Unit 97

Key landmarks for orientation and navigation include Sand Butte, Pilot Butte, and Lost Wells Butte—modest prominences useful for glassing and map reference. Boysen Reservoir dominates the eastern boundary and serves as a major geographic anchor. Major drains and canals (Pilot Canal, Wyoming Canal, Sheep Camp Drain, Springs Drain) function as ground reference lines across the flat terrain.

Upper Cottonwood Reservoir and Lake Cameahwait provide water reference points. Paradise Valley, Missouri Valley, and Kinnear Valley are named valley systems worth recognizing. The abundance of agricultural water features means hunters should reference both named landmarks and canal/drain systems for navigation.

Elevations span roughly 4,700 to 5,800 feet across low-relief terrain—entirely within the lower elevation band. The country is predominantly open sagebrush and grassland with sparse timber, creating wide-open vistas ideal for spotting game across distances. Vegetation transitions gradually rather than dramatically; there are no forested slopes or high elevation changes to break the horizon.

The few buttes and ridges present (Sand Butte, Pilot Butte, Lost Wells Butte) rise modestly above the flats and provide slight elevation relief and vantage points. This is plains country punctuated by water infrastructure and low-lying terrain features.

Road density is high with 519 miles of roads throughout the unit, indicating well-connected access via a network of maintained routes. Most roads are secondary or tertiary (farm roads, canal access roads) rather than highways, but connectivity is solid. The straightforward, low-elevation terrain means access is easy and hunting pressure can be diffuse across the open country.

Proximity to towns (Riverton, Pavillion, Kinnear) means this unit sees regular use. Success likely depends on hunting away from main roads and water management areas where other hunters naturally congregate. The connected road network also means hunters can quickly shift locations if needed.

Unit 97 encompasses Bureau of Reclamation lands in the Riverton Unit and Boysen Unit, plus portions of Boysen State Park south of Cottonwood Creek and west of the reservoir, and state park lands south of US 20-26. The unit sprawls across irrigated valleys and sagebrush flats in central Wyoming between Riverton and Boysen Reservoir. Nearby towns include Pavillion, Kinnear, and Midvale. The landscape is defined by agricultural development and reclamation infrastructure—canals, drains, and reservoirs—mixed with open sagebrush habitat.

Public land dominance means access is generally available, though much of the unit functions within an agricultural and water management context.

Water is available but largely agricultural in nature. Boysen Reservoir anchors the unit's eastern side, while multiple smaller reservoirs (Upper Cottonwood, Middle Cottonwood, Sand Mesa reservoirs, Pilot Butte Reservoir) scatter across the country. Cottonwood Creek is a reliable perennial stream in the northern portion.

Numerous named drains crisscross the unit—Ocean Drain, Pavillion Drain, Muskrat Creek—many tied to irrigation systems rather than natural flow. Springs exist but are scattered. While water isn't scarce, much of it is managed agricultural water rather than pristine backcountry sources.

Hunters should plan water access around reservoirs and permanent creeks rather than relying on seasonal sources.

Unit 97 is pronghorn country across irrigated valleys and sagebrush flats. The sparse timber and open terrain make pronghorn ideal here—they use the wide sight lines and low vegetation to their advantage. The modest buttes (Sand Butte, Pilot Butte) and valley systems provide natural concentration areas where pronghorn move between water and feed.

Early season hunting focuses on finding animals in open country—glassing from elevated points or moving through valleys. Rut timing (mid-September through October) can concentrate pronghorn around water sources and traditional movement corridors through the valleys. The irrigated areas and grain near the agricultural sections may concentrate animals seasonally.

Water management reservoirs and creek systems are critical focal points. Straightforward terrain means success depends on solid glassing technique and understanding local pronghorn patterns rather than difficult navigation.