Hunt Area 168, Medicine Butte, Wyoming

Rolling sagebrush plains and hills with deeply cut juniper-filled draws and washes in the lower elevations; rough broken country with scattered aspen at higher elevations. Elevation ranges approximately 6,700 ft to 7,200 ft. Cottonwood and willow line creek drainages including Muddy Creek. Topography rewards spot-and-stalk hunting. Located in Uinta County in the southwest corner of Wyoming, just north of the Utah border.

Total area ~424 sq miles (271,552 acres). Public land is approximately 44%: BLM ~39%, Wyoming State ~5%. Private land ~55%, which significantly restricts access to quality habitat. Key access routes include US Highway 189, Wyoming Highway 412, Wyoming Highway 89, Uinta County Road 103, Whitney Canyon Road, and the Amoco Sulfur Haul Road. The Bridger Valley area and nearby town of Evanston provide lodging and services. No designated Walk-In Areas (WIA) confirmed for 2025; hunters should verify current WIA listings with WGFD before the season.

Lower elevations dominated by sagebrush-steppe and native prairie grasses. Juniper woodland covers the rougher draws and hillsides. Riparian corridors along Muddy Creek and smaller drainages support cottonwood, willow, and serviceberry. Aspen present at upper elevations near the Wyoming-Utah border ridgelines. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is present; Area 168 is a priority CWD sample collection area per WGFD.

Mule deer in the Uinta herd use sagebrush-dominated winter ranges at lower elevations within and adjacent to Area 168. Severe winter 2022-23 caused documented mass mortality via GPS collaring studies, and the herd remains below management objectives as of 2025. Deer concentrate in juniper-covered draws during general season. Doe licenses are offered in the Uinta herd (areas 132, 133, and 168) to address agricultural depredation, indicating deer presence near irrigated land in the Bridger Valley. No elk hunting seasons documented for Area 168. Pronghorn habitat exists in adjacent units but Area 168 does not carry a designated pronghorn season.

Season dates from Wyoming Chapter 6 Deer Regulations (2025 season, document dated 2024). Harvest stats from 2023 WGFD Deer Harvest Report. Public land percentages from HuntScore analysis. The 2025 hunt forecast notes herd below management objectives; conservative general season in place (Oct 1-Oct 6 rifle). Type 3 white-tailed deer licenses available in area. CWD priority collection zone. Elevation range and exact WIA listings should be verified with current WGFD materials.