Hunt Area 4, Sand Creek, Wyoming

Rugged and diverse terrain ranging from steep-walled canyons and ridgelines to gentler sagebrush flats and ranch grasslands. Elevation spans approximately 3,800 to 6,600 feet, with the highest terrain concentrated in the Black Hills National Forest along the unit's interior and western edge. The unit covers roughly 318 square miles.

Primary paved access routes are I-90 (northern boundary), US Highway 85 (eastern/southern), and Wyoming Highway 585 (western). Black Hills National Forest ground is accessible south of Beulah near Sand Creek and along the western edge south of Sundance; the Bearlodge Ranger District (office at 101 S. 21st Street, Sundance, WY 82729, phone 307-283-1361) administers this public land. National Forest roads in this district are generally well-maintained two-track and county-signed routes; four-wheel drive and snow chains are recommended during the November rifle season. Three USFS campgrounds are located near Sundance: Cook Lake, Reuter, and Sundance. The Wyoming Access Yes program provides Walk-In Hunting Areas within the hunt area boundary: Crook County WIA 1 (830 acres, open Sep 1–May 31, deer and turkey valid in Hunt Area 4), Crook County WIA 2 (373 acres, open Sep 1–May 31, deer and turkey valid in Hunt Area 4), and Crook County WIA 8 (1,126 acres, open Aug 15–Mar 31, antelope and deer valid in Hunt Areas 4 and 5). Significant private ranch land occupies the lower sagebrush and transitional zones; approximately 60 percent of the unit is private. The State of Wyoming's Ranch A property within Area 4 is closed to all deer hunting by regulation. Hunters accessing National Forest ground must navigate private land corridors in places; use of a current land-status map is strongly advised.

Ponderosa pine forest dominates the Black Hills uplands, with mixed stands of juniper and some aspen in draw bottoms. Sagebrush-grassland flats and ranch grasslands occupy the lower elevations and transitional zones between forest and plains. Riparian corridors along Sand Creek and its tributaries support cottonwood and willow. The mix of open sagebrush, dense pine timber, and broken canyon terrain creates varied cover structure.

Both mule deer and white-tailed deer are present throughout the unit, with the Black Hills generally associated with higher white-tailed deer density and sagebrush flats supporting mule deer. Rocky Mountain elk are present in the Black Hills National Forest portions of the unit per Bearlodge Ranger District records, though elk density is lower than in major western Wyoming ranges. Black bear are present in the forested areas (documented at the Sand Creek WHMA). Merriam's wild turkey and ruffed grouse occupy the ponderosa pine–mixed timber zones. Mountain lion (cougar) are present, with at least one confirmed observation at the Sand Creek WHMA. White-tailed deer populations experienced significant Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) die-offs in 2021 and to a lesser extent 2022; numbers were still below management objective as of the 2025 WGFD hunt forecast but trending upward.

1. The 2023 harvest figures for white-tailed deer (384 total, 41.9% success) are pooled across both the General antlered license and the Type 8 reduced doe/fawn private-land quota tag (source: WGFD 2023 Harvest Report, Table VI-A). The General-only white-tailed deer success rate was 39.9% (364 harvested from 912 active hunters). Mule deer figures (77 harvest, 19.6% success, 393 active hunters) are from Table III-A of the same report. 2. No dedicated muzzleloader season is listed for Hunt Area 4 in the 2026 Chapter 6 regulation. 3. The State of Wyoming's Ranch A property is explicitly closed to deer hunting within Area 4 by the 2026 Chapter 6 regulation. 4. The public land percentage of ~40% reflects National Forest plus state lands. 5. Crook County WIA 8 (1,126 acres, Hunt Areas 4 and 5, open Aug 15–Mar 31) was omitted from the draft and has been added. 6. The third USFS campground near Sundance is named 'Sundance' (not 'Sundance Horse Camp' as in the draft) per the Bearlodge Ranger District website. 7. The Sand Creek WHMA (289 acres) is a state-managed public-access parcel distinct from the Walk-In Areas enrolled under the Access Yes program.