Quick Tips
- Cell service is spotty throughout the area
- Make sure you know ownership boundaries
- Carry extra water
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 140"-160" | 160"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | 110"-120" | 130"+ |
On The Ground
This unit is north of Newcastle and west of the South Dakota state line and has parts of Thunder Basin National Grasslands, BLM and some accessible state lands. Mule deer and whitetails can be found here.For nonresidents, this area is part of Region A and tags drawn for this area are also valid in: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Mature mule deer and whitetails are found with many bucks that qualify for Pope and Young. There is some public land here, but the bucks here get pressured and are usually pushed into private land. Hunters with access to private will increase the chance of harvesting a mature deer.
Terrain
Sweetwater Mountain, Mount Pisgah and Northwest Table are over 6,000 feet. Springs Prairie and Antelope Flats have large areas of open prairie. Pine Ridge runs south of Upton almost to Osage. Rugged Black, Horse and Betty canyons drain toward Skull Creek.
Roughly 411 square miles
27.6% public land
Elevations from 4,376-6,450 feet
Vegetation
Ponderosa pine covers ridges with some cottonwood and willows lining the creek bottoms. Blue grama and buffalo grasses combined with sagebrush cover most of the lower elevations in the unit, and dryland crops can be found near Beaver Creek.
Access
A lot of sections of public land here is blocked by private ranches. Plan to get permission to hunt on private land before the season starts. State Walk-in Areas are east of Upton. Vehicle travel is restricted to Forest Service Roads. Predator and prairie dog hunting is only allowed during daylight hours.
Travel can be hard in rain or snow
Four-wheel drive recommended on all secondary roads during these times
Camping and Lodging
Camping is allowed on BLM land. Newcastle and Upton have lodging, cafes and gas stations. Weston Community Health Services can be found in Newcastle.
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