Unit 24

Yellow Hammer Buttes and the T A Buttes provide prominent glassing points and navigation markers across the otherwise open terrain. Two Top and Sharp Butte offer similar vantage opportunities. H A Divide runs as a useful terrain reference in the unit's upper portions.

Gumbo Lake and Hansen Lakes anchor the limited reliable water sources, while the cluster of small reservoirs—Mary, Tisdale, Isenberger, and others—dot the landscape as secondary options. The Jumpoff cliff formation and The Gap provide additional terrain definition in this relatively subtle country.

The unit sits entirely in the lower elevation band between roughly 4,100 and 5,200 feet, creating consistently high-plains habitat throughout. Sagebrush dominates the open flats with scattered juniper and ponderosa on higher benches and ridge systems. This is sparse-forest country—timber appears only on select ridges and buttes rather than covering large areas.

The terrain alternates between wide sagebrush basins, low rolling plateaus, and isolated buttes that offer slight elevation breaks. Vegetation is drought-adapted throughout, reflecting limited moisture and the high-plains climate.

A fair network of ranch roads and Forest Service routes totaling nearly 520 miles provides logical access throughout the unit, though this is spread across vast terrain. Most access clusters around working ranch infrastructure and established routes rather than dense road systems. The straightforward terrain and open country create a landscape where foot traffic and glassing can cover distance efficiently.

Pressure is likely moderate during season—the unit is accessible enough to draw hunters but open enough that animals can disperse. Local knowledge of ranch roads and water locations gives hunters advantage over those relying on main highways.

Unit 24 encompasses the high plains country south and east of Interstate 90 between the Belle Fourche River and Wyoming Highway 450. The unit is anchored by towns including Wyodak, Wright, and Gillette to the north, with the landscape extending into classic Wyoming pronghorn territory marked by rolling sagebrush plateaus and scattered buttes. The Belle Fourche River and its tributaries define the northern boundary, while Highway 59 and the Keeline Road frame the western edge. This is working ranch and rangeland country at the transitional zone between the Black Hills influence and the open high plains.

Water is the limiting factor here. The Belle Fourche River runs north of the unit along the I-90 boundary, but reliable sources within the unit are limited to scattered reservoirs and permanent springs. Gumbo Lake and Hansen Lakes represent the most consistent water sources, while creek drainages like Tisdale Creek, H A Creek, and Trail Creek run seasonally and are unreliable during dry spells.

Understanding water location is critical for early-season pronghorn hunting—most animals will key to these scattered sources, making them strategic focal points rather than terrain obstacles.

This is pure pronghorn country. Early season hunting revolves around water dependence—locate animals during morning and evening visits to lakes and reservoirs when they're forced to water. The open, rolling terrain favors spotting-and-stalking from buttes and ridges where visibility extends for miles.

Yellow Hammer Buttes, Two Top, and other higher points serve as glassing stations rather than hunting positions. Mid-season, animals scatter across the sagebrush as water becomes less critical; success shifts to covering ground, reading wind, and using terrain breaks for approach. Late season drives animals to reliable water again.

The sparse timber offers minimal cover for stalks—patience, optics, and understanding pronghorn behavior matter more than terrain complexity.