Hunt Area 66, Bates Hole-Hat Six, Wyoming

Rolling sagebrush-steppe basin with dissected creek drainages, rimrock benches, and badland breaks dropping into the Bates Hole depression, grading to the northward-facing escarpment of Casper Mountain on the north and the Shirley Ridge/Laramie Range foothills on the south and east. Elevation ranges from approximately 5,047–5,200 feet on the basin floor to 8,252–8,400 feet on the highest ridges. Terrain is predominantly open and walkable with moderate slopes; steeper canyon walls occur along Stinking Creek, Bates Creek, and tributary drainages.

Primary vehicle access is via Wyoming Highway 220 (Casper to Rawlins corridor) running through the northern part of the unit, and Wyoming Highway 77 on the western boundary descending toward Shirley Ridge. BLM Road 3141 (Lone Tree Road) and Shirley Ridge Road (Carbon County Road 2) form portions of the southern and western boundary. Bates Creek Road (Natrona County Road 402) and Spring Creek Road provide interior access off the east side. U.S.F.S. Road 660 runs along the upper eastern boundary connecting to Squaw Springs Trail Road. The Hat Six Hunter Management Area (1,309 acres, Milne KP Ranch only — Eastgate Ranch is no longer enrolled) is located east of Casper via East Second Street and Hat Six Road; free permission slips are required and must be obtained in advance from WGFD (applications open July 21 annually at 8:00 AM). Walk-In Area 9 (520 acres, year-round, deer/antelope/elk/upland) and Walk-In Area 161 (5,035 acres, Aug 15–Oct 31, deer and antelope only) are within Area 66. Significant private ranch land (approximately 49% of unit) interspersed throughout blocks direct access to some BLM tracts; a landowner-layer mapping app is essential. The boundary begins at the confluence of Deer Creek and the North Platte River at Glenrock on the northeast.

Dominant cover is Wyoming big sagebrush and mixed-grass prairie, with greasewood and saltbush on lower saline flats. Willow and cottonwood riparian corridors line Stinking Creek, Bates Creek, and their tributaries — these draws provide primary cover and bedding for mule deer. Scattered ponderosa pine and juniper occur on the higher ridges and canyon rims toward the Shirley Ridge and eastern Medicine Bow foothills. The basin opens into broad antelope flats with little woody cover. Alcova Reservoir (North Platte River) forms part of the northern boundary and provides a significant water feature.

Mule deer are the primary game species; the population falls within the Laramie Range/Bates Hole herd complex and has been documented well below management objectives for multiple years (Casper Region), with improving fawn recruitment since 2023–2024 wet conditions — though recovery will take several more years of good fawn production. White-tailed deer are present, particularly in riparian draws. Pronghorn antelope are abundant on the sagebrush flats. Elk are present; the unit appears in WGFD Casper Region elk management context and elk move through the canyon country and higher ridges. Mule deer bucks in mid-October tend to be solitary and bedded in creek-bottom cover, moving to water sources during early morning and evening; deer occur in pockets across the open country rather than in uniform densities — spotting scopes are highly recommended for covering ground. Sage grouse inhabit the sagebrush flats. Coyote populations have been actively managed in the Bates Hole area in response to mule deer recruitment concerns. Mountain lion are present statewide. Buck ratios remain relatively high despite low overall population, meaning hunters on public land can find quality bucks with thorough glassing.

1. CORRECTIONS FROM FACT-CHECK: Hat Six HMA now lists only Milne KP Ranch — Eastgate Ranch is no longer enrolled per WGFD website (draft incorrectly listed both). Public land pct corrected to 50% (HuntScore: 30% BLM + 19% state + 1% USFS + 1% other) from draft's 51%. WIA 161 species corrected: deer and antelope only (no elk or upland birds per WGFD walk-in data). 2. HARVEST DATA: Area-specific hunter success rates for Hunt Area 66 not publicly available in disaggregated form from WGFD. HuntScore reports 2,054 hunters / 638 harvest / 32.1% success (2021) from proprietary dataset — not independently verified from WGFD primary data. 3. POPULATION STATUS: Casper Region mule deer confirmed well below management goals per 2024–2025 WGFD forecasts; fawn production improving since 2023. Recovery expected to take several more years. Short 7-day rifle season reflects conservative management. 4. ELK/PRONGHORN: Both present and huntable but under separate WGFD hunt area numbering. 5. SIZE: 966 sq mi (618,438 acres) per HuntScore; GoHunt's 4 sq mi figure is a data error.