Unit 105 Carter Lease (Area 105)
Cold desert and the Bear River Divide in Wyoming's far southwest corner
Southwest Wyoming / Bridger Valley · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,700
sq mi
Public land
52%
approx.
Elevation
6,400–8,600
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Hunt Area 105 (Carter Lease) sits along Wyoming's western edge north and west of Bridger Valley, a mix of high sagebrush desert and the timbered spine of the Bear River Divide. Roughly half the country is public, but ownership is fractured by the Union Pacific land-grant checkerboard along the I-80 corridor. Elk densities are low and success trails neighboring units, so this is primarily strong desert pronghorn and mule deer country with a limited, scouting-heavy elk opportunity.
Terrain
High plains desert basins rising west into the forested Bear River Divide; broad sage flats cut by draws and the Blacks Fork and Bear River drainages.
Cover: Big sagebrush, greasewood and saltbush flats on the basin floor; aspen, mountain shrub and conifer stringers on the Bear River Divide.
Landmarks: Bear River Divide · Blacks Fork · Bear River · Church Butte · Carter
Access
Public and private land alternate in the classic southern-Wyoming checkerboard along the I-80/Union Pacific corridor. A 2025 Tenth Circuit ruling (Iron Bar Holdings v. Eshelman) held corner-crossing between diagonal public sections is lawful, but verify section corners with GPS and mapping before stepping across. Some private tracts are open through WGFD Walk-In/Hunter Management access in Uinta County.
Managers: BLM, WY state trust, private ranch, Union Pacific land-grant (checkerboard)
Access points: I-80 exits at Carter and Fort Bridger · Blacks Fork River road network · Bear River Divide / US-189 corridor · BLM two-tracks north of I-80
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe desert basins hold solid pronghorn numbers, the marquee draw here in a state with the world's largest antelope population.
- →Glass the wide sage flats at first light and spot-and-stalk using terrain folds
- →Focus water sources and reservoirs in dry early-season stretches
- →Use GPS to hunt public sections cleanly within the checkerboard
Mule Deer
common opportunityDesert and foothill mule deer are spread across the sage and mountain-shrub edges, with better bucks on the Bear River Divide breaks.
- →Work aspen and shrub pockets on the Divide during the rut
- →Glass sage draws at dawn and dusk
- →Hike beyond the road-hunted checkerboard fringe onto contiguous public
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityLow elk densities occupy the Bear River Divide timber; success rates run below neighboring units and demand heavy pre-season scouting.
- →Scout the Divide's timber and meadow edges before the season
- →Hunt later once weather concentrates animals
- →Pattern movement between private feed and public timber
Pro tips
- →Treat GPS land-ownership mapping as mandatory gear — the checkerboard makes on-the-ground boundaries invisible
- →Pronghorn and desert mule deer, not elk, are the realistic trophy targets here
- →Water holes and stock reservoirs concentrate antelope during dry early seasons
- →Push west onto the Bear River Divide to escape crowded, road-hunted basin fringes
- →Carry recovery gear — wet clay two-tracks strand vehicles fast
Watch out for
- !Union Pacific checkerboard: adjacent sections flip public/private with no fences or signs
- !Corner-crossing is now upheld by the Tenth Circuit but remains contentious with some landowners — know exactly where the corner is
- !Private inholdings and locked gates block routes to otherwise-public ground
- !Sudden mountain snow and slick clay roads on the Divide
- !Late-summer fire restrictions on BLM ground
Logistics
Base out of the Bridger Valley towns of Fort Bridger, Lyman and Mountain View, or Evanston to the west; all sit on or near I-80 with fuel, lodging and groceries. Cell coverage fades quickly off the interstate corridor.
Nearest towns: Fort Bridger, Lyman, Mountain View, Evanston, Carter
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: GoHunt – Wyoming Elk Area 105 (Carter Lease) Profile · WGFD Public Access – Uinta County Walk-In Areas · BLM Wyoming Public Room – Hunt Maps
FAQ
- How big is Unit 105 in Wyoming?
- Unit 105 (Carter Lease (Area 105)) covers about 1,700 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,400 to 8,600 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 105?
- Approximately 52% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, WY state trust, private ranch, Union Pacific land-grant (checkerboard). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 105?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 105 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.