This diverse unit can be difficult to navigate for hunters who are not willing to do some research and scouting. Crab Creek will hold deer, upland game, and waterfowl, and will also afford the game the best cover. Mule deer also like the various cuts and small coulees that drain seasonal rains into the basin. Access can be a bit more challenging within the unit as many farms are very small and irregularly packed together, so understanding boundaries is important, this opens up to larger sections of private on the eastern portion. Public access land is divided with many options, however, not all public land allows hunting, like the Saddle Mountain National Wildlife Refuge, and others have special regulations, so it’s best to start planning early and get in a scouting trip or two. Over the past several years, there have been a few fires that should currently have little impact on hunting other than the sage will take years to re-establish and offer critical habitat for deer. Deer hunting opportunities is fair to good as populations within unit vary greatly. Knowing where you’re hunting within the unit and having reasonable expectations for that area will give you the best hunting experience. There are always a few great bucks taken along the northern edge and GMU 290 which is a limited special permit. Unfortunately, there are no resident elk.

There are lots of bird hunters, adding pressure on public lands.