Unit 72

Rattlesnake Mountain's divide forms the southern boundary and provides high-ground reference; Ryan Hill (Prospect Hill) marks the southwestern corner. Broad Mesa, Square Top Butte, and Wild Horse Butte offer navigation landmarks on the rolling terrain. McClanahan Lake and Christine Lake provide water reference points, though both are small.

Keg Spring, Sulfur Springs, and Willow Spring mark reliable water sources. Coyote Creek, Stinking Water Creek, and Sixmile Creek run through major draws offering travel corridors and seasonal water. U T Pass and McRae Gap break the ridge system.

McKenzie Bogs are noteworthy but isolated features in the basin floor.

Terrain ranges from mid-5000s in the lowest basins to just over 8000 feet atop ridges, with the majority of country in the 6000-6500 foot band. Vegetation is sparse and open—sagebrush basins dominate, broken by scattered juniper and pine on south-facing slopes and ridges. North-facing slopes hold slightly denser timber, but forest never dominates.

Most drainages run through open country with cottonwood and willow riparian corridors. The Hells Half Acre badlands create distinctive terrain on the western margin. This is wide-open pronghorn habitat with minimal tree cover—excellent for glassing but offering little shelter.

County roads (Gas Hills, Oil Camp, Poison Spider, Oregon Trail) provide scattered access without creating high-pressure corridors. Road density is limited but sufficient for 4WD vehicles and ATVs to reach staging areas near Powder River, Waltman, and Raderville. Highway 20-26 allows vehicle access to the unit's edge.

The size and openness of the country mean most pressure concentrates near road corridors; large basins away from county roads see minimal hunting traffic. Early season and opening weekends draw hunters to accessible ridges and draws. Mid-hunt, the basin interior becomes quieter.

Unit 72 occupies the country between U.S. Highway 20-26 (north) and the Rattlesnake Mountain divide (south), bounded west by Gas Hills Road near Waltman and east by Poison Spider Road. The unit encompasses multiple named basins including Woodard and Snider, with Powder River and Waltman serving as road access points. Rattlesnake Mountain forms the southern spine; Hells Half Acre marks notable terrain on the western flank.

The boundary follows Kendrick Canal, Oregon Trail Road, and several county roads, creating an irregular polygon of roughly 600+ square miles. This is classic high-desert basin country in central Wyoming's intermountain region.

Water is limited and concentrated in specific drainages and man-made reservoirs. Multiple small reservoirs (Gaylord, Six Mile, Poison Spider, Cabin Creek, Cooper, and others) exist but are scattered and not reliably accessible for hunting camps. Stinking Water Creek, Coyote Creek, and Sixmile Creek are the most significant natural drainages with potential seasonal flow.

Springs—particularly Keg, Sulfur, and Willow—provide critical water points for pronghorn and hunters. McKenzie Bogs offer reliable moisture on the basin floor. Water scarcity is a real factor; scouting reliable sources before the hunt is essential.

Summer conditions dry many draws considerably.

Unit 72 is pronghorn country, period. Habitat is open sagebrush basin with scattered juniper—ideal for glassing and stalking. Early season hunts target lower elevations where pronghorn congregate; mid-season, animals move to slightly higher terrain and scattered draws.

Late season pushes them toward reservoir basins and reliable water. Hunting strategy relies on optics: glass the ridges and basin openings from high ground, locate bucks or groups, then plan stalks across open country using sparse timber and terrain breaks for cover. Water sources become critical in late season.

Pressure is light enough to allow multiple days of hunting without relocating, provided you scout thoroughly and plan your water sources.