Bring fishing gear to fish in the nearby Big Sandy River and the many alpine lakes
Maps showing land ownership are highly recommended
Rattlesnakes can be encountered
Species
General Size
Trophy Potential
Elk
280"-320"
320"+
On The Ground
Terrain
Vegetation
Access
Camping and Lodging
Historical Temperatures
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November 2024
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Located in a small portion of the Bridger – Teton National Forest in the west-central part of the state and made up of high plains desert and a portion of the mountains in the Wind River Range. This unit contains expansive amounts of BLM land and National Forest lands. There is some wilderness areas within this unit, so the DIY nonresident hunter will have to pay attention to the boundaries.
Good populations of elk reside within this unit. The bigger elk typically come from the more rugged and remote locations. Those willing to put in the work will most likely have a successful hunt.
This unit stretches from the Sweetwater River valley floor, west to the Big Sandy River and north to the Continental Divide. The terrain is gently contoured at lower elevations but changes to steep and rugged at higher elevations, with timberline found at roughly 10,500 feet.
Wilderness
Under Wyoming law nonresidents are not permitted to hunt big game or trophy game in any federally designated wilderness areas without the presence of a licensed guide or resident companion. The resident companion must first get a free non-commercial guide license from a Game and Fish office. The law does not prohibit nonresidents from hiking, fishing or hunting game birds, small game, or coyotes in wilderness areas.
Low and middle elevations are a mix of grassy, sage covered meadows, hills mixed with Douglas fir and aspens. Higher up near timberline, the country is made up of thick Spruce fir forest with intermittent grassy meadows, rocky ridges and sedge-filled alpine basins.
Public access in this unit is good with other roads diverging from the Lander Cutoff Road. There are several secondary roads and a few closed logging roads that can be found here. The forest portion of the unit is mostly wilderness and lacks many trails. Packing in with horses or backpack hunting is recommended, but day hunts are more common. This area is bordered by the Big Sandy River on the west, the Continental Divide on the north, the Sweetwater River on the east and Wyoming Highway 28 on the south. This unit contains some land in the Bridger Wilderness Area. Atv's can be useful for day hunting and access across most of the BLM portions.
Lander is the nearest town to the unit and offers several options for lodging, groceries, gas, sporting goods and other amenities. Camping is allowed on all public ground for up to 16 days in one location. There is one designated campground located in the unit. Hunters can also camp in remote locations. Big Sandy Campground is a public campground.