Hunt Area 39, Bates Creek, Wyoming

Rugged basin and foothill terrain with steep ridgelines, rimrock, and broad drainages. Elevation ranges from approximately 4,506 to 7,179 feet. Notable high points include Lysite Mountain (approximately 7,198 ft), Klondike Peak (approximately 7,162 ft), Hawks Butte (approximately 6,982 ft), Battle Mountain (approximately 7,077 ft), Black Mountain (approximately 6,184 ft), and Bulls Mountain (approximately 6,266 ft). The terrain transitions from open rangeland in the lower basins to rocky, cut drainages in the middle elevations and timbered ridges at the top.

Primary road access is via Wyoming Highway 172 (Black Mountain Road) along the northern boundary and Hot Springs County Road 7 (Kirby Creek Road) along the western boundary. BLM Road 1409 (Murphy Dome-Mud Creek Road) and BLM Road 1404 (Nowater Stock Drive Road) provide interior access from the north and routes to the eastern portion of the unit. The Upper Nowood Road forms the eastern boundary. The Seaman Ranch Road (Lysite Mountain Road) and Pine Creek Road provide southern access. Secondary BLM and county roads provide reasonable interior coverage, though roads become difficult or impassable in rain or snow and four-wheel drive is strongly recommended. Approximately 65% of the unit is public land (BLM and Wyoming state lands), but private ranch holdings are intermingled throughout; hunters should verify land status before accessing. The Kirby Creek Hunter Management Area (11,503 acres of private and leased lands belonging to V Ranch and Kirby Creek Ranch) is accessible with a WGFD permission slip issued seasonally — valid for deer licenses in Areas 37 and 39, elk licenses in Areas 47 and 48, and antelope Area 76. In 2025/26 mule deer hunting on Kirby Creek Ranch land was restricted; mule deer hunting permitted on V Ventures property only. No wilderness or designated roadless areas fall within this unit. Camping is permitted on BLM land throughout the unit.

Lower and mid elevations are characterized by sagebrush-steppe and mixed grassland, transitioning to mountain mahogany shrubfields and juniper on rocky slopes. Riparian corridors along Kirby Creek and smaller tributary drainages support cottonwood and willow. Upper ridgelines carry scattered ponderosa pine and mountain shrub communities. The combination of sagebrush flats, rimrock breaks, and timbered draws provides a mix of forage and cover habitat typical of Wyoming's Bighorn Basin foothills.

Mule deer and white-tailed deer are both present; mule deer are documented at relatively low density compared to surrounding units (136 active hunters, 57 harvested, 41.9% success in 2023 general season), while white-tailed deer use the riparian corridors and adjacent cover. The 2023 harvest report shows all 57 deer were taken by firearm with zero archery harvest, indicating very limited archery-season deer movement into accessible areas. Pronghorn antelope occupy the sagebrush-grassland portions of the unit and adjacent Antelope Hunt Area 76 (Copper Mountain) overlaps geographically. Elk are present in the broader landscape, particularly associated with Elk Hunt Areas 47 and 48 (Upper Nowood herd); the Kirby Creek HMA is valid for elk licenses in those areas. Black bear may be present in the timbered draws and mountain shrub zones at higher elevations. Sage grouse occur in suitable sagebrush habitat within the unit. Wild turkey may be present in limited numbers along riparian areas. Mountain lion is present statewide and occurs throughout the area's rough terrain.