Hunt Area 35, Upper Nowood, Wyoming

Mixed high-desert basin, broken rimrock foothills, and lower mountain terrain. The valley floor along the Nowood River sits near 4,855 feet at Big Trails, rising to approximately 6,727 feet at Cottonwood Pass. The landscape transitions from relatively gentle rolling valley terrain in the west through deeply cut drainages and steep-sided rimrock canyons—carved by Chugwater Formation red shale and sandstone—toward higher Bighorn Mountain foothills in the northeast corner.

Primary access routes follow the Upper Nowood Road (Hwy 434) from Ten Sleep in the north, reaching Cottonwood Pass (6,727 ft) at the unit's western boundary. BLM Road 1404 (Nowater Stock Drive) runs along the northern boundary and connects to the Upper Nowood Road. The Hazelton Road (Washakie County Road 6215) forms the northeastern boundary. The Oakie Road (Natrona County Road 101) and Devil's Slide Road access the southwestern quarter. Natrona County Road 109 and the North Fork of Buffalo Creek drainage form portions of the southeastern boundary. Public land access is complicated by a significant checkerboard of private ranch land interspersed with BLM and state sections; portions of the area border Wind River Indian Reservation trust lands on the west. Four-wheel drive and GPS with ownership mapping are strongly recommended, as county and secondary roads become impassable in wet conditions. The Upper Nowood HMA (approximately 3,983 acres on private/leased lands of Bobby Brubaker, Pam Holland, and Engle Martens Trust) provides permitted access to deer, pronghorn, and elk; hunters must obtain free permission slips and vehicle passes from the WGFD Cody Regional Office (307-527-7125) before entry. Walk-In Hunting Area (WIHA) blocks exist in Natrona County portions of the unit; boundaries require annual verification on WGFD maps. The WGFD HMA page lists the area under Deer Area 39 adjacency, but Chapter 6 regulations formally designate this unit as Area 35 (Upper Nowood).

Lower valley and basin: Wyoming big sagebrush steppe, native grassland, greasewood, and saltbush on the benches and flats; Triassic Chugwater red-rock outcrops define the canyon walls. Riparian corridors along the Nowood River and tributaries (Deep Creek, Lost Creek, Cherry Creek, Buffalo Creek) support cottonwood, willow, and shrubby vegetation used by white-tailed deer. Upper slopes and foothills grade into mountain mahogany, juniper, and higher-elevation mixed shrub communities. Cheatgrass invasion has been documented across the unit and is cited by WGFD as a continuing threat to forage quality for mule deer.

Mule deer are the primary big-game species, constituting the Southwest Bighorns Mule Deer herd (MD208). The herd experienced significant population declines from 2016 through 2022 driven by the severe 2018–2019 winter mortality event, drought, EHD, and rising CWD prevalence. The 2025 WGFD hunt forecast notes the Cody Region mule deer herds are currently below population management objectives, though recent positive trends in fawn production and precipitation may provide a boost. White-tailed deer occur at lower densities, concentrated in the Nowood River and tributary bottoms. Pronghorn antelope are present under Antelope Hunt Area 115 (Upper Nowood). Elk are huntable under Elk Hunt Areas 48 and 49, which overlap portions of the area; the Upper Nowood HMA lists elk as a target species. Black bear occupy the higher-elevation Bighorn Mountain foothills to the northeast. Mountain lion range throughout the unit. Sage grouse occupy sagebrush-steppe habitat across the basin. Gray partridge and doves are also present as upland game. CWD is a priority management concern: Areas 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, and 164 are designated priority CWD sampling areas by WGFD; adult male mule deer prevalence spiked to 38% in 2023 before returning to 24% in 2024 per herd unit reports, with a five-year average (2020–2024) of approximately 23%.

1. Season dates reflect the 2026 draft Chapter 6 regulations (March 16, 2026 version); the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission typically finalizes 2026 dates at the April Commission meeting — hunters must verify final dates at wgfd.wyo.gov before purchasing a license. 2. Wyoming has no dedicated muzzleloader-only deer season; muzzleloaders may be used during the general (rifle) season window per WGFD. 3. The 2023 mule deer harvest of 49 and 59% success is for Area 35 General license hunters (Table III-A and V-A, WGFD 2023 Deer Harvest Report), text-extracted from official PDF. 4. The nonresident Region M quota of 400 applies to all of Region M (areas 35, 39, 40, 164 combined). 5. Public land percentage of 38% is from GoHunt (37.6% rounded); treat as approximate given the complex checkerboard of BLM sections, state land, private ranch land, and Indian Reservation trust lands. 6. Ten Sleep (population ~300) is the nearest town, approximately 40 miles north via Hwy 434; Worland (population ~5,000) is the nearest full-service center, 35–40 miles northwest. The draft summary's reference to Worland as nearest town is technically imprecise — Ten Sleep is closer. 7. The WGFD Upper Nowood HMA web page lists the area under Deer Area 39 rather than Area 35; this appears to be a website anomaly or reflects the HMA's proximity to the Area 39 boundary — the Chapter 6 legal description definitively places Area 35 as Upper Nowood. 8. CWD is a significant management concern with Area 35 designated as a priority sampling area by WGFD.