Hunt Area 28, Hunter Mesa, Wyoming

Steep, rugged mountain terrain characteristic of the southeastern Bighorn Mountains, with elevations ranging from approximately 7,000 feet on the lower forest flanks to over 10,000 feet along the main Bighorn Mountain Range divide. The area includes conifer-covered ridgelines, deep drainages, and rocky high-country near the Cloud Peak Wilderness boundary. Powder River Pass sits at 9,677 feet and forms the southern boundary along US Hwy 16.

The area is accessed primarily via US Highway 16 (Cloud Peak Skyway), which crosses Powder River Pass at the southern boundary and provides the main corridor into the Bighorn National Forest from Buffalo to the east and Worland/Ten Sleep to the west. Within the unit, USFS Road 452 (Gold Mine Road) runs along the western boundary from US Hwy 16 northward, connecting to USFS Road 25 (Canyon Creek Road), which forms part of the western and northwestern boundary. Numerous additional USFS forest roads and ATV trails branch off these corridors into the interior. The Cloud Peak Wilderness, which lies immediately adjacent or within the unit's upper elevations, is closed to motorized vehicles and accessible only on foot or horseback from multiple trailheads along US Hwy 16 and forest roads. The area is approximately 99% USFS and 1% Wyoming State land, with essentially no private land within the unit boundary. Access blockers typical of Wyoming plains deer units are absent here — hunters can generally reach public land directly from forest roads. Snow chains, a shovel, and four-wheel drive are strongly recommended for any forest road travel during rifle season (mid-October onward), as early winter weather commonly closes or degrades roads in this elevation range. Trailhead parking is available at several points along US Hwy 16 near Powder River Pass.

Vegetation is primarily montane and subalpine conifer forest. Lower slopes (7,000-8,500 feet) support ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir transitioning to lodgepole pine. Higher elevation zones (8,500-10,000+ feet) are dominated by lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, and subalpine fir, with interspersed aspen stands in moist drainages and south-facing meadows. Riparian corridors along South Piney Creek and its tributaries provide willow and brush habitat. Alpine meadows and rocky slopes appear above treeline along the Bighorn Mountain divide. Sagebrush-steppe occupies lower foothills at the forest boundary.

Mule deer are the primary big game species and are migratory, moving between high-elevation summer ranges within the area and lower winter ranges east of the forest boundary as snow accumulates. Both mule deer and white-tailed deer are present; mule deer dominate the numbers at higher elevations while white-tailed deer are more common in riparian and lower-forest transition zones. The North Bighorn deer herd (encompassing Areas 24, 25, 27, 28, and 50-53) has been below population management objectives in recent years; WGFD has an active GPS-collar monitoring program with adult collars set to drop off in 2028 and juvenile collars in early 2027. Elk are present in the Bighorn National Forest and adjacent areas, managed under separate elk hunt area numbers. Moose occur in riparian drainages within the Bighorn NF. Black bear inhabit the forested slopes. Mountain lion are present statewide under WGFD quota management. Pronghorn antelope are found at lower elevations and on the plains east of the forest boundary, outside the unit. No bighorn sheep or mountain goat populations are associated with this specific unit. Sage grouse are absent from this forested, high-elevation unit. Wild turkey may be present in lower ponderosa pine and canyon zones near the forest boundary. CWD (chronic wasting disease) surveillance is ongoing in Wyoming deer herds.

1. HARVEST DATA YEAR: The mule deer success rate (12.1%) and harvest (30 bucks, 247 hunters) are from the 2023 WGFD harvest report, the most recent publicly confirmed data. HuntScore reported 948 hunters and 166 total harvest at 19.2% success for an earlier year (likely 2021); the decline in active hunters and success between those years reflects the WGFD-documented population decline across the North Bighorn herd. 2. SEASON STRUCTURE NOTE: The 2026 Chapter 6 regulation for Area 28 shows no muzzleloader-specific season. Wyoming general license is valid with any legal weapon including muzzleloaders during the open general season unless otherwise restricted. 3. ANTLER RESTRICTIONS: No antler point restriction was confirmed for Area 28 in the 2026 season. Commission-retained restrictions in 2026 applied to areas 130, 138-140, 142-145, 149-156 (Sublette and Wyoming Range herds) — Area 28 is not among those named areas. Hunters should verify the current year Chapter 6 regulation directly with WGFD. 4. NONRESIDENT LICENSE: Residents purchase general licenses OTC; nonresidents must draw a general region deer license for Region Y (areas 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33, 163, 169). No area-specific quota for Area 28 alone. 5. TYPE 8 DOE LICENSE: A reduced-price Type 8 doe/fawn white-tailed deer license associated with Area 27 is also valid in Area 28; hunters must check current quotas with WGFD. 6. POPULATION STATUS: The North Bighorn mule deer herd remains below management objectives as of 2025-2026; WGFD GPS collar monitoring program (adult collars drop 2028, juvenile collars drop early 2027). 7. CLOUD PEAK WILDERNESS: The unit's upper elevations border or overlap the Cloud Peak Wilderness (189,000 acres, no motorized/mechanical use). Exact wilderness boundary relative to Area 28 legal boundaries should be confirmed on a current USFS motor vehicle use map.