Bow River, Horseshoe Creek, Mule Creek, Rock Creek, and Spring Creek—most reliable in upper drainages. Numerous named reservoirs exist (McGill, Moss Agate, Wheatland Number Two, Gillespie, Mule Creek, Moore) but many are seasonal or dependent on water year.

Springs are named but sparse: Wagon Wheel, Box, Deer, Twin Springs, and others scattered across the unit. Lower basins often lack reliable water; hunters must plan routes accessing perennial drainages or known reservoirs. Summer conditions leave many smaller creeks and springs dry.

Unit 64 holds mule deer across all elevation zones. Lower sagebrush basins and draws provide winter range and early-season hunting where deer concentrate. Mid-elevation ridges and juniper breaks offer transition habitat where bucks move during pre-rut periods.

Higher conifer ridges support summer range and cooler-weather habitat. Early season success often comes by glassing rimrock and ridge edges from distance; bucks use open parks and saddles during daylight. As seasons progress and pressure increases, deer retreat to higher timber or rough canyon country.

Water knowledge is critical—plan camps and hunt routes around reliable sources. Late season hunting requires understanding migration corridors between high and low country. Navigation challenges and sparse road access mean self-sufficiency, map work, and patience are essential.

Expect to cover significant ground on foot to find quality deer.