Hunt Area 10, Rochelle Hills, Wyoming

Rolling high-plains desert dissected by creek drainages and sagebrush flats, transitioning to low rocky hills and breaks in the Rochelle Hills proper. Elevation ranges from approximately 3,600 feet on the basin floor to 5,200 feet on higher grassland ridges. The landscape is characterized by wide basins, creek bottoms, scoria outcrops, and gently rolling terrain with limited vertical relief compared to Wyoming mountain units.

Primary highway access is via Wyoming Highway 59 (Gillette to Douglas corridor, forming the western boundary) and Wyoming Highway 450 (Newcastle to Wright, forming the northern boundary). The junction of these two highways near Wright marks the northwest corner of the unit. Interior access relies on a network of county roads and USFS roads: the Lynch Road (Converse County Road 39 / Weston County Road 7A) runs south from Hwy 450; the Dull Center Road (Converse County Road 38) traverses the unit east-west; USFS Road 958 (East Bill Road) and USFS Road 958C provide access to the Thunder Basin National Grassland interior. Road 942 off Highway 59 penetrates approximately 14 miles into the grassland. Interior unpaved roads are graded and generally passable by passenger vehicle in dry conditions; four-wheel drive is advisable on two-tracks when wet. The Thunder Basin National Grassland (547,499 acres, USFS) makes up roughly 47% of the total area and is fully open to public access. State lands (approximately 6%) are also publicly accessible. The remaining 46% is private land, with interspersed private inholdings creating a checkerboard ownership pattern. Private land blocks access to some creek drainages and upland sections; trespass permission from landowners is required for those parcels. Cell service is limited throughout.

Dominant cover is sagebrush-steppe (Wyoming big sagebrush and basin big sagebrush) intermixed with native mixed-grass prairie (blue grama, western wheatgrass, needle-and-thread grass). Creek drainages support cottonwood and willow riparian corridors. Rocky upland breaks hold scattered juniper (cedar) and greasewood. The Thunder Basin portion of the unit represents a Great Plains-sagebrush steppe ecotone. Black-tailed prairie dog colonies are widespread and create habitat used by burrowing owls and swift fox. Sagebrush patch size and quality have declined since the 1960s due to energy development and invasive plants.

Mule deer are the primary big-game species and the basis of WGFD management focus for the area; they occupy the Cheyenne River Mule Deer Herd unit, which has been below population management objectives. GPS collar research beginning December 2019 (35 does collared) confirmed that deer show limited seasonal dispersal, remaining within established home ranges year-round. Fawn-to-doe ratios recorded at 53:100 are below the threshold needed to maintain or grow the population. White-tailed deer are present in cottonwood creek bottoms and riparian areas. Pronghorn antelope are abundant throughout the Thunder Basin sagebrush and grassland. Elk are present and have their own hunt area designation (Elk Area 113). Prairie dogs, swift fox, badger, coyote, and rattlesnakes inhabit the grassland. Sage grouse are present at the eastern fringe of their Wyoming range. Merriam's wild turkey are present in riparian corridors and scattered cedar/juniper breaks. Mountain lion occurrence is documented in northeast Wyoming. Black-footed ferrets have been documented in Thunder Basin prairie dog complexes. CWD has been detected in at least one deer in this area.