3-D satellite terrain of Unit 100, served by Wayward — the free iPhone GPS app from the people behind Sleeper Units. Drag to turn, scroll or pinch to zoom. Get Wayward and the whole unit rides on your phone, offline.
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Area 100 covers the country south of Thermopolis along the southern Owl Creek Mountains and the Wind River Reservation boundary—a transition zone between the Bighorn Basin and the Wind River country. Elevations run from about 5,000 feet on the basin floor to over 10,000 feet on the higher Owl Creek peaks. The country grades from sage benches and irrigated hay along the Wind River valley, through mountain mahogany and juniper foothills, into Douglas fir and lodgepole pine on the cooler aspects of the higher ridges, with aspen pockets in the wetter folds. Crowheart Butte is the recognizable landmark on the east—a flat-topped sandstone butte named for a 19th-century battle between Shoshone and Crow.
The Wind River Reservation forms the dominant boundary; tribal permits are required for reservation hunting and are issued sparingly to non-tribal hunters. BLM, state, and Shoshone NF fill in the off-reservation country. US-26 frames the access through the Wind River valley; county roads thread the foothills. Crowheart and Ethete are reservation communities with limited services; Lander and Thermopolis are the supply towns. Cell service drops past Lander. Mule deer in the foothill mahogany and aspen, antelope on the sage benches, elk in the higher timber. Reservation boundary discipline is critical—do not cross without authorization.
Area 100 around Casper Mountain is the most urban-adjacent elk and deer unit in Wyoming, and the proximity to Casper (population 60,000) means heavy local pressure that defines the hunting experience. Nonresident elk tags require 2-4 preference points; deer tags 1-2 points. No wilderness designations apply, and no grizzly bears are present. Land is a patchwork of BLM, USFS (Medicine Bow NF), state trust, Natrona County parks, and private ranch — study the ownership maps carefully because boundaries are complex. The area is known for convenience over quality — you can hunt elk within 20 minutes of a Walmart, which is unique in Wyoming but means every local hunter with a tag is in the field on opening weekend. Hunters who focus on the southern foothills and draws away from Casper Mountain proper find lower pressure. Mule deer in the sage breaks are the more productive species, and the south-side BLM draws hold bucks that avoid the mountain-top crowds.
Unit Stats
Hunting Season Temps (3-yr avg)
Sep
70°
47°
Oct
52°
33°
Nov
36°
21°
Dec
25°
12°
Jan
21°
9°
Feb
21°
6°
Recent Trophy Scores · 2020–2025
Trophy score data is tracked by county, so the overlap with GMU boundaries is approximate. These numbers tell you whether the area is capable of growing big animals — they do not indicate public vs. private land. Big elk can come from anywhere; most elk in the lower 48 trace back to Yellowstone stock that was transplanted west after the species was nearly extirpated in the early 1900s.
County
Species
Method
Count
Avg Score
Top Score
Fremont
Elk
Archery
7
293
350
Fremont
Elk
Rifle
2
385
394
Fremont
Pronghorn
Archery
4
70
72
Fremont
Pronghorn
Rifle
3
82
86
Sweetwater
Pronghorn
Archery
6
74
78
Sweetwater
Pronghorn
Rifle
8
83
86
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Nearest Towns
Casper
Full services: gas, groceries (Walmart, Albertsons, Ridley's), lodging, hospital (Wyoming Medical Center). Largest central WY city.
Glenrock
Small town; gas, groceries, lodging. 20 mi E of Casper on I-25.
Thermopolis
Full services: gas, groceries, lodging, hot springs. Gateway to Owl Creek Mountains.
Shoshoni
Small town; gas, basic supplies. Junction of US-20 and US-26.
Lusk
Small town; gas, groceries, lodging. Eastern staging for units 18, 108-110.
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Campgrounds
Casper Mountain Campground
Natrona County Parks
Casper Mountain; 39 sites; 8,000 ft; popular local hunting base.
Grave Springs Campground
BLM
South of Casper; 5 sites; convenient BLM staging area.
Boysen State Park
WY State Parks
Near Shoshoni; multiple loops along Boysen Reservoir. Good base for central WY hunts.
Wind River Canyon Campground
Various
Between Shoshoni and Thermopolis; scenic canyon; limited sites.
Dispersed camping
BLM / USFS
Abundant BLM land in central Wyoming; also available on Casper Mountain and in the Bighorn foothills.
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Statewide Outfitters & Directories
These outfitters operate statewide or in multiple regions. Check each one's website to confirm they cover Unit 100.