Unit 87

Independence Rock, a massive sandstone outcrop along the North Platte, serves as a natural landmark and navigation reference. The Seminoe Mountains to the northeast and Haystack Mountains provide ridgeline systems useful for glassing and orientation. Steamboat Lake and Pathfinder Reservoir offer identifiable water features.

The Ferris Mountains west of the unit create a visual boundary. Numerous rims and cliff systems including Boggy Meadows Rim and Coal Creek Rim break up the sagebrush expanse and provide vantage points. Whiskey Gap and Youngs Pass mark natural travel corridors through the ridge systems, while the North Platte River corridor provides a consistent eastern reference.

Elevations range from roughly 5,800 feet in the lower basins to just over 10,000 feet on the highest ridges, creating distinct habitat zones. Lower elevations support sparse sagebrush and grassland with scattered juniper and pinyon pine, while middle elevations transition into thicker brush and stunted timber. Upper elevations feature more substantial conifer stands mixed with open parks and exposed ridgelines.

The sparse forest coverage means most hunting occurs in open or semi-open country where visibility is excellent. Sagebrush dominates the visual landscape across most of the unit, broken by canyon bottoms with riparian vegetation and occasional pockets of denser timber in protected drainages.

Over 400 miles of roads network the unit, though road density remains sparse given the vast area. Most access comes from Rawlins to the south via I-80 and Highway 287, or from Sinclair and Muddy Gap to the northwest. Pathfinder Road and various county routes penetrate the interior, allowing vehicle access to staging areas, but much of the unit requires foot travel.

The limited accessibility combined with the unit's enormous size means pressure concentrates along roaded corridors; hunters willing to walk away from vehicles can find solitude. The terrain complexity suggests navigation challenges in canyons and basin systems, rewarding those with maps and patience.

Unit 87 occupies roughly 1,200 square miles of high desert centered between Rawlins to the south and Muddy Gap to the north, bounded by Interstate 80 and Highway 287 on the western and southern edges. The North Platte River and Pathfinder Reservoir define the eastern perimeter, while Highway 220 and various county roads mark the northern limit. This is classic south-central Wyoming backcountry—semi-arid sagebrush country interspersed with low mountains.

The unit encompasses several distinct basins and plateaus separated by ridgelines and canyon systems, with historical sites like Independence Rock and Fort Steele marking human corridors through the landscape.

The North Platte River anchors the unit's eastern edge, providing reliable perennial water. Pathfinder Reservoir, Kortes Reservoir, and smaller impoundments like Annis and Marsh Reservoirs offer established water sources. Scattered springs—Cheyenne Spring, Big Sand Spring, Brown Canyon Springs, and others—support hunting in the interior, though reliability varies seasonally.

Major creeks including Coal Creek, Willow Creek, Separation Creek, and Stone Creek provide drainage corridors that often hold water in their lower sections. The moderate water designation means planning is necessary; concentrating effort near known springs or reservoirs during dry periods is critical to success.

Unit 87 holds both mule deer and white-tailed deer across distinct habitat types. Mule deer dominate the open sagebrush basins and lower ridgelines, using the sparse timber and canyon systems for escape cover. Early season hunting focuses on high-elevation parks and open benches where deer feed on forbs and browse.

The rut period finds bucks ranging widely across the basins; glassing from ridgelines and rims pays dividends. White-tailed deer concentrate in denser brush along creeks and canyon bottoms, particularly Coal Creek, Willow Creek, and similar drainages. Later in season, deer shift toward lower elevations as snow accumulates above 8,500 feet.

Success requires covering significant country—this is not a place to hunt small, defined areas. Start from known water sources and glass aggressively across the open country.