Unit 20

Key reference points include Dull Knife Pass and several other named passes cutting through ridgelines—useful navigation markers in complex terrain. High points like Gardner Mountain, Fraker Mountain, and The Mesa provide glassing vantage points overlooking open country below. Red Wall cliffs mark dramatic terrain features visible from distance.

Hole-in-the-Wall Lake sits in higher country and serves as a water/navigation reference. The numerous ridges (Snow Cave Ridge, Pine Ridge, Lookout Ridge) form the backbone of the terrain and guide travel corridors through the unit. Major drainages like North Fork Powder River and Crazy Woman Canyon provide natural travel routes.

Terrain rises from lower foothills around 4,600 feet through moderate elevation bands into high-country ridges above 10,000 feet. Forest coverage is moderate but unevenly distributed—denser timber clusters on north-facing slopes and ridge systems, with open parks and sagebrush flats on south aspects and in valley bottoms. Pronghorn habitat consists primarily of open country: sagebrush benches, grass parks like Beartrap Meadows and Bull Camp Park, and windswept ridgetops.

The mix of timbered breaks and open terrain creates a landscape mosaic that supports pronghorn movement across elevation zones.

This unit demands patience and local knowledge. Road density is sparse with 400+ miles of roads scattered across vast terrain, translating to limited road access relative to unit size. Forest Service roads (452, 25) and county roads (13, 81, 3, 14) form the skeleton of access, but many are rough or seasonal.

The complexity score of 9.1 reflects both terrain difficulty and navigation challenges—this isn't easy country to cover. Limited access means lower human pressure in many areas, but also means hunters must be self-sufficient with navigation and route-finding. Peak season pressure concentrates along accessible roads and parks.

Unit 20 straddles the Johnson and Washakie County line in north-central Wyoming, anchored by Interstate 25 on the east and Wyoming Highway 191 on the south. The unit's west boundary runs along Forest Service roads climbing into higher terrain, while the north edge follows US Highway 16 cutting through Crazy Woman Canyon. The boundary traces through the foothills below the main Bighorn Range, creating an irregular perimeter that encompasses roughly 400 miles of county and forest roads.

Towns like Barnum, Mayoworth, and Hazelton sit near unit borders and serve as reference points for access staging.

Water is limited and scattered, requiring careful planning. Hole-in-the-Wall Lake provides a known water source at elevation. Several small reservoirs—Fauber, Dowlin, Basch, Seven Elk, Dullknife, Kelly, Horn Creek—exist throughout the unit but reliability varies seasonally.

Springs including Tetley, Hammond, Billy Creek, and Dancehall Springs offer supplemental water in specific locations. Permanent streams include South Willow Creek, Sawmill Creek, Pass Creek, and portions of the North Fork Powder River, though flow is intermittent in lower elevations. The numerous ditches (Thompson and Mathews, Red Bank, Bob Brock) indicate irrigation water but don't directly support hunting access.

Pronghorn in this unit utilize open parks, sagebrush benches, and high-country plateaus where visibility extends for miles. Early season hunting focuses on open country glassing—ridgetops and high parks where pronghorn congregate. Mid-season, animals move to more sheltered draws and timbered breaks as pressure increases and weather changes.

Water sources like Hole-in-the-Wall Lake and named springs concentrate animals in specific areas. Successful hunting requires understanding pronghorn movement between high summer range and lower winter country. The terrain favors spotting and stalking over driving roads.

Hunters should plan access carefully—rougher roads limit pressure but also require self-reliance and time on foot.