SU SLEEPER UNITS Wyoming Wyoming Unit 24 Hunt Planner Draw Odds
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Unit 24

3-D satellite terrain of Unit 24, 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 24 encompasses the Powder River Breaks and the rolling prairie country east of the Bighorn Mountains between Sheridan and Gillette—a landscape of grass, sage, coulees, and ponderosa pine-covered ridges. Elevations range from about 3,600 feet on the Powder River to 5,500 feet on the higher ridges. The terrain is gently rolling prairie dissected by creek drainages—Clear Creek, Crazy Woman Creek, Rock Creek—that carve shallow valleys lined with cottonwood, willow, and brush. Ponderosa pine grows on the north-facing ridges and in the breaks, providing cover islands in the open grassland. Pronghorn dominate the sage flats, mule deer work the pine breaks and creek bottoms, and whitetail concentrate in the cottonwood corridors. Land ownership is predominantly private ranch land with scattered BLM and state trust sections. Access depends heavily on landowner relationships and the state Walk-In Area program. I-90 between Sheridan and Buffalo provides the main corridor, with county roads reaching the surrounding prairie. Sheridan, Buffalo, and Gillette are full-service towns. Cell service is good along the highways and in the towns. This is working ranch country—be respectful, ask permission, leave gates as you find them. The mule deer in the pine breaks can be surprisingly good, and the pronghorn hunting on the open prairie is classic Wyoming spot-and-stalk. The creek-bottom whitetail hunting is developing as the population expands. Weather is pleasant through October and turns cold and windy by November—the open prairie offers no shelter from north wind. Glass from high points along the road, identify game in the breaks and bottoms, and plan stalks that use the terrain folds for concealment. Area 24 in the Powder River Breaks is predominantly a pronghorn and mule deer destination on private ranch land with scattered public parcels. Nonresident antelope tags are easy to draw (0-1 points), while deer tags require 1-3 points. No wilderness designations, no grizzly bears, and no significant federal land blocks — this is working ranch country where access is the entire game. The Walk-In Area (WIA) program and PLPW (Private Land Public Wildlife) Access Areas are your best bets for public hunting without landowner contacts. The area is known for solid pronghorn hunting on the open prairie and mule deer in the ponderosa pine breaks along the creek drainages. Whitetail are expanding along the Powder River and Clear Creek corridors. Success depends almost entirely on access — hunters with ranch connections or WIA knowledge outperform those without by a wide margin.

Unit Stats

Hunting Season Temps (3-yr avg)

Sep
69°
47°
Oct
49°
32°
Nov
34°
20°
Dec
25°
11°
Jan
20°
8°
Feb
19°
4°

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.

CountySpeciesMethodCountAvg ScoreTop Score
CarbonElkArchery19315347
CarbonElkRifle2374380
CarbonMule DeerRifle2186191
CarbonPronghornArchery97478
CarbonPronghornRifle138489
FremontElkArchery7293350
FremontElkRifle2385394
FremontPronghornArchery47072
FremontPronghornRifle38286
SweetwaterPronghornArchery67478
SweetwaterPronghornRifle88386
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Nearest Towns

SundanceSmall town; gas, groceries, lodging. Gateway to Black Hills NF and Devils Tower.
GilletteFull services: gas, groceries (Walmart, Smiths), lodging, hospital (Campbell County Health). Largest NE WY city.
NewcastleFull services: gas, groceries, lodging, medical clinic. Southern Black Hills access.
MoorcroftSmall town; gas, basic supplies. Near Keyhole Reservoir and Devils Tower.
HulettSmall town near Devils Tower; gas, basic supplies, lodging.
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Campgrounds

Reuter CampgroundUSFS (Black Hills NF)Near Sundance; 24 sites; 6,200 ft; ponderosa pine setting.
Cook Lake CampgroundUSFS (Black Hills NF)Bear Lodge area; 32 sites; 5,800 ft; trout lake.
Devils Tower CampgroundNPSDevils Tower NM; 46 sites; scenic; fills up quickly.
Keyhole State ParkWY State ParksKeyhole Reservoir; multiple loops; good base for NE WY hunts.
Dispersed campingUSFS (Black Hills NF) / BLMAvailable 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 24.

Pinedale, WY. Bridger Wilderness. Since 1976 (48 years). Elk, deer, bear, moose, antelope. 80% return/referral clients. Guide of the Year awards.
Douglas, WY. 300,000 acres, Area 7. License #BG 063. Trophy elk, deer, antelope, bear, birds. MBNF permitted.
Western WY. Pack-in wilderness + drive-in camps. 80% bull elk success (2024). Documented results 2009-2025. Elk, deer, sheep, moose, lion.
Cody, WY. East Yellowstone highway. Absaroka Range pack-in hunts. Elk, mule deer, bear. Guest ranch + outfitting.
Jackson Hole / Teton Wilderness. Thorofare and upper Yellowstone. 30+ years. Backcountry horseback elk hunts.
Cody, WY. North Fork Shoshone, near Yellowstone East Entrance. Guided elk and mule deer.
Sunlight Basin. Horseback wilderness hunts. Small group camps. Elk and mule deer. Cody area.
Star Valley / Wyoming Range. Units 90, 92, 94. Region G/H. Elk and mule deer. Verified live.

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Outdoor & Gun Stores

Sportsman's WarehouseGillette, WYFull hunting/outdoor retailer; firearms, ammo, optics.
WalmartGillette, WYAmmo, basic hunting supplies, camping gear.
Rocky Mountain Discount SportsGillette, WYHunting and fishing gear; ammo, clothing, knives.
Sundance HardwareSundance, WYBasic hunting supplies and ammo; local knowledge.
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Game Processors

Frontier Meat ProcessingGillette, WYWild game processing; sausage, jerky; (307) 682-0723
Sundance MeatsSundance, WYWild game processing; basic cuts and wrap; call ahead.
Newcastle Custom MeatsNewcastle, WYSmall processor; wild game cuts; verify hours during season.
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Gas Stations

Flying J / MaverikGillette, WY — I-90; 24-hr fuel.
Loaf 'N JugSundance, WY — I-90; convenient for Black Hills staging.
ConocoHulett, WY — last fuel before heading into Bear Lodge backcountry.
MaverikMoorcroft, WY — I-90; junction of US-14.
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Data from sleeperunits.com. Always verify with the official Wyoming Game & Fish proclamation.

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