3-D satellite terrain of Unit 118, 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 118 covers the eastern Bighorn foothills near Buffalo—classic Wyoming foothill country running between the Powder River Basin and the Bighorn front. Elevations run from about 4,500 feet on the prairie benches to 8,500 feet on the higher foothill ridges climbing toward the Cloud Peak Wilderness. The country grades from sage and bunchgrass on the prairie, through mountain mahogany and ponderosa pine on the foothill breaks, into Douglas fir, limber pine, and aspen on the higher slopes. Crazy Woman Creek, Clear Creek, and Piney Creek drain east out of the Bighorns and cut through the foothills with cottonwood-and-willow ribbons. The country has historic ranch character—Buffalo's heritage as a Johnson County cattle town runs deep, and the Occidental Hotel still has bullet holes from the 1892 cattle wars.
BLM, Bighorn NF on the upper margin, state trust, and significant private ranch share the country. The HMA and Walk-In programs are essential. I-25, I-90, and US-16 frame the access; county roads thread the foothills. Buffalo is the full-service supply hub—gas, the Occidental for history, real grocery. Cell service is fair near town. Heavy local pressure during rifle openers because Buffalo locals know this country and hit it hard. Mule deer in the foothill mahogany and pine breaks, whitetail in the creek bottoms, antelope on the prairie benches, elk in the upper timber for those who draw. Quality merriam's turkey in the ponderosa.
Unit Stats
Hunting Season Temps (3-yr avg)
Sep
73°
47°
Oct
54°
33°
Nov
39°
23°
Dec
28°
14°
Jan
22°
9°
Feb
22°
5°
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
Carbon
Elk
Archery
19
315
347
Carbon
Elk
Rifle
2
374
380
Carbon
Mule Deer
Rifle
2
186
191
Carbon
Pronghorn
Archery
9
74
78
Carbon
Pronghorn
Rifle
13
84
89
Sweetwater
Pronghorn
Archery
6
74
78
Sweetwater
Pronghorn
Rifle
8
83
86
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Nearest Towns
Sundance
Small town; gas, groceries, lodging. Gateway to Black Hills NF and Devils Tower.
Gillette
Full services: gas, groceries (Walmart, Smiths), lodging, hospital (Campbell County Health). Largest NE WY city.
Newcastle
Full services: gas, groceries, lodging, medical clinic. Southern Black Hills access.
Moorcroft
Small town; gas, basic supplies. Near Keyhole Reservoir and Devils Tower.
Hulett
Small town near Devils Tower; gas, basic supplies, lodging.
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Campgrounds
Reuter Campground
USFS (Black Hills NF)
Near Sundance; 24 sites; 6,200 ft; ponderosa pine setting.
Cook Lake Campground
USFS (Black Hills NF)
Bear Lodge area; 32 sites; 5,800 ft; trout lake.
Devils Tower Campground
NPS
Devils Tower NM; 46 sites; scenic; fills up quickly.
Keyhole State Park
WY State Parks
Keyhole Reservoir; multiple loops; good base for NE WY hunts.
Dispersed camping
USFS (Black Hills NF) / BLM
Available along forest roads in the Bear Lodge Mountains and BLM land throughout the Powder River Basin.
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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 118.