Hunt Area 2, Bearlodge, Wyoming

Rolling to moderately steep forested mountains with intervening prairie draws and rimrock bluffs; elevation ranges roughly 3,000 ft on the surrounding plains to 6,640 ft at Warren Peak (Bear Lodge Mountain), the highest point in the range.

Primary public access is via Wyoming Highway 24 between Aladdin and Hulett, which bisects the Bearlodge Ranger District (~200,000 acres confirmed by USFS); USFS system roads branch off WY-24 and WY-112 throughout the national forest. The Bearlodge Ranger District office (101 S. 21st St., Sundance, WY; 307-283-1361) is the resource for Motor Vehicle Use Maps showing which USFS roads are open to vehicles. Several Wyoming Game and Fish Department Walk-In Hunting Areas (WIHAs) exist in Crook County — including Crook County WIHA No. 4 (439 acres, valid for Deer Hunt Area 2 and Elk 116) and Crook County WIHA No. 6 (1,043 acres, valid for Deer Hunt Area 2 and Antelope 2) — offering no-permission-required access on enrolled private parcels. Despite the national forest presence, roughly 76% of the overall hunt area unit is private land; farm fields, ranch land, and private timber parcels between the forest tracts create access complications. GPS and Motor Vehicle Use Maps are essential. Hunters pursuing mule deer in particular will find the majority of the population on private ground requiring landowner permission or outfitter access. Eleven licensed outfitters operate in the Crook County area with bases in Hulett, Sundance, Carlile, Alva, Weston, and Devils Tower. No designated wilderness areas exist within the unit.

Ponderosa pine forests dominate the mid- and upper slopes; bur oak occupies lower-elevation draws and north-facing slopes; aspen groves separate pine-covered ridges from grass-floored meadows; understory includes wild rose, skunkbush sumac, and chokecherry. Lower-elevation private ground transitions to mixed-grass prairie with dry creeks, shallow valleys, and cultivated fields. The Bear Lodge Mountains receive relatively high precipitation (annual average ~29 inches at Sundance), producing dense, productive timber stands.

White-tailed deer (Merriam's subspecies) are the dominant deer species on National Forest lands in Hunt Area 2; populations are recovering after significant mortality from Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in 2021 and are increasing but still below management objective per WGFD 2025 hunt forecast. Bucks from Crook County hold top Boone and Crockett records for Wyoming. Mule deer are present in the unit but occur in much lower numbers on national forest ground; most mule deer occupy private ranch and agricultural lands — WGFD explicitly notes that hunters planning to pursue mule deer in Hunt Area 2 should secure private-land permission before planning a hunt. Rocky Mountain elk are present in the Bearlodge portion of the Black Hills (Elk Hunt Area 116); WGFD-issued cow/calf elk licenses in this area are restricted to private land, and fall hunting pressure quickly displaces elk to adjacent private lands — public-land elk success should not be expected. Merriam's wild turkey populations are large and well-established throughout the ponderosa pine and oak forests of Crook County, representing some of Wyoming's premier turkey habitat. Pronghorn occur on the open plains and grassland portions of the area. Mountain lion are present and hunted under a statewide quota system. Bighorn sheep are present in the Bear Lodge Mountains range (confirmed by wildlife records) but no established hunt area exists for this unit. Black bear are in early stages of recolonization of the Bear Lodge Mountains per WGFD large carnivore staff — only a handful of individuals have been documented; no established huntable population exists. Ruffed grouse also inhabit riparian and aspen draws.

1. Deer season dates (November 1-20, antlered only) confirmed from WGFD 2025 hunt forecast and regulation-change announcement; hunters must verify current-year dates at wgfd.wyo.gov. 2. The 23% public land figure is from GoHunt and refers to the overall hunt area unit; the Bearlodge Ranger District (~200,000 acres USFS) is the core public block. 3. Wyoming general deer licenses are OTC for residents; nonresidents must apply through a limited quota draw for Region A tags. 4. Elk Hunt Area 116 covers the Bearlodge NF — deer and elk hunt area numbers do not align in Wyoming. 5. Whitetail density language corrected: WGFD 2025 forecast states numbers are increasing but still below management objective; draft claim of 'extraordinarily high' densities was not supported by WGFD sources. 6. Bighorn sheep confirmed present in Bear Lodge Mountains but no established hunt area for this unit. 7. Black bear not yet an established huntable population; recolonization confirmed as early-stage by WGFD large carnivore staff.