SU SLEEPER UNITS Wyoming Wyoming Unit 85 Hunt Planner Draw Odds
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Unit 85

3-D satellite terrain of Unit 85, 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 85 covers the Wyoming Range north of LaBarge between the Greys River drainage and the upper Green River basin. Elevations run from about 7,000 feet on the lower forest fringes to over 11,000 feet on the Wyoming Peak country and surrounding crest. The forest is mature: aspen and lodgepole pine on the lower slopes, transitioning into Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and lodgepole through the mid-elevations, with whitebark pine on the highest exposed ridges and alpine meadow above timberline. Major drainages include the upper Greys River, Cottonwood Creek, and the headwaters of the LaBarge Creek. The Wyoming Range here is a long, north-south spine of mountain that tilts west into the Greys River canyon and east into the upper Green. Bridger-Teton National Forest dominates. Forest roads from Big Piney climb into the timber from the east; the Greys River Road from Alpine on the west provides the other access. Big Piney has gas and a small grocery; Pinedale is the bigger supply town; Alpine on the Snake River has basics. Cell service drops fast. Quality elk in the timber and meadow margins, mule deer in the aspen pockets, and feedground influence shows up on the eastern flank during seasonal migrations. Grizzly bear country, increasingly so. The Wyoming Range is overshadowed by the Tetons and the Wind Rivers—that's exactly why it's a quality elk hunt.

Unit Stats

Hunting Season Temps (3-yr avg)

Sep
65°
39°
Oct
49°
27°
Nov
32°
14°
Dec
26°
10°
Jan
24°
10°
Feb
24°
9°

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
LincolnElkArchery5316330
LincolnMule DeerArchery1185185
LincolnMule DeerRifle1181181
LincolnPronghornArchery67177
LincolnPronghornRifle28385
TetonElkArchery2310320
TetonElkRifle1364364
TetonPronghornArchery17070
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Nearest Towns

RawlinsFull services: gas, groceries (Walmart, City Market), lodging, hospital (Memorial Hospital of Carbon County). I-80 hub.
SaratogaSmall town; gas, groceries, lodging, hot springs. Gateway to Sierra Madre and Snowy Range from the west.
Encampment / RiversideSmall towns; gas, basic supplies, lodging. Gateway to Sierra Madre.
Elk MountainTiny; gas, cafe. Near I-80; access to Elk Mountain area.
BaggsSmall town; gas, basic supplies. Southern gateway to Sierra Madre; near CO border.
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Campgrounds

Ryan Park CampgroundUSFS (Medicine Bow NF)Near Saratoga; 48 sites; 8,000 ft; popular base camp for elk hunts.
Lincoln Park CampgroundUSFS (Medicine Bow NF)WY-130; 12 sites; 9,200 ft; Snowy Range.
Jack Creek CampgroundUSFS (Medicine Bow NF)Sierra Madre; 16 sites; 8,200 ft; quiet and close to elk habitat.
Battle Creek CampgroundUSFS (Medicine Bow NF)Battle Highway (WY-70); 5 sites; 8,400 ft; Sierra Madre access.
Bow River CampgroundUSFS (Medicine Bow NF)Medicine Bow Mountains; 13 sites; 9,000 ft; near good elk country.
Dispersed campingUSFS / BLMWidely available along forest roads in the Medicine Bow NF and BLM land south of Rawlins.
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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 85.

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

Hack's Tackle & OutfittersSaratoga, WYHunting and fishing gear; ammo, maps, local knowledge.
WalmartRawlins, WYAmmo, basic hunting supplies, camping gear, groceries.
Big RRawlins, WYFarm & ranch store; ammo, hunting clothing, supplies.
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Game Processors

Saratoga Custom MeatsSaratoga, WYWild game processing; sausage, jerky; (307) 326-5644
Rawlins Meat ProcessingRawlins, WYWild game processing; basic cuts and specialty sausage; call ahead.
Encampment LockerEncampment, WYSmall-town processor; basic wild game cuts; verify hours.
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Gas Stations

Flying J / SinclairRawlins, WY — I-80; 24-hr fuel; last major fuel before heading south.
Loaf 'N JugSaratoga, WY — WY-130; last fuel before Snowy Range or Sierra Madre.
SinclairEncampment, WY — WY-70; last fuel before Battle Highway into the Sierra Madre.
ConocoBaggs, WY — WY-789; last fuel before Little Snake River country.
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Data from sleeperunits.com. Always verify with the official Wyoming Game & Fish proclamation.

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