Hunt Area 89, Rattlesnake, Wyoming

Area 89 spans approximately 5,500–10,000 feet in elevation across Natrona County. The lower elevations feature rolling prairie and sagebrush flats, transitioning to large, choppy sagebrush-covered hills in the mid-elevations, and juniper and pine-covered mountainous terrain at the upper reaches along the Rattlesnake Divide. Key drainages include Eagle Creek and Fish Creek. The area is bounded by U.S. Highway 20-26 to the north near Waltman, Wyoming Highway 220 to the south, Gas Hills Road (Natrona County Road 212) to the west, and the Kendrick Canal/Oregon Trail Road to the east.

Public land access is available via BLM holdings managed through the Casper Field Office (1.4 million surface acres across Natrona and adjacent counties). Five Natrona County Walk-In Areas overlap with Hunt Area 89: WIA 10 (8,720 ac, Aug 15–Dec 15, deer/elk/antelope), WIA 11 (10,899 ac, Aug 15–Mar 1, deer/elk/antelope/upland), WIA 13 (2,905 ac, Aug 15–Dec 15, deer/elk/antelope), WIA 14 (5,672 ac, Aug 15–Oct 31, deer/antelope), and WIA 17 (4,162 ac, Aug 15–Dec 15, deer/antelope). Outfitters such as Thunder Ridge Outfitters operate in units 87, 89, and 90. The area also has private ranch land that can be accessed through guide services.

Lower elevations support Wyoming big sagebrush flats and shortgrass prairie. Mid-elevation terrain transitions to dense sagebrush hills with dry washes and rock outcrops that provide deer travel corridors and bedding cover. Upper areas along the Rattlesnake Divide support juniper woodlands and scattered ponderosa pine, providing summer range and cover for mature bucks. Riparian areas along Eagle Creek and Fish Creek offer additional forage and water sources.

Mule deer in the Rattlesnake area generally summer in higher juniper and pine terrain along the Rattlesnake Divide and move to lower sagebrush flats and river breaks as fall arrives. The rut can begin as early as late October and run through late December. Buck ratios remain high relative to population size, making pre-rut and rut hunting effective for limited-quota tag holders. The population has been below management objectives but showed stabilization and modest growth following improved fawn production in 2023–2024.

Season dates are from the 2026 Chapter 6 Draft (version 03.16.2026.4) and represent the most current available data at time of compilation; final adopted dates may differ slightly. Harvest statistics: 2024 data from WGFD 2025 Deer Harvest Report; 2023 data from WGFD 2023 Deer Harvest Report. Public land percentage is an approximation based on statewide BLM coverage patterns in Natrona County and Walk-In Area enrollment; exact unit-level figure requires GIS analysis. Pronghorn are likely present in the lower sagebrush portions of the unit based on habitat type and adjacent antelope hunt areas, but Area 89 is primarily managed as a deer unit. Elk presence is possible in upper juniper/pine habitat but no elk-specific data was confirmed for this deer hunt area.