Unit 35

Cottonwood Pass and Sioux Pass serve as key geographic anchors and potential staging points. Cherry Creek Hill rises prominently from the northern terrain and provides reliable glassing vantage. Orchard Reservoir, though modest, marks a reliable water reference point.

The Split Rock, Trout, and Spring Creeks serve as major drainages for navigation and water; Lost Creek and Lone Tree Creek drain the eastern portion. Several springs—Grave, Brasket, Stove, and Berger—dot the unit but require knowing their exact locations. The Bighorn Trail and Oakie Road offer established travel corridors across otherwise rough country.

These features become critical for route planning in terrain that lacks obvious landmarks.

Terrain ranges from lower canyon bottoms around 5,100 feet to higher plateaus near 9,100 feet, with most country concentrated in the 6,500 to 8,500-foot band. Lower elevations feature open sagebrush flats and sparse juniper, transitioning through ponderosa and Douglas-fir stands on mid-slope exposures. Upper ridges break into scattered high-country timber with grassland parks.

Forest cover is thin overall—expect more open country than dense timber. The terrain character shifts from relatively flat valley floors to increasingly steep and broken ridge systems as you gain elevation. This mix creates diverse microclimates and movement corridors that deer use seasonally.

Seventy-three miles of roads provide the primary access network, but road density is low—suggesting most country sits away from vehicle corridors. Key roads include Natrona County Road 109, the Hazelton Road, Cherry Creek Hill Stock Drive Road, and the Oakie Road, forming a loose framework around the unit's perimeter. Limited public access roads and scattered private holdings mean access gates are likely.

The terrain complexity and sparse road network keep hunting pressure moderate compared to more accessible units. However, established road corridors concentrate initial entry pressure. Success often means hiking away from roads into the rougher central ridges where fewer hunters venture.

Unit 35 occupies the central Bighorn Basin region of northern Wyoming, bounded by Cottonwood Pass and the Nowood Road on the south, Deep Creek and Lost Creek drainages on the east, Cherry Creek Hill and the Hazelton Road on the north, and the Nowood-Badwater Creek divide on the west. The unit encompasses moderate terrain spanning from lower creek valleys to mid-elevation ridges. Several named passes—Cottonwood, Sioux, and the Devil's Slide crossing—mark key topographic breaks.

The boundary traces creek bottoms, ridge divides, and established road corridors, creating an irregular polygon that captures several distinct drainage systems within a manageable hunting area.

Water availability is the primary constraint. Reliable sources are sparse and often seasonal. Split Rock, Trout, and Spring Creeks represent the most consistent water in the unit; Lost Creek and its tributaries provide additional options in the eastern drainages.

Buffalo Creek system—particularly the North and Middle Forks—holds water but flows through challenging terrain on the western boundary. Named springs exist but are scattered and require advance scouting. Late summer and early fall can see creeks diminish significantly.

Most hunting success depends on understanding water seasonality and planning camps or movement around reliable sources. Dry ridges are the norm; water dictates your daily logistics.

Mule deer dominate the quarry, with white-tailed deer concentrated in lower creek corridors and timber zones. Early season finds mule deer on higher ridges and parks; pressure and heat push them into shaded timber and lower elevations through the rut and into late season. White-tailed deer stay in riparian thickets and juniper draws year-round.

Key strategy involves glassing the open parks and ridge saddles early and mid-day, then hiking to higher vantage points for evening light. Water scarcity concentrates deer movement—hunt creek corridors and springs during dry periods. Terrain complexity demands patience and navigation skill; the unit rewards hunters willing to pack water and spend time away from roads.

Late season requires focus on lower, sheltered draws where deer congregate.