Unit 118

Wall Rock and Soapy Dale Peak serve as prominent reference points for navigation across the rolling ridgetops, while Leon Baird Peak marks terrain to the north. Red Cliff provides a notable visual break in the landscape for orientation. The basin complexes—particularly Little Buffalo Basin and the canyon systems around Red Canyon and Bill Dickie Draw—funnel game movement and offer natural holding terrain.

Moon Reservoir and Twin Lakes represent limited water sources that concentrate wildlife during dry periods and offer navigation reference points.

The unit spans mid-elevation rolling mountain terrain where sparse conifer forests—mostly lodgepole pine and scattered Douglas-fir—pattern the north-facing slopes and ridges while open parks, sagebrush flats, and aspen groves dominate south-facing aspects. The median elevation sits in the 6,500-foot range, placing most country above the sagebrush transition but below true alpine terrain. This mix creates classic mule deer summer range with good feed and cover, though the terrain shifts with exposure and aspect, creating variable habitat pockets throughout the drainages.

Despite 59 miles of roads on the books, the road network is sparse and disconnected, with no major highways or connected corridor system within the unit boundaries. This limited access—combined with terrain complexity scoring 8.6/10—means most casual hunters won't penetrate far from Highway 120. The complexity and rugged drainage systems create natural pressure relief compared to more accessible units. However, traditional access points and parking areas will concentrate some hunting effort, making timing and finding deer before others do critical to success.

Unit 118 is defined by all drainages of Gooseberry Creek and Little Buffalo Creek west of Wyoming Highway 120, creating a moderate-sized block of public land in the upper Green River drainage. The unit sits in transition terrain between the lower sagebrush country to the east and higher alpine basins to the north and west. Highway 120 serves as the eastern boundary and provides the primary access corridor.

Adjacent units and private land patches create a somewhat fragmented hunting landscape that requires careful navigation.

Water is the limiting factor here. Middle Gooseberry Creek, West Gooseberry Creek, and the Little Buffalo drainage system provide the main reliable water corridors, though seasonal flows are inconsistent. Middle Creek, Trail Creek, and Mormon Creek flow through significant portions of the unit but may be intermittent late season.

Hall Creek, Enos Creek, Elk Creek, and Deer Creek are smaller tributaries. Moon Reservoir and Twin Lakes provide backup water sources but can be far from productive deer habitat. Hunters should plan water locations carefully, especially for mid-season hunting.

Unit 118 holds mule deer year-round with white-tailed deer in riparian areas and canyon bottoms. Early season hunting focuses on higher ridges and open parks where deer feed in morning and evening. The rolling terrain and sparse timber create excellent glassing country from elevated vantage points, particularly around the basin complexes.

Mid-season pressure will push deer into the thicker conifer patches and drainage systems where water sources become focal points. Late season hunters should plan around the few reliable water features. The complex terrain rewards methodical drainage-by-drainage hunting over random ridge-running.