Hunt Area 6, Skull Creek, Wyoming

Rolling to moderately rugged terrain characteristic of the Black Hills foothills and adjacent Powder River Basin margins; elevation ranges from approximately 4,376 to 6,450 feet above sea level. Ridges and canyon draws are dissected by Skull Creek and its tributaries. Topography flattens toward the south and west where grassland plains dominate.

Primary vehicle access is via US Highway 85 (eastern and southern boundary), US Highway 16 (southern boundary to Upton), Wyoming Highway 116 (Upton north), Wyoming Highway 585 (eastern side), and a network of Weston County roads including Dry Creek Road (WCR-13), Green Mountain Road (WCR-11), and Skull Creek Road (WCR-14) — these roads form the unit boundary per WGFD regulation. Public land is fragmented — GoHunt estimates 27.6% public land — with many sections of BLM and state land blocked by surrounding private ranches. Walk-In Hunting Area 6 (281 acres, open Nov 1–Nov 20, valid for deer area 6), Walk-In Hunting Area 7 (6,942 acres, open Aug 15–Jan 31, valid for deer area 6, antelope area 5, and elk area 117), and Walk-In Hunting Area 10 (337 acres, open Aug 15–May 31, valid for deer area 6 and elk area 117) provide additional access on enrolled private land during season. Hunters should verify land ownership boundaries before entering, as checkerboard ownership patterns can make navigation difficult; cell service is described as spotty throughout the area.

Ponderosa pine dominates the forested ridges and canyon rims in the eastern Black Hills fringe. Creek bottoms support cottonwood and willow riparian corridors. Lower elevations and the western portion of the unit transition to sagebrush-steppe and mixed-grass prairie dominated by blue grama and buffalo grass. Dryland crop fields are present near Upton and along county road corridors. The area sits at an ecological transition between the Great Plains and Black Hills forest, producing a habitat mosaic that supports both whitetail (timber and riparian) and mule deer (pine-grass interface and open draws).

Mule deer and white-tailed deer are the primary big game; both species share the area with whitetails favoring pine timber and creek bottoms and mule deer using the open draws and sagebrush-grass interface. The Black Hills herds experienced severe population declines from an EHD outbreak in fall 2021 and a hard winter in 2022-23 that killed 60-70% of collared adults in some locations; herds were in gradual recovery as of 2023. Elk are present in the vicinity (adjacent WGFD Elk Hunt Area 117 overlaps with WIA 7 and WIA 10 inside deer area 6 boundaries). Pronghorn antelope occupy the adjacent plains (antelope area 5 and 7 border the unit). Mountain lion are established in the Black Hills region of Weston County, which is considered one of Wyoming's best areas for cougar. Merriam's wild turkey are abundant on the Black Hills fringe, and Weston County is recognized as a premier turkey hunting destination statewide. Coyote, fox, cottontail, and prairie dogs are also present.

All harvest statistics (mule deer: 510 active hunters, 211 harvest, 41.4% success; white-tailed deer: 355 active hunters, 70 harvest, 19.7% success) are from the WGFD 2023 Deer Harvest Report and reflect 2023 season data — the most recent year available from official WGFD sources as of July 2026. The Black Hills deer herds experienced severe population declines in 2021-2023 (EHD disease and harsh winter); 2023 harvest numbers are well below historical averages for the area. No area-specific tag quota applies for deer area 6 — it is a general (OTC) license area; the 2,000-nonresident cap applies to all of Region A (hunt areas 1-6 combined), not to area 6 alone. No separate muzzleloader-only season is designated for area 6 in the 2025 regulation. Public land percentage (28%) is sourced from GoHunt and should be treated as an estimate; the checkerboard ownership pattern means actual huntable public access may be lower due to landlocked parcels. Elk, pronghorn, mountain lion, and turkey presence is confirmed for Weston County / the area but these species use separate WGFD hunt area numbering systems independent of deer area 6 — hunters must verify applicable hunt areas and license requirements directly with WGFD before hunting these species in area 6. WIA 10 (337 acres, Aug 15–May 31, deer area 6 and elk area 117) was added; it was omitted from the draft.