Unit 48

Key navigational features include the Pedro Mountains and Medicine Bow Breaks running through the eastern portion, providing good glassing vantage points. The Hanna Reservoir, Kinney Reservoir, and several smaller water impoundments like Soda Lakes and Twin Lakes serve as water reference points across the basins. Notable ridge systems—Horseshoe Ridge, Monument Ridge, and Cedar Ridge—bisect the flatter country and offer elevated viewing platforms.

The Medicine Bow River drainage and Sage Creek system provide major topographic corridors. Several named meadows and parks (Button Meadows, Dana Meadows, Prats Bottom) mark logical staging areas.

Terrain ranges from around 5,800 feet in the lower valleys to just over 9,000 feet on the high ridges, with most country sitting between 6,500 and 7,500 feet. The landscape is predominantly open—sagebrush flats and grasslands with sparse tree cover define the majority of the unit. Higher ridges support scattered juniper and limber pine, while the few timbered areas concentrate along drainage bottoms and upper benches.

This open character makes the unit ideal pronghorn country, though the scarcity of trees limits shade and shelter in harsher seasons.

Roughly 250 miles of roads cross the unit, but access density is limited and unevenly distributed. Private land ownership fragments the public terrain, requiring hunters to identify and respect boundaries carefully. The towns of Hanna, Leo, and Edson provide the nearest services and staging points.

Highway 72 and Interstate 80 offer convenient access from major routes. The combination of limited road density and significant private land means the unit can feel less crowded than nearby alternatives, though pronghorn hunting pressure during season concentrate around known public parcels and water sources.

Unit 48 occupies the basin country between Hanna and the North Platte River in south-central Wyoming. The unit's north boundary follows the North Platte from Interstate 80 east to Canyon Creek, then traces south through Troublesome Creek drainage before following the Hanna-Leo Road south to the town of Hanna. Highway 72 completes the southern boundary back to Interstate 80. This creates a substantial block of terrain spanning roughly 15-20 miles north-south and similar east-west, though private land ownership fragments public hunting access throughout.

Water sources are moderate but not abundant. The North Platte River anchors the northern boundary with reliable flow, while the Medicine Bow River runs southeast through the unit. Troublesome Creek and Sage Creek systems provide drainage corridors and seasonal water.

The unit contains numerous reservoirs—Hanna, Kinney, Cowden, and Martinez are the largest, supplemented by smaller lakes and ponds. Several named springs (Coyote Spring, Sulphur Spring, Standpipe Spring) are scattered across the basins but reliability varies. Late-season hunting may require knowledge of functioning water sources.

Unit 48 is pronghorn country first and foremost. The open sagebrush basins and rolling flats provide classic pronghorn habitat where long-distance glassing from ridgetops identifies animals and reveals movement patterns. Early season offers the best opportunity with animals concentrated on accessible public ground before pressure pushes them toward private refuges.

Water sources become critical as summer heat increases—hunt the reservoir margins and spring areas during mid and late season. The sparse timber limits stalking cover, so patience with optics and willingness to work distance becomes essential. Verify current public/private boundaries and access permissions before committing to a hunt plan.